The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing (film)
| The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Richard C. Sarafian |
| Produced by |
Eleanor Perry Martin Poll |
| Screenplay by |
Eleanor Perry William W. Norton (uncredited) |
| Based on |
The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing by Marilyn Durham |
| Starring |
Burt Reynolds Sarah Miles Lee J. Cobb |
| Music by |
John Williams Michel Legrand |
| Cinematography | Harry Stradling Jr. |
| Edited by | Tom Rolf |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Release dates | 28 June 1973 (USA) |
Running time | 114 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $3,600,000 (US/ Canada rentals)[1] |
The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing is a 1973 American film adaptation of Marilyn Durham's novel directed by Richard C. Sarafian, and written by Eleanor Perry and William W. Norton.
Plot
Jay Grobart (Burt Reynolds) is an outlaw who was married to Native American woman Cat Dancing. After Cat is raped and murdered, a distraught Grobart kills the man responsible for the crime, before being arrested. After his release, he soon pulls a train robbery with the help of his friends Dawes (Jack Warden) and Billy (Bo Hopkins), and is now on the run from the law. While on the run, Grobart and his partners in crime come across Catherine (Sarah Miles), a woman escaping her abusive husband Crocker (George Hamilton). Catherine is abducted by Dawes and Billy, but Grobart protects her from them. Meanwhile, Lapchance (Lee J. Cobb), a veteran railroad detective with a posse, is on their trail for the train robbery. Accompanying the posse is Catherine's husband, an arrogant millionaire, who is obsessed with retrieving his wife, even though he knows that she does not love him. As Grobart and Catherine get to know each other, they find themselves falling in love, and despite his criminal past, she admires him for avenging the death of the woman he loved. Billy is killed by marauding Indians on the trail. Dawes runs away during the raid. Grobart kills the marauders in an intense battle. He and Catherine continue their journey. Catherine admits her feelings for Grobart and they make love. Dawes attempts to ambush them for the money and is killed by Grobart for attempting to double cross them. Grobart and Catherine travel to the Shoshone village where Grobart lived with Cat Dancing and their children. Grobart and Catherine arrive at the village where his son and daughter have been raised by his late wife's brother. He discovers that his children have bonded with his late wife's tribe and wish to remain there. Grobart leaves Catherine and the railroad money at the village and departs not wanting to place her in further danger. The posse arrives and retrieves the money. Crocker insists on pursuing Grobart in order to kill him. The posse spends the night at the village. That evening Catherine and Grobart's son, Dream Speaker, leave to find Grobart. Dream Speaker guides them to a cave in the hills where Grobart is camped out. Grobart bids his son farewell and reunites with Catherine. The following morning as they prepare to leave Crocker arrives and shoots Grobart from the tree line. Grobart is wounded and Catherine rushes to his aid. Catherine grabs Grobart's pistol from his holster and shoots Crocker dead as he charges them. Lapchance orders his men to put Crocker's body on a pack horse and leaves Grobart Crocker's horse. Grobart pulls himself to his feet and Catherine and he embrace.
Principal cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Burt Reynolds | Jay Grobart |
| Sarah Miles | Catherine Crocker |
| Lee J. Cobb | Harvey Lapchance |
| Jack Warden | Dawes |
| George Hamilton | Willard Crocker |
| Bo Hopkins | Billy Bowen |
| Robert Donner | Dub |
| Jay Silverheels | The Chief |
| James Hampton | Jimmy |
Production
It was filmed in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, Gila Bend, Arizona Kanab, Utah and Old Tucson, Arizona.
While filming, Sarah Miles' personal assistant, David A. Whiting, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in his hotel room. His death was ruled suicide; however, there were rumours of foul play.[2] It was later revealed that Miles and Whiting had been having an affair, and this, together with the resulting publicity, contributed to the disintegration of her marriage to Robert Bolt.[3]
Original screenwriter Eleanor Perry later claimed much of her work was rewritten.[2]
Critical reception
Roger Greenspun of The New York Times did not care for the film:
| “ | The film's poetry is as numbing as its violence. The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing is, indeed, a kind of festival of incompetence. Each shot is held slightly too long or too short, and is somehow off-center. Each performance is uncertain, like something seen in an early rehearsal. Even the Indians look fake, including good old Jay Silverheels, who is real. The screenplay, based on Marilyn Durham's novel, is by Eleanor Perry (David and Lisa, Diary of a Mad Housewife), who can do much, much better.[4] | ” |
In contrast, Charles Champlin of the Los Angeles Times liked the movie. In his review for the John Williams Web Page, he noted the complications in making the picture. He concluded his review: "In spite of the difficulties faced by the actors and filmmakers, The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing boasts gorgeous widescreen location photography, an interesting feminist spin on traditional western formulas — with Miles' strong-willed Catherine Crocker an engaging screen presence throughout — and strong support from virtually the entire cast; in particular, the film proved once and for all that Burt Reynolds was capable of handling a straight dramatic role as well as a lightweight comic one."[5]
"There's nothing to talk about in Cat Dancing except that it brings me pain," said Reynolds later. "So I'd rather not talk about it."[6]
See also
References
- ↑ "Big Rental Films of 1973", Variety, 9 January 1974 p 19
- 1 2 Amy Cox, "The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing", Turner Classic Movies accessed 19 June 2014
- ↑ "Sarah Miles Stars in An Incredible Story of Scandal and Love—and No, It's Not Her New Film, Hope and Glory, It's Her Life" By John Stark, People Magazine 23 November 1987 accessed 19 June 2014
- ↑ Greenspun, Roger (1973-06-29). "Movie Review - The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing - Screen:' Operation Leontine' Is French Caper Film - NYTimes.com". Movies.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
- ↑ "The John Williams Web Pages: The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing". Johnwilliams.org. Retrieved 2014-06-19.
- ↑ Workaholic Burt Reynolds sets up his next task: Light comedy Siskel, Gene. Chicago Tribune (1963-Current file) [Chicago, Ill] 28 Nov 1976: e2.
External links
- The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing at the Internet Movie Database
- The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing at AllMovie