The Great Gildersleeve (1942)

The Great Gildersleeve poster

RKO Radio Pictures
Starring:
 Harold Peary, Jane Darwell, Freddie Mercer
Directed by: Gordon Douglas

Synopsis: Based on the long-running radio comedy series.  In an attempt to help their uncle Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve (Harold Peary) avoid the advances of Judge Hooker’s (Charles Arnt) sister, Leroy (Freddie Mercer) and Marjorie (Nancy Gates) try to build him up as a great man about town.

Kitty Cameo: Hoping to secure his guardianship of his niece and nephew, Gildersleeve asks their Aunt Emma (Jane Darwell) to stay with them.  This displaces Gildersleeve to sleep on a cot in the basement.  As he prepares to retire, a tabby cat is sitting on a cushion above the bed.

The Great Gildersleeve - tabby cat watches Gildersleeve get ready for bed

Gildersleeve forgets to turn off the light before he lies down and the cord is so short he can’t reach it.

The Great Gildersleeve - tabby cat watches Gildersleeve try to turn off the light

In reaching for the cord the cot slips and falls.  The cat watches as Gildersleeve gets down on the floor to fix it.

The Great Gildersleeve - tabby cat looks down from cushion

While Gildersleeve is beneath the cot, the cat crawls into his sleeping bag.  When Gildersleeve gets back in bed he thinks the bag is fur-lined.  Ginger, their dog, jumps on the bed and licks Gildersleeve’s face.  Gildersleeve then puts the dog into the bag and comedy ensues (the cat is not seen again in the film).

The Great Gildersleeve - tabby cat crawls into sleeping bag

Final Mewsings: Gildersleeve should have just let the cat out of the bag!


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