The Cannon Group, 1988
Starring Christopher Walken, Jason Connery, Carmela Marner, and Yossi Graber
Directed by Eugene Marner
Music by Michael Abbott; Lyrics by Anne Pearson Crosswell
This would be the second-to-last of the Canon Movie Tales, a series of nine family musicals based after beloved fairy tales made between 1986 and 1989. It's one of the only ones to boast a genuine star in Walken. How does this tale of a cat who can turn into a man - and manages to convince all the world that his country owner is a nobleman - look today? Let's begin with the death of the miller and the distribution of his worldly goods to his sons and find out...
The Story: The miller bequeaths his mill to his eldest son and his mule to his second, but Corin the youngest (Connery) only gets his cat, Puss (Walken). Puss convinces him to buy a pair of boots, which allow him to appear as a human. He catches wild game and gives them to the King (Graber) and his daughter Vera (Marner), claiming they were sent by his master the Marquis of Carabas. He convinces Corin to take a bath in a nearby pond, then claims to the King as he passes by that he's drowning. They "rescue" Corin and take him to the castle. He and Vera fall in love at first sight, despite the attempts of Puss and Vera's Aunt Clara (Elki Jacobs) to teach them "proper" manners.
Puss boasts to the servants that his master is rich beyond belief and has a castle with 1,000 rooms. The king wants to see this castle...but first, Puss has to drive out the Ogre (Amnon Meskin) who lives there and is terrorizing the countryside.
The Song and Dance: One of my favorites of the Cannon Movie Tales I've seen. Walken has an absolutely marvelous time as Puss, whether he's teaching Connery the ins and outs of being a gentleman, showing off his dancing moves for the servants, or outwitting the Ogre. Connery makes a charmingly bewildered miller's son, too, who never quite knows what to make of Puss or his good fortune. Marner is an adorable princess...who, unlike most versions of this story, has enough sense to figure out what's going on with the so-called "Marquis" and decide that she doesn't care what his title is. Meskin is a delightfully scary ogre, too. I especially like the costumes here, with their lovely contrast between the darker colors and simple designs of the peasants and the pastels and frills of the high court.
Favorite Number: Puss explains to Corin why his new footwear makes him "A Happy Cat." He sings his master to sleep, even as he makes his plans, in "I'll Watch Over You - A Cat's Lullaby." Vera and Corin admit it's a strange kind of "Love at First Sight" at the ball. The rollicking country dance routine at the ball is a lot of fun...and Puss showing off his moves for the servants in the kitchen is even more so.
What I Don't Like: This may be the only Cannon Movie Tale I where I wish they had padded out the story. They never do say why Puss can change into a human only when he wears boots. There's also the usual B-movie cheapness of the production and the tinny music, both of which are a problem, especially during the scenes at court.
The Big Finale: Charming and adorable, this is one of the best of the Cannon Movie Tales and is very much recommended for lovers of fairy tales, fantasy, or Walken.
Home Media: Thankfully, it's also one of the easier Cannon Movie Tales to find. It's available on DVD and streaming, including currently for free on Tubi.
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