P.S. Your Cat Is Dead!

Steve Guttenberg has always exuded a certain likeability which he carried through many money making mediocrities. It's always intriguing when a performer takes a surprising direction in his career especially when that direction is clearly a more meaningful one.

It was with a lot of goodwill that I approached "P.S. Your Cat Is Dead" which Guttenberg not only stars in but directs as well. However, as the movie progressed so did this goodwill fast begin to fade.

The cardinal mistake for Guttenberg was in taking on the role of director. As an actor he acquits himself fairly well, but his directorial ineptitude pretty much sinks this project. The cast of fairly unknown actors have moments of embarrassing amateurism. Even the much experienced Shirley Knight, in a small role, seems terribly ill at ease.

It's a great pity, for in the hands of an accomplished director this could have been an entertaining and even moving film, which unfortunately it remains very far from being.

This is a small film dealing with people going through breakdowns of various relationships. The main character is on the verge of being evicted from his apartment, having his girl-friend leaving him for another man, learning that his feline companion has died from a urinary infection at the vet's, and being burgled for a second time in two day's.

Steve Guttenberg does a super job as Jimmy, the main character. In fact, the entire cast does excellent work, especially, Ms Watrous, as the Jimmy's girl friend, and Lombardy, the young actor who plays the burglar.

The sense of outrage and loss which Jimmy feels comes across powerfully, as he takes his frustration out on the captured burglar who is bound and strapped semi-nude over the kitchen sink. What could have become ludicrous becomes very touching as each of them slowly realizes that they have much more in common than they could ever have realized. They are each others salvation! (Actually, it seems that the core of this awareness has been edited out because things happen a little too quickly! Several lines don't make sense)

I would say that the film does not go far enough in conveying the emotion that is developing between Jimmy and the burglar. There is a holding back which does not seem realistic. Even on the special feature section of the DVD the cast was responding to the final scenes and began shouting out comments as to the lack of physical expression between the two men.

I picked up this film at my local Blockbuster following a bitter breakup. I was in such a depressed mood I didn't think anything could help me out. I decided to take a chance since I'm a big fan of the novel.

The gamble was worth it. Within two minutes, I was smiling and having a wonderful time. The movie helped me put things into perspective. Things could be more dire than my situation; I could be Jimmy (or worse, Eddie).

Lombardo Boyar should have gotten an Academy Award for his role as Eddie the would-be cat burglar. He made this a lot of fun to watch. Steve Guttenberg fared well at both directing and playing the half-crazed Jimmy Zoole.

I highly recommend it for anyone who's a fan of the novel or has just had a horrendous day. I must warn you, however, that you have to have a sort of strange sense of humor to appreciate the movie.

Jimmy (Steve Guttenberg), a failed writer and actor, comes home on New Years Eve to find his girlfriend has left him, his cat has died and a gay burglar (Lombardo Boyar) is robbing his place...for the third time that month. He captures him, ties him up and things get strange.

James Kirkwoods' play was an off-Broadway hit in the 1970s. I never saw it but I read the script and it was wonderful. This film comes far too late--the play was very much of its time. The gay character (which was pretty revolutionary when the play came out) is old hat by now and the movie feels washed out. Basically the comedy doesn't work. Boyar is VERY good in his role but Guttenberg (who can be good) was pretty bad. Maybe both directing and acting for the movie was too much. The two actors have no chemistry at all (even though Boyar is trying). The movie isn't unwatchable...it's just no big deal. Also Guttenberg's apartment was WAY too big and beautifully decorated for a starving artist. They also (badly) changed the ending of the play.

So it's worth seeing for Boyar alone. Also he's got guts--he spends half the movie tied down with his pants cut wide open showing his back side. I give it a 7 for him alone.

I am the owner of the official website of the great, late actor, Sal Mineo. I rented this as Sal was starring in the hit play shortly before his murder, which is now this film, and I was curious. I am impressed! Lombardo Boyer plays the role Sal was playing, and gave me an idea of what Sal's performance was like in the play. Boyer is great! Steve Guttenberg is great here too, who also adapted this to film and directed it. I am suprised it wasn't released by a bigger studio! The credits dedicate the film to SAL MINEO!! Bless you, Steve.