Shows a girl and her pet cat as they prepare for the school pet show. Parallels girl’s and cat’s actions as they eat and clean up. Shows a girl and her pet cat as they prepare for the school petshow. Parallels girl’s and cat’s actions as they eat and clean up.Ken Smith relates: Helen is a little girl and Kitty is her cat,a full-grown, furry tabby with the patience of a saint.Helen wakes up as the film begins. She is very excited. Today’sthe pet show! she cries as she drags a peacefully snoozing Kittyout of a basket and into the maelstrom of her banal world. Kittyand I do many things alike, Helen proclaims. To prove this, thefilm spends the next several minutes showing a topless Helenrubbing herself with a washrag at the bathroom sink while thecamera repeatedly cross-cuts to Kitty, sitting on the toilet,licking herself. This is the way I wash my arms, wash my arms,wash my arms… Helen sings, part of the continuous stream ofdrivel she spews onto the announce track.Don’t forget those dirty paws! That’s a GOOD kitty! I’m going tobe PROUD of you today!Helen – speaks – every – word – very – slowly so that we don’t missanything, in a voice so cute that it seems likely that the Helen wehear is a lot older than the Helen we see. When I finish mycereal, I have a piece of buttered toast and drink my milk. Ofcourse, I eat more than Kitty. But then, I’m bigger than she is. Iguess Key Productions had to fill the dead air somehow.Helen eventually drags Kitty to school and the pet show. We watchas Kitty is uncrated into a sea of mindlessly groping,jelly-stained hands, clutching at her from every direction. It’splain that the poor cat only wants to get the hell out of there,but Helen will hear nothing of it. I was SO proud when Kitty wonthe prize! The film ends on an MCU of Helen, smiling gap-toothed into thecamera, clutching Kitty tight to her scrawny chest. Kitty, who’s had quite enough, thank you, struggles to break free.This muddy-looking film was shot silent, then dubbed. I don’t thinkthe producers were trying to ape Italian neorealism, but you never know.

