Cats
Director: David Mallet
Cast: Elaine Page, Ken Page, Michael Gruber, John Partridge, Jacob Brent, Susie McKenna
Inspired by a collection of poems by T.S. Elliot’s titled “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats” Cats tells the musical journey of a group of cats known as “Jellicle Cats” as they join together to celebrate their Jellicle Ball where their leader, Old Deuteronomy (played by Ken Page), will make what is known as the “Jellicle Choice” and select one worthy cat to be reborn into a new life.
Salvation is a powerful theme in this film and nowhere is it seen more perfectly than in the characters of Grizabella, the Glamour Cat and Old Deuteronomy, the wise and gentle leader of the Jellicle Cats.
For Old Deuteronomy, he is, in essence, the perfect embodiment of the Christ-figure for the Jellicle cats. His role in this family is two-fold. He is, first and foremost their wise and gentle leader…their protector…their father, in every meaning of the word (both physically and spiritually). The Jellicle cats both respect and revere Old Deuteronomy, but they also love him unconditionally and protect him from the dangerous villain, Macavity. His second role – that of the Jellicle Leader – is that once a year, he must choose one cat who he deems worthy enough to enter the Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a new life.
For Grizabella, the Glamour Cat, her role in the story is that of the lost soul; the soul that is desperately yearning for salvation. She was once a Jellicle Cat, and the beautiful star of the stage. Alas, her circumstances changed, and she is now banished from the Jellicle clan; a lonely soul, who is unwanted and unloved by her former family, (which is illustrated by her desire for them to touch her hand and her being constantly rejected by them). You see soft flickers of her formerly glamorous life in her polished nails and the sequined costume that is hidden beneath her tattered coat, but her eyes reflect the pain and loneliness she feels in her heart; a pain that is soon healed by Old Deuteronomy when he makes Grizabella his choice to be reborn into a new life.
There is an intimate and powerful theme in the story that illustrates the touching of hands to symbolize identity and affection among the Jellicles…and this intimate act is expressed in two very different ways in the film.
For most of the Jellicles, touching is a way from them to express affection and acceptance in their clan. This is illustrated most clearly when their leader, Old Deuteronomy, arrives, and all the cats are touching him and bowing to him. They respect him and love him as their father and their affection is clearly shown through their physical connection with him.
Another way this connection is illustrated is in Grizabella’s character. There are many times throughout the story where we see the younger Cats reach out to touch Grizabella, but they are quickly stopped by the older Cats and shooed away from her. This clearly indicates that she is not welcome in their group, because for Grizabella, being touched would signify that she has been accepted back into her family, and clearly, the other Jellicles are not wishing that to happen. There is a moment for Grizabella, when she is singing, where she reaches her hand out and Old Deuteronomy (who is sitting on his throne watching her) reaches his hand back to her…but they don’t touch just yet. His kind expression tells us that he wants to bring his lost child back into the fold and comfort her, but she is not ready yet. Her acceptance back into the family is only realized in the end, after Grizabella sings Memory. When Grizabella collapses onstage, Gemima touches Grizabella, not with her hands, but with her voice, when she sings the lyrics of Memory. Her support gives Grizabella the courage to finish her song. It is this moment when Victoria, one of the kittens, is allowed to touch her. Her acceptance is illustrated not so much in the Victoria’s touching of Grizabella…but in the fact that none of the other Cats stopped her touching Grizabella. I do love how even in this moment, when she's putting everything on the line, Old Deuteronomy is still reaching for her. And I love how this time, when Victoria goes to touch Grizabella, she looks back and rather than stopping her, Old Deuteronomy grants his permission to the kitten. And there's this expression of pure joy on Grizabella's face when she feels Victoria's hand touching hers. And initially, most of the other cats have their backs to her... but by the end, she has gained ALL of their respect, and they are embracing her and helping her to make her journey to the Heaviside Layer.
I am weeping for dear old Gus. I just want to wrap him up in the warmest of Sherpa blankets and hold him and take all his pain away. Give him the very best salmon and spoil him with love. And you see, once again, the beautiful symbolism of how the Jellicle Cats show affection and love and the bonds shared between them as Jellylorum comforts Gus throughout this song. She's not forcing herself on him... she's just gently there, as a warm and caring friend, to show her love and support for this wizened old cat. And then, at the end, when he was overcome with his emotions, she was the one to hold him and guide him away. It was beautiful.
I remember watching this movie when I was a child. I was 15 or 16 at the time, and apart from musicals like the Wizard of Oz and Newsies, I had NO interest in musicals whatsoever. I found them to be very boring. My friend INSISTED I watch this movie with her. I found it to be very creepy and very boring all at once and it gave me nightmares. Looking at it years later, as an adult, I WILL say that the makeup and costumes are gorgeous, the singing and choreography is very impressive and the silent emotional story that is being expressed through Grizabella’s character is both heartfelt and beautiful. I would highly recommend this film.
© 2024 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.
Director: David Mallet
Cast: Elaine Page, Ken Page, Michael Gruber, John Partridge, Jacob Brent, Susie McKenna
Inspired by a collection of poems by T.S. Elliot’s titled “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats” Cats tells the musical journey of a group of cats known as “Jellicle Cats” as they join together to celebrate their Jellicle Ball where their leader, Old Deuteronomy (played by Ken Page), will make what is known as the “Jellicle Choice” and select one worthy cat to be reborn into a new life.
Salvation is a powerful theme in this film and nowhere is it seen more perfectly than in the characters of Grizabella, the Glamour Cat and Old Deuteronomy, the wise and gentle leader of the Jellicle Cats.
For Old Deuteronomy, he is, in essence, the perfect embodiment of the Christ-figure for the Jellicle cats. His role in this family is two-fold. He is, first and foremost their wise and gentle leader…their protector…their father, in every meaning of the word (both physically and spiritually). The Jellicle cats both respect and revere Old Deuteronomy, but they also love him unconditionally and protect him from the dangerous villain, Macavity. His second role – that of the Jellicle Leader – is that once a year, he must choose one cat who he deems worthy enough to enter the Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a new life.
For Grizabella, the Glamour Cat, her role in the story is that of the lost soul; the soul that is desperately yearning for salvation. She was once a Jellicle Cat, and the beautiful star of the stage. Alas, her circumstances changed, and she is now banished from the Jellicle clan; a lonely soul, who is unwanted and unloved by her former family, (which is illustrated by her desire for them to touch her hand and her being constantly rejected by them). You see soft flickers of her formerly glamorous life in her polished nails and the sequined costume that is hidden beneath her tattered coat, but her eyes reflect the pain and loneliness she feels in her heart; a pain that is soon healed by Old Deuteronomy when he makes Grizabella his choice to be reborn into a new life.
There is an intimate and powerful theme in the story that illustrates the touching of hands to symbolize identity and affection among the Jellicles…and this intimate act is expressed in two very different ways in the film.
For most of the Jellicles, touching is a way from them to express affection and acceptance in their clan. This is illustrated most clearly when their leader, Old Deuteronomy, arrives, and all the cats are touching him and bowing to him. They respect him and love him as their father and their affection is clearly shown through their physical connection with him.
Another way this connection is illustrated is in Grizabella’s character. There are many times throughout the story where we see the younger Cats reach out to touch Grizabella, but they are quickly stopped by the older Cats and shooed away from her. This clearly indicates that she is not welcome in their group, because for Grizabella, being touched would signify that she has been accepted back into her family, and clearly, the other Jellicles are not wishing that to happen. There is a moment for Grizabella, when she is singing, where she reaches her hand out and Old Deuteronomy (who is sitting on his throne watching her) reaches his hand back to her…but they don’t touch just yet. His kind expression tells us that he wants to bring his lost child back into the fold and comfort her, but she is not ready yet. Her acceptance back into the family is only realized in the end, after Grizabella sings Memory. When Grizabella collapses onstage, Gemima touches Grizabella, not with her hands, but with her voice, when she sings the lyrics of Memory. Her support gives Grizabella the courage to finish her song. It is this moment when Victoria, one of the kittens, is allowed to touch her. Her acceptance is illustrated not so much in the Victoria’s touching of Grizabella…but in the fact that none of the other Cats stopped her touching Grizabella. I do love how even in this moment, when she's putting everything on the line, Old Deuteronomy is still reaching for her. And I love how this time, when Victoria goes to touch Grizabella, she looks back and rather than stopping her, Old Deuteronomy grants his permission to the kitten. And there's this expression of pure joy on Grizabella's face when she feels Victoria's hand touching hers. And initially, most of the other cats have their backs to her... but by the end, she has gained ALL of their respect, and they are embracing her and helping her to make her journey to the Heaviside Layer.
I am weeping for dear old Gus. I just want to wrap him up in the warmest of Sherpa blankets and hold him and take all his pain away. Give him the very best salmon and spoil him with love. And you see, once again, the beautiful symbolism of how the Jellicle Cats show affection and love and the bonds shared between them as Jellylorum comforts Gus throughout this song. She's not forcing herself on him... she's just gently there, as a warm and caring friend, to show her love and support for this wizened old cat. And then, at the end, when he was overcome with his emotions, she was the one to hold him and guide him away. It was beautiful.
I remember watching this movie when I was a child. I was 15 or 16 at the time, and apart from musicals like the Wizard of Oz and Newsies, I had NO interest in musicals whatsoever. I found them to be very boring. My friend INSISTED I watch this movie with her. I found it to be very creepy and very boring all at once and it gave me nightmares. Looking at it years later, as an adult, I WILL say that the makeup and costumes are gorgeous, the singing and choreography is very impressive and the silent emotional story that is being expressed through Grizabella’s character is both heartfelt and beautiful. I would highly recommend this film.
© 2024 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.