Customer Reviews

P.S. Your Cat Is Dead!

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

It's been years since I read the book, but this film brought back none of the good feelings I remember from that experience. The usually charming Steve Guttenberg is annoying beyond belief. Sadly, his directing debut is even worse. Pacing is agonizingly slow, editing is all wrong. The apartment, which is described in the film's own dialogue as a dump, is gorgeous. The whole thing makes no sense. Only my fond memories of the book kept me watching to the end, hoping against hope it would get better. It never did. The best thing in the movie is A. J. Benza as the would-be rapist Carmine. During his two brief scenes the screen pulses with energy. You know you're in trouble when the best thing in the movie is the rapist.

After having seen how three of Kirkwood's best works ("Some Kind of Hero", "A Chorus Line", and "P.S. Your Cat is Dead") have been so unkindly treated in their big screen adaptations--or perhaps I should say, their "straight to video" adaptations--I can only come to one conclusion: There must be a post-mortem cinematic adaptation jinx attached to him! I've been spared--up until now--a viewing of "There Must Be a Pony", which I can only assume is as dismal as the aforementioned three, and my hope is that another Steve Guttenburg (or Steve Guttenburg himself, for that matter) abstains from bringing the world his own particular vision of "Good Times/Bad Times". Maybe the things which we originally found so fresh and daring about Kirkwood have lost their bite; maybe filmmakers haven't had the correct sensibility when they have approached it. Whatever the reason, I've had it! The thought that his works will be most enduringly remembered by these mediocre films--because after all, who reads books anymore?--disgusts and depresses me. It's time for the Steve Guttenburgs of this planet to leave poor Jim Kirkwood rest in peace.

P.S. Your Cat is Dead should be hilariously funny. It should be poignantly touching. The film version of the same is neither.

Steve Guttenburg, who both stars and directs this film is to be commended for making a film that most would not bother putting to celluloid. Unfortunately, he needs someone to provide him with better direction and someone to provide better pacing of the film.

The basic premise is that Jimmy Zool is a poor jerk who has just lost his girlfriend, his job, his cat is in the vet, and his apartment has just been robbed - for the 3rd time! Life can't get much worse can it? Enter the robber for another return visit. Caught in the act, the robber is forced to undergo humiliations at the hands of Jimmy. Eventually the two come to terms with each other and learn to actually not only like each other but realize there may be something more in the offing.

Guttenburg plays Jimmy as a sad sack with little or no likable characteristics. The character is supposed to merely be the victim of a series of bad incidences. He's feeling pretty low. Unfortunately, Guttenburg's Jimmy is morose and not likable at all. Also, he wears this tragically unattractive facial expression throughout most of the film that is supposed to pass for sadness - not an emotion that is one that Jimmy is really dealing with - it's more deeply felt than just that.

The fellow who plays the robber is at least refreshing in his role, though I feel that he's playing it a bit too light heartedly. (You see, I've directed the stage version of this play). This is the role that Sal Mineo was playing at the time of his murder - I doubt that the talented Mineo would have played him quite as flippant on the whole.

My last, and probably biggest qualm with this film is that Guttenburg has chosen to avoid the entire subject of the romantic involvement that happens with Jimmy and the Robber. Heck, they end up in bed together at the end of the play! This is a subtle piece of characterization that happens as Jimmy realizes that maybe he's been going at things in his life all wrong. Instead, Guttenburg plays this as though the two men, although one is gay, simply become friends. Since one of the men is laid face down and naked from the waist down (in the play - not in this film) on the kitchen sink for most of the action, it is doubtful that a simple friendship is all that would come out of this encounter. It is also doubtful that anything truly meaningful with come of the encounter, but it is likely that somehting poignant and life changing will come of it for Jimmy. THAT is the message that the play provides. It is NOT the message that the film gets across.

I love this play and the book on which it was based. I don't love this film - and I really wanted to.

As a gay friendly movie, this could be an excellent choice. If I had bought this movie for that reason, I think I might have been very happy... but I didn't.

I bought this film because I have enjoyed reading the book so many times that my old copy is completely worn out. I was hoping to have a good laugh after a bad day at work when I spied this flick at a local video store, but I wasn't prepared for this.

I expected a little modernization on the original story, which I was ready to be disapointed by, but I didn't expect the burglar's nationality to be changed. A bisexual italian burglar would have been a great character, but he has been changed to a latino in the film. The drug related scenes that always had me giggling in the book have been toned down (and changed as well) in a big way. Some of the good parts are still good, but not as many as they should have been.

To conclude this review... if the movie had been made in the 70's, it would have been great... but what the director felt that he had to do to keep up with current times was deplorable. This is a DVD that just collects dust in my collection now.

This was a pitiful and painful adaption of a really great book. It could have been a really wonderful movie, in different hands. I'd seen Steve Guttenberg on a talk show quite a while ago discussing his having made this film, and was really looking forward to it. I'm sorry now. Within an hour of watching this dreck, I was curled up with the book again - just to put the shine back on the memory. Please, save yourself the time and money... but the book - NOT the movie.

Steve Guttenberg is such a whiney mess in this movie. It has absolutely none of the charm of the original book. James Kirkwood would turn over in his grave if he knew what Guttenberg did to his play/book!

The book is one of the funniest things ever written. The movie is painful to watch and destroys the book. If you must watch the movie, make sure that you read the book first! The movie has absolutely no redeeming qualities.

This film shows that it is possible when two completely opposite people clash
with their worthless futures and can find a solace together. Enemies
can become friends.

Steve Guttenberg plays a run down actor who is at the end of his rope.
On the "worst day of his life" his girlfriend has left him, he has lost his
job, and his cat is gravely ill at the Vet.

After his apartment is ransacked multiple times, he finds the burglar
hiding under his bed after a heated argument with his girlfriend.

Guttenberg plans to torture Eddie, his newly found "gay" burglar, but
things just don't always go right for him and he finds himself in hot water
after his plans fall through. A very quiet, but agreeable ending.

Danie James Tyler, The WJGroup

Jimmy Zoole is having a bad streak of luck. He's been robbed twice in the past three months, his best friend died, his girlfriend broke up with him on New Year's Eve, and his cat is dead. Things are about to change when the burglar breaks into his apartment again and gets caught by Jimmy.

Steve Guttenberg's directing debut is a margianl film at best. The action takes place so fast that there doesn't seem to be enought time to get to know the characters. Shirley Knight does a good job as Jimmy's Aunt Claire, and Lombardo Boyar plays Eddie Tesoro, the burglar, very well. But, anyone who has read the book or viewed the play will be disappointed with some of the character and scene changes. The humor of the book is missing, as well.

The DVD does contain an okay commentary, some behind-the-scenes footage and an alternate ending.

James Kirkwood once described his play as "a little kinky dinky."
Over 30 years ago, when it first appeared, indeed it was quite a
shock for audiences. Rather than maintain its contemporary 1970 look, Guttenberg's version updates: instead of cold New York City, we have hot L.A. on New Year's Eve. Instead of a crude Italian cat burglar, we have a Latino version. That the changes update, but do not alter the original intent may be testimony to the basic symbols that Kirkwood used in his catty, semi-autobiographical tale. The author also once noted that, once the original is sold to another, the story belongs to them. From that view, Guttenberg has done much that ought to be complimented, esp. the casting of Lombardo Boyer as the burglar. Casting himself as a Woody Allen sort on steroids was not the best move. Jimmy Zoole was meant to be charming and likeable, even under adverse conditions. On stage Keir Dullea conveyed that. As played by Steve Guttenberg, the character of Jimmy Zoole does not become likeable at all. As a former actor, Jimmy Kirkwood wrote characters that actors could play with elan...and nearly every performer has that chance to shine. Guttenberg is to be commended for finally bringing Kirkwood's story to the screen. The road to becoming a film was cursed; it had so many false starts, including the murder of Sal Mineo who was to direct the original film and star, as he rehearsed the play in Los Angeles. Jim Kirkwood himself intended to direct a film version as late as 1988. For Kirkwood's legion of fans, the film is a welcome renewal of Kirkwood's work; for others, it may be just another cult film.

Jimmy (Guttenberg) is having a bad day. Actually, he's having a bad life. His best friend has died, his girlfriend has dumped him, his puppet play has flopped, his cat is in the hospital and his apartment is being used as a discount department store by a local burglar. It's New Year's Eve and Jimmy is at the end of his rope. Thus, we are introduced to the main character from James Kirkwood's (A Chorus Line) novel.

Jimmy is dour and sullen, a little too smart for his own good but not smart enough to play the game. A Victim. He's not a sympathetic character and you can't help snickering at him, at points. But, when he captures a burglar in the act of burgling his apartment, he transforms from victim to conqueror and it looks like Jimmy has totally gone off the deep end!

This film has some very funny, laugh out loud moments, some parts that are a bit slow and some sections which leave you with your mouth open, in disbelief. The special features section of this DVD includes commentary by Guttenberg, interviews, and trailers, as well as an alternate ending.

On it own merits, P.S. Your Cat is Dead is an entertaining story, if, however you are looking for a "by the book" adaptation, you may be disappointed.