Padme's Library: Friday's Film Adaption: Rhubarb by H Allen Smith

Friday, May 1, 2015

Friday's Film Adaption: Rhubarb by H Allen Smith

This is an older book, originally published in 1946 and not currently available in ebook format. I included the different sites where I was able to locate it's availability even though the prices vary from reasonable to highly inflamed. Personally I recommend checking at libraries but that's just a personal opinion.

Summary:
Hilarious story of a cat who inherited a baseball team.

Film:

Rich, eccentric T.J. Banner adopts a feral cat who becomes an affectionate pet. Then T.J. dies, leaving to Rhubarb most of his money and a pro baseball team, the Brooklyn Loons. When the team protests, publicist Eric Yeager convinces them Rhubarb is good luck. But Eric's fiancée Polly seems to be allergic to cats, and the team's success may mean new hazards for Rhubarb.

Release date: August 29, 1951

Running time: 94 minutes

Cast:

Orangey as Rhubarb

Ray Milland as Eric Yeager

Jan Sterling as Polly Sickles

William Frawley as Len Sickles

Gene Lockhart as T.J. Banner

Elsie Holmes as Myra Banner

Taylor Holmes as P. Duncan Munk

Willard Waterman as Orlando Dill

Henry Slate as Dud Logan

James Griffith as Ogelthorpe 'Oggie' Meadows

Jim Hayward as Doom

Donald MacBride as Pheeny

Hal K. Dawson as Mr. Fisher

Strother Martin and Leonard Nimoy have uncredited roles in this film.

Awards:

Orangey won PATSY Awards (Picture Animal Top Star of the Year, the animal version of an Oscar) for his appearances in both Rhubarb and Breakfast at Tiffany's, the only cat so far to win more than once.

Quotes:

Eric Yeager: How about some bait?

Owner of the pet shop: I'm sorry sir, we have no meat department.

Eric Yeager: Meat? Golf balls is this cat's meat.

*****

Judge: [to Polly Sickles] You're sneezing under oath. An untrue sneeze could find you guilty of perjury.

I saw this movie for the first time a few years ago during a Spring Training Baseball Marathon on TV and ever since, I have to watch it every year on Opening Weekend. It's hilarious from beginning to end. I haven't had the opportunity to read the book yet but it's on my TBR list. Whether you are a baseball fan or not or a cat lover or not, I highly recommend this film for it's pure comedic flair and of course, spotting Leonard Nimoy in the player's locker room is a nice little bonus.

RATING: