That Darn Cat! (1965)

"You've got that terrible "butter-won't-melt-in-your-mouth" expression. I know what's going on, in your tiny little mind and I absolutely forbid it"

Two men rob a bank and kidnap the bank teller, Margaret Miller (Hall).  The police have no suspects and are not making any headway.  A few days later, the robber's, Iggy (Gorshin) and Dan (Brand), hideout is discovered by mischievous cat D.C.  Margaret manages to scratch a few letters onto the back of her watch and put it around D.C.'s neck.

D.C.'s owner, Patti Randall (Mills) finds the watch with the letters "H" "E" and part of an "L" scratched on the back.  She immediately assumes it belongs to Margaret, but has a hard time convincing her friends and sister, Ingrid (Provine).  So she turns to FBI Agent Zeke Kelso (Jones) to trail her cat and find the criminals.  Kelso moves into the Randall home, while their parents are away, with nosy neighbors and jealous boyfriends, can they find Margaret?


In the 1960s, Disney produced several films about animals.  They placed Hayley Mills at the lead, after her success with previous live-action Disney films: Pollyanna, The Parent Trap, etc.  She is a strong lead and makes the character relate-able.  This was the first Disney film for Dean Jones.  Jones would go on to make a string of films with Disney, including The Ugly Dachshund, The Love Bug, etc.  He was the perfect choice as Agent Kelso.  Comedy actress, Dorothy Provine, plays more of a straight-man role as Ingrid.  Roddy McDowall is Ingrid's would-be suitor, playing the character to a punchline and still making you laugh.  Elsa Lanchester and William Demarest are the odd couple neighbors.  She is the nosy neighbor that has an opinion about everyone and everything; he is the hen-pecked husband who enjoys thwarting her plans.

In 1997, the film was remade with Christina Ricci.  Dean Jones also appears in the film (but as a different character).

The film is funny, if a little outdated.  I saw the remake years ago, and cannot remember how it stacks up, regardless, the original is a classic.

That Darn Cat! (1965) 112 minutes
Director: Robert Stevenson
Starring: Hayley Mills as Patti Randall
Dean Jones as Zeke Kelso
Dorothy Provine as Ingrid Randall
Roddy McDowall as Gregory Benson
Neville Brand as Dan
Elsa Lanchester as Mrs. MacDougall
William Demarest as Mr. MacDougall
Frank Gorshin as Iggy
Grayson Hall as Margaret Miller