The Cat Came Back

As a child, I was enamoured with a kooky Canadian animated short film called The Cat Came Back.  Available on VHS (for those of you too young to remember what this is, ask your parents) at my local library, I would take it out every time I entered the historic building.  It is likely that I played a huge part in wearing down that cassette tape.  Thanks to the National Film Board of Canada, who produced the flick, it is available for free on their website.

The film is based off of an 1893 folk song of the same name. Written and directed by Cordell Barker, the narrative follows an irascible old man named Johnson (voiced by Richard Condie) who makes the wrong choice after his heart is warmed, momentarily, when he sees a cuddly looking cat on his doorstep.  The gent adopts the kitty and brings it into his secluded home that sits atop a large hill.

It does not take long for the cat to irritate the man, breaking his beloved rattle that he has held onto since he was a babe.  He throws the feline out, removing his welcome mat in the process.  The persevering yellow cat sneaks into Mr. Johnson’s house by way of his mail slot, destroying his bed in short order.  It is this perceived action of war that leads the elderly individual on an epic journey to transport the pesky cat to a place where it will not ‘find its way back’.  Each trek becomes more maniacal and leads the man down an increasingly dangerous path – with him attempting death-defying manoeuvers that use a boat and anchor, a hot air balloon and a railway push trolley to rid him of this bane of his existence.  His final plan, after his previous attempts fail, will blow the other three away!

The Cat Came Back is a simple and fun experience for the entire family.  The movie took home a Genie (Canada’s top film prize) for Best Animated Short Film and was nominated for an Academy Award for its effort, and for good reason.  Its mix of insane comedy, subtle nuance, catchy music and simple yet effective animation is highly engaging.  The whole tale meshes together in a near perfect manner, making it an intoxicating seven minutes.

I had a difficult time selecting my favourite moments.  I love when we see the photo of Mr. Johnson as a baby and he still looks the same in the present, with his single strand of hair.  Then, there are the more broad highlights, like the mishap with the anchor and balloon that may remind some of the classic schemes of Wile E. Coyote in his never ending pursuit of that pesky Road Runner.  For the final moment that I wish to emphasize, keep an eye open as to where the cat escapes from in the final scene – a clever little touch that succinctly illustrates just how much of a pain in the derrière the annoying feline is for the man.

There is no point in talking about this movie without highlighting the engaging music.  There is something to be said about the simple, catchy and effective tune – that always uses the right instrument and has supremely timed pacing (with it sometimes being frenetic, while at others it slowly staggers along with our main character).  Reworking the original lyrics a tad, the film contains both clever verse and chorus.  It is likely that you will have “The cat came back, the very next day. . .  the cat came back, he thought it was a goner. . .  but the cat came back, he just wouldn’t stay away” stuck in your head after you’ve watched it.

The Cat Came Back is a highly entertaining film that will only take up seven minutes of your life.  It is a great movie that will surely stick with you, and you very well may share it with your children or grandkids after you’ve viewed it.  There is a reason why it landed at number 32 in animation historian Jerry Beck’s book “The Fifty Greatest Cartoons: As Selected by 1,000 Animation Professionals”.  So, check 0ut the link below to watch this memorable cartoon, you’ll soon learn that you won’t be able to stay away.

https://www.nfb.ca/film/the-cat-came-back