The Three Lives of Thomasina (1964)

Director:

Don Chaffey

Writers:

Robert Westerby (screenplay)
Paul Gallico (book)

Release Date:

4 June 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Drama

Tagline:

I Am Thomasina -A Most Unusual Cat...They Say I'm Enchanted, and I Am!

Plot:

Thomasina the cat brings a family together, through her mysterious death and reappearance.

Plot Keywords:

Cat | Veterinarian | Animal | Circus | Atheist

Cast

Patrick McGoohan	...	Andrew McDhui
Susan Hampshire	...	Lori MacGregor
Laurence Naismith	...	Reverend Angus Peddie
Jean Anderson	...	Mrs. MacKenzie
Wilfrid Brambell	...	Willie Bannock
Finlay Currie	...	Grandpa Stirling
Alex Mackenzie
Vincent Winter	...	Hughie Stirling
Denis Gilmore	...	Jamie McNab
Charles Carson	...	Doctor
Ruth Dunning
Ewan Roberts	...	Constable McQuarrie
Oliver Johnston	...	Mr. Dobbie
Francis De Wolff	...	Targu (as Francis de Wolff)
Nora Nicholson	...	Old Lady

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements. (1992 re-issue)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Scottish Gaelic

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | USA:Approved (certificate #20535) (original rating) | Canada:G (video rating) | USA:PG (re-rating) (1992) | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Inveraray, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

The film was first broadcast on television in three one-hour installments over three weeks on "Disneyland" (1954) (at the time retitled "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color".)

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene at the circus where Lori goes to check on the abused animals, there is a man riding a horse in a ring. At first the horse is white. Later the same horse is gray spotted.

Quotes:

Andrew McDhui: Put it down. You're mad!
Lori MacGregor: Aye, so I hear.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Age of Believing: The Disney Live Action Classics (2008) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Thomasina

Pollyanna pussycat

Strange and exciting Disney drama that seems forgotten today.

Very popular for about a month in 1965 in Australia, I saw this in its first release and remember it very well. Disney films of that period seemed to add particularly interesting adult themes into their films especially if they contained British kids. Like Pollyanna or The Moonspinners or Mary Poppins, this film is perfectly realized for children and has enough weight and wry humor for parents to feel the production works for many ages. I am surprised this film is so forgotten today and is almost completely unavailable. It is just as good as any of those mentioned above which are widely available.