ABSTRACT: This is one of those old time classic Disney movies that I grew up with and still love
CONTENT: (©©Nov 14, 2008~Ciao~First published at Ciao under my pen-name of pyewacket)
The 1964 movie, The Three Lives of Thomasina is quite literally a movie I grew up with, and believe it or not actually saw it in the movie theater when it first came out and has been a treasured movie I don't mind seeing time and time again.
Plot
The Three Lives of Thomasina takes place in a quaint Scottish town, and is narrated and told by the viewpoint of none other than Thomasina herself, an orange-tabby cat. Mary MacDhul is Thomasina's owner, a little girl, who an only child and motherless, dotes on the cat as if it were a human baby, often dressing the cat up in doll's clothing and pays all her attention on the cat. Her father, Dr. Andrew MacDhul is a rather cold, bitter and heartless man and is the town's veterinarian. He is often jealous of his daughter's love and affection to a mere cat, and though while a vet and supposed healer of animals, tends to think dogs and cats as useless creatures and prefers to spend his time healing farm type animals. The only pet dog he does try to save in earnest is a blind man's dog.
One day Thomasina on her usual meanderings outside of the home has an accident and is injured, and Mary rushes the cat to her father in the hopes he can save her life. But who knows? Maybe due to his jealousy of the attention his daughter gives to the cat doesn't even try to save the life of Thomasina and orders his assistant to euthanize the cat. Thinking the cat dead, Mary and her playmate friends hold a funeral service for Thomasina and take her in a beautifully lined basket to a nearby forested area for the "service" While sad eulogies are given by the children, the scene cuts to another one.
We see Thomasina in a free fall, falling down, down, down and lands in a fairly darkened area with a gigantic steep stairway. On other side of her she sees hundreds and hundreds of cats ready to greet her as she walks up the stairs and at the top of the stairs is a huge feline statue...Bast, the ancient Egyptian feline goddess and protector of cats.
The funeral service is cut short, when all of a sudden the children see Lori MacGregor, the town's recluse and thought to be a witch. The children being scared of her runaway and leave Thomasina behind them. Lori approaches the basket with the "lifeless" form of Thomasina, but upon examining the cat, she discovers that Thomasina is not dead, but indeed very weak and barely alive. Lori gently takes Thomasina to her cabin in the woods and uses her herbal medicines to heal the cat. Lori, besides having the reputation of being a witch, has a remarkable gift in healing all animals. Thomasina does indeed recover, but now has no memory of her former life with Mary. Thomasina is now in her "second" life.
In the meantime, Mary's father is ignored by the townsfolk, thinking it horrible that he wouldn't help his own daughter's cat, and begin taking their pets for healing to none other than the "witch", Lori. Not only does he get the scorn of the townsfolk, but his own daughter, Mary pretends he doesn't even exist anymore.
Does Thomasina ever remember her former life with Mary? Does Thomasina ever go back home? What is Thomasina's "third" life? Does Mary's father ever soften his heart to his own daughter, can their relationship ever be close? Do the people's townsfolk ever have any respect for Mary's father? What near tragedy occurs that will change lives? For the answers to these questions you just have to watch the movie.
Opinons/Comments
This 1964 movie is true classic Disney at it's best. It was during those years of the 1960s that a whole slew of memorable movies came out, such as Pollyanna and Old Yeller, It is by no means a cheery light hearted Disney film, at least not in the same category or realm as the Disney animated movie, but like many of the movies of that time had messages in them about human compassion and understanding. A lesson is always in them for the characters to learn from.
The one scene that has always, but always struck in my mind and has been embedded ever since I saw it first time round, was that scene where Thomasina "dies" and is walking up those stairs, a cat's version of heaven, known as the Land of Bast. I myself, who have had cats ever since I was five years old, have had my share of "deaths" in the family and have always coined the phrase that where my cats go when they pass on, besides Rainbow Bridge, has been the Land of Bast.
The acting in this movie is superb, especially by Karen Dotrice who plays Mary and Patrick McGoohan who plays Mary's father is very effectual in being a cold hearted none caring character, the kind you just love to hate. I absolutely loved the character of Lori MacGregor (Susan Hampshire) and the compassion and love for animals she has. And no, she isn't a real witch, just a person with enormous, natural healing skills.
I would rate this movie 9 out of 10, and if you're one of those old-fashioned type Disney movie lovers, you'll love this movie as well, as much as I always have.
Cast
Voice of Thomasina.......Elspeth March
Dr. Andrew MacDhul......Patrick McGoohan
Mary MacDhul..................Karen Dotrice
Lori MacGregor................Susan Hampshire
Hughie Stirling................Vincent Winter
Jamie McNab...................Denis Gilmore
Geordie McNab................Matthew Garber
Directed by DonChaffey
Music by Paul J. Smith
Running Time: 97 min
Based on the Paul Gallico book, Thomasina, The Cat Who Thought She Was God
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