Rhubarb
Directed by Arthur Lubin
Written by Dorothy Davenport and Francis M. Cockrell from the novel by H. Allen Smith
1951/US
Perlberg-Seaton Productions
IMDb page
First viewing/Criterion Channel
Eric Yeager: [to Rhubarb] Now listen ya lug, you’re in the chips now, the blue chips. So stop acting like a goon squad. This is an okay dame. She doesn’t want a nickel of your dough.
[to Polly] Stroke him very gently on his head.
If you are looking for a screwball comedy look elsewhere. A reviewer even called this a screwball/noir! What it is is an OK family comedy with a cute feline protagonist and a little bit of romance
Eric Yeager (Ray Milland) is press agent for a perennially losing Brooklyn baseball team. He is engaged to Polly Sickles (Jan Sterling), daughter of the team’s coach (William Frawley).
The eccentric owner of the team is Thaddeus J. Banner (Gene Lockhart). He discovers a feral cat that steals golf balls and immediately orders that the cat be caught. He names the tom “Rhubarb”. Eric is nominated his caretaker.
Banner dies and leaves the team to Rhubarb, who tames down nicely. Eric is named the cat’s guardian. The team begins winning and press and public attribute this to its new mascot. Now a slighted heiress and a bunch of bookmakers put a price on poor Rhubarb’s head.
This held my interest. It’s quite OK for what it is. Orangey, the cat that played Rhubarb, may be better known as “Cat” from Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
Funniest joke is when Paul Douglas appears out of nowhere to admire Rhubarb’s many offspring which he calls “a litter from three wives”.
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