First and foremost, let me confess to you all I am NOT a Disney fan. Just about the only Disney films I can stand are the 1940s cartoon shorts. I also dislike most children's films.
The only reason I decided to watch this film was to see Patrick McGoohan, who I recently rediscovered and have a new-found appreciation of.
Last night I watched the film on an outdated tablet, in bed, via You Tube, with a spotty connection. I expected to skip most scenes... but I didn't.
I am pleased to confess something else... I liked this movie! I was pleasantly surprised that the dialog was mostly very good, especially for the kids in the cast, who were actually fun to watch. They were funny with just enough cute mixed in. Excellent casting, and great acting from the gang of youngsters.
I was expecting a sappy love story, or a doting father trying to make his daughter happy after she looses her cat. But that isn't what we get. More on that later...
There actually isn't as much "cat" in the story as you'd expect, which actually works out fine. There are other animals featured, including of all things a badger.
Susan Hampshire was good in her role as Lori, but I wasn't thrilled with that type of character. I am a woman who feels that females slow down plots, etc (I know, I'm weird). But the plot needed someone like her and she fits the bill.
Karen Dotrice plays Mary, the young daughter of newly arrived veterinarian Andrew McDhui (McGoohan). Thomasina the cat means the world to her.
Without getting too far into the realm of spoilers, Thomasina gets hurt and Mary and her friends interrupt her father while he is trying to save a blind man's dog, begging for him to save the cat. But the cat is too far gone, and is put down.
Here's where things get dark.
Mary is heartbroken over the loss of her cat, which is understandable. But in her grief, she puts all blame on her father and declares him dead as well, and refuses to acknowledge him in any way. He loves his daughter, but doesn't seem to know how to deal with her after Thomasina's death. Every time he tries to communicate with Mary, he is spurned, and doesn't take it well. He is obviously an unhappy man, very private and still having issues with his wife's death. He seems to be all business as a way to cope.
Being a Disney flick, this is where the woman meets the man and things are supposed to get better for everyone. I was glad to see there was no sappy falling in love tripe. It is inferred, but not wasted on film. What would you show anyway? Andrew is not the type of man who would display affection at the drop of a hat (just like with most of McGoohan's other roles).
Everything works out in the end, which seems rather rushed. More should have been made of Andrew at Mary's bedside. More should have been explained about Thomasina's "second life". It almost feels like the last ¼ of the film had a different writer.
So all in all, a well made and acted film. But I would NOT let kids watch it. I don't think it makes a good kids movie at all! Then again, perhaps it would be a good way for parents to bring up certain topics; the effect of death on different people, the effects of gossip, life priorities, etc.
Lastly, did I enjoy adding this film to my McGoohan Discovery Binge? Yup. I thoroughly enjoyed just looking at him. I even put up with the Scottish accent (he was born in America, raised in Ireland, acted in England, then moved to the USA in the 1970s). He plays his character as perhaps a bit too serious, too grumpy, but once the film is over, you realize that he couldn't play it any other way. Andrew is really a lost soul. And McGoohan makes you feel it.
The only reason I decided to watch this film was to see Patrick McGoohan, who I recently rediscovered and have a new-found appreciation of.
Last night I watched the film on an outdated tablet, in bed, via You Tube, with a spotty connection. I expected to skip most scenes... but I didn't.
I am pleased to confess something else... I liked this movie! I was pleasantly surprised that the dialog was mostly very good, especially for the kids in the cast, who were actually fun to watch. They were funny with just enough cute mixed in. Excellent casting, and great acting from the gang of youngsters.
I was expecting a sappy love story, or a doting father trying to make his daughter happy after she looses her cat. But that isn't what we get. More on that later...
There actually isn't as much "cat" in the story as you'd expect, which actually works out fine. There are other animals featured, including of all things a badger.
Susan Hampshire was good in her role as Lori, but I wasn't thrilled with that type of character. I am a woman who feels that females slow down plots, etc (I know, I'm weird). But the plot needed someone like her and she fits the bill.
Karen Dotrice plays Mary, the young daughter of newly arrived veterinarian Andrew McDhui (McGoohan). Thomasina the cat means the world to her.
Without getting too far into the realm of spoilers, Thomasina gets hurt and Mary and her friends interrupt her father while he is trying to save a blind man's dog, begging for him to save the cat. But the cat is too far gone, and is put down.
Here's where things get dark.
Mary is heartbroken over the loss of her cat, which is understandable. But in her grief, she puts all blame on her father and declares him dead as well, and refuses to acknowledge him in any way. He loves his daughter, but doesn't seem to know how to deal with her after Thomasina's death. Every time he tries to communicate with Mary, he is spurned, and doesn't take it well. He is obviously an unhappy man, very private and still having issues with his wife's death. He seems to be all business as a way to cope.
Being a Disney flick, this is where the woman meets the man and things are supposed to get better for everyone. I was glad to see there was no sappy falling in love tripe. It is inferred, but not wasted on film. What would you show anyway? Andrew is not the type of man who would display affection at the drop of a hat (just like with most of McGoohan's other roles).
Everything works out in the end, which seems rather rushed. More should have been made of Andrew at Mary's bedside. More should have been explained about Thomasina's "second life". It almost feels like the last ¼ of the film had a different writer.
So all in all, a well made and acted film. But I would NOT let kids watch it. I don't think it makes a good kids movie at all! Then again, perhaps it would be a good way for parents to bring up certain topics; the effect of death on different people, the effects of gossip, life priorities, etc.
Lastly, did I enjoy adding this film to my McGoohan Discovery Binge? Yup. I thoroughly enjoyed just looking at him. I even put up with the Scottish accent (he was born in America, raised in Ireland, acted in England, then moved to the USA in the 1970s). He plays his character as perhaps a bit too serious, too grumpy, but once the film is over, you realize that he couldn't play it any other way. Andrew is really a lost soul. And McGoohan makes you feel it.