User reviews

If you're fond of the little fur-bearing parasites this is a movie you cannot watch without a large hankerchief. It's superior to the current family movies in a number of reasons; lovely color, the realism of a vet's life, delightful Scots Highlands locations, a fine dramatic structure bolstered by that underrated actor Patrick Macgoohan and by a pretty, startlingly black-eyed starlet named Susan Hampshire (the two represent science and faith, respectively, and they come together with an ease you wish these two opponents would share today). But the film is mostly about the tragedy of losing a cat, and the childish, unkillable hope that one day they'll return. The sequence of cat heaven, ruled by the Goddess Bast, is reminiscent of the best of Michael Powell, explicitly referencing Powell's A Matter of Life and Death. The excellent animation is done by the pioneer of the cartoon industry Ub Iweks. A family movie in the day when kids were tougher, it was memorably broadcast on Disney's Wonderful World of Color on TV. I Expect wracking sobs in the scene where a rain- soaked Thomasina comes to the window. Jeez, I'm tearing up right now, just thinking about it.

Strange and exciting Disney drama that seems forgotten today.

Very popular for about a month in 1965 in Australia, I saw this in its first release and remember it very well. Disney films of that period seemed to add particularly interesting adult themes into their films especially if they contained British kids. Like Pollyanna or The Moonspinners or Mary Poppins, this film is perfectly realized for children and has enough weight and wry humor for parents to feel the production works for many ages. I am surprised this film is so forgotten today and is almost completely unavailable. It is just as good as any of those mentioned above which are widely available.

Mary McDuie (Karen Dotrice) is a young, motherless girl living in Scotland at the turn of the 20th century. Of course, she does have her father, veterinarian Dr. Andrew McDuie (Patrick McGoohan) but he's been cold and distant since her mother died. Therefore, her only real solace is her cat Thomasina, a beautiful orange tabby with personality. It does help that her housekeeper is quite nice and the children of the neighborhood are her dear friends. On the outskirts of the village lives a lady, Lori (Susan Hampshire) who the children think is a WITCH. She does have a yard full of rescued animals and a magic way about healing the creatures. Thomasina goes in and out Mary's bedroom window by the help of a tall tree and often goes out at night. Unhappily, Thomasina eats the wrong food, becomes sick and appears dead, even though Dr. Mac promised to save her. Mary is so upset she ignores everything her father says, hinting that he is "dead" to her. But, when the children take the box with Thomasina to the town's edge, planning to bury her and hold a funeral, the "witch" appears and scares them away. Only she notices that Thomasina is still alive and takes her home to nurse her. Will Thomasina survive? Will the village drive the "witch" away? This lovely story has the rarity of being about a cat, not a dog, and a clever, patient one at that. Dotrice is winning as the young girl who dresses her cat in clothes and takes him on buggy adventures. McGoohan is also fine as the stern father and Hampshire is sweet and lovely as Lori. Other cast members, scenery, costumes, script and direction are all nicely fitting. Beware, parents, that Thomasina appears to die and there are many tears that may fall. However, cat lovers, Disney fans, and family film friends will welcome this title as an oldie but goodie.

Thanks to the terrific acting of Patrick "The Prisoner" McGoohan and the lovely Susan Hampshire, this film is not like other syrupy Disney films like "Pete's Dragon" or "Mary Poppins."

Dr. McDui's character, played by McGoohan, is a tense, conflicted, confused man. He grabs Susan Hampshire roughly to shake her in a few scenes. No sentimental courting here!

The plot hole mentioned in another comment is not correct - the fire takes place at the gypsy circus and we take it for granted that the abused animals escape.

When I was a young lad, I saw this movie, and it touched me. There are just some movies, that do that. The desperation of Andrew finding trying to find the cat, and at the end, it warms you and you cannot help but have a tear in your eye. Susan Hampshire is beautiful in this movie, in both character and attractiveness. The other character actors hold their own as well. The scenery is nice. The movie is a bit dated in certain parts, but there is no profanity or scenes that might be disturbing to young children. This movie is available in both VHS and DVD, but definitely buy the DVD for the extra features, plus it will keep it from wearing out when your children or grandchildren want to watch it again. A wonderful family movie to keep ready for that rainy day. Enjoy!!!

I saw this movie around 1965 and remember it very well. It is interesting to watch it now and realize my feelings about it are the same as 40 years ago. It is amazing how Disney made a movie that both children and adults can appreciate. It is a movie the whole family can watch.

It is not perfect but is definitely a great movie. I have the VHS version and have seen it available in DVD which I will buy soon. Patrick McGoohan plays his role so convincingly. I am always captivated by Susan Hampshire. The children are also fantastic. They all seem like real people and not actors which makes this movie work. Of course I am very sentimental about the movie and that may cloud my judgment but I do not care! I love this movie!

A Scottish tale by Paul Gallico features an orange tabby who is the beloved cat of a little girl (KAREN DOTRICE from "Mary Poppins"). The feline is mistakenly believed by the girl and her friends (including MATTHEW GARBER, who played her brother in the "Poppins" film), to be dead. When a nearby "witch" recovers the cat (who has been given a funeral by the children), she discovers that it still has a pulse and gives it shelter.

So begins the tale, which eventually reunites the "witch," the children, and the young village doctor (PATRICK McGOOHAN) who has been unjustly accused by his little daughter to have caused the cat's death. Through love and forgiveness, all ends on a happy note.

It's all done in taste and style, photographed in rustic settings with superior art direction, costuming and settings. SUSAN HAMPSHIRE is lovely and appealing as the good "witch" who has a way with animals. The title cat is played by several felines, as often happens when the director needs a cat who fits several script requirements beyond the range of a single tabby.

Recommended for young and old, a delight from start to finish.

I am a holistic veterinarian and for years I have been trying to figure out where I got my inspiration for my work. A few days ago I remembered this Disney film and the "witch". My love of animals and the love that can heal is all contained in this movie. It was such a joy to watch it again and see my inspiration come to life.

I am also a singer and love to sing Celtic folksongs. I live in the country and am surrounded by animals though no wild ones necessarily. I did rescue a baby rabbit with a broken leg a few years ago. I made a splint out of a paper clip and kept him until the leg healed. Then my daughter and I turned him loose in a local park. I think Lorie was my role model in all that I have done with animals since I saw this movie when I was a young child.

In sparkling 1912 Scotland, an orange tabby named "Thomasina" explains how she came to live with little Karen Dotrice (as Mary), her stern veterinarian father Patrick McGoohan (as Andrew McDhui), and housekeeper Jean Anderson (as Mrs. MacKenzie). The cat amusingly states the family originally named her "Thomas" until they "…got to know me better." At this moment, you know you're going to like this animal. We also learn the cat, speaking marvelously through Elspeth March, has been murdered. This extraordinary opening perfectly introduces the cat's personality, and prepares you for its death.

The opening theme song, written by folk singer Terry Gilkyson, is purrfectly infectious.

The story intensifies when "Thomasina" is crushed under an avalanche of crates, while prowling a fish market. With her young friends' help, Ms. Dotrice finds the cat, and brings "Thomasina" to her father. You'd think Mr. McGoohan, a veterinarian, would do everything possible to save his daughter's pet, which he promises to do - but, McGoohan is saving the life of a blind man's seeing eye dog, and orders "Thomasina" put to sleep. Before this, we've seen him make this decision about other animals, and wonder if his decisions are being made in haste. Later, we learn he suffers from guilt regarding his wife's death.

McGoohan thinks he can simply replace "Thomasina" with another cat, and cannot understand why Dotrice is taking the death so hard. Dotrice's friends, Vincent Winter (as Hughie), Denis Gilmore (as Jamie), and "Mary Poppins" co-star Matthew Garber (as Geordie), give "Thomasina" a child-like funeral, which is interrupted by a woman they both admire and fear - spooky Susan Hampshire (as Lori MacGregor), the superstitious town's resident "witch". Ms. Hampshire takes the animal, which, we learn, is NOT dead. But, before this, it has what could be described as a "near-death experience." Or, is it "Cat Heaven?"

It's all cleverly plotted, from Paul Gallico's original novel, with enough room to support differing interpretations.

Dotrice's depression worsens. She will have nothing more do with McGoohan, telling others, "My father's dead," and, "My daddy's dead. I killed him." Her young friends successfully plot to end McGoohan's veterinary practice. "Thomasina" recovers, but with amnesia; she stays with the witch, aware something is wrong with her life. When his daughter falls deathly ill, "man of science" McGoohan tries to reconnect with his Christian faith, lamenting, "I've forgotten how to pray." He also begins to connect with Hampshire, which leads to the most unimaginative part of the story. Still, this is an excellent, underrated film.

******** The Three Lives of Thomasina (12/11/63) Don Chaffey ~ Patrick McGoohan, Karen Dotrice, Susan Hampshire, Elspeth March

Superb, sentimental live-action drama from Walt Disney concerns a young Scottish girl's love and devotion to her sickly pet cat, who gets a new lease on life from a "magical" mountain woman whom the townspeople believe is a witch. The screenplay, from Paul Gallico's book, tries packing too much plot into its 100 minutes and, as a result, the midsection of the movie doesn't feel fully played-out. Still, the majority of the film is captivating, beautifully shot, and the characters are engaging and believable. Karen Dotrice (best known as Jane from "Mary Poppins") is quite the little thespian here, and her tears and youthful anger are convincing; she's as good a child actress as I have ever seen (Walt must've had a soft spot for wholesome British lasses, Dotrice and Hayley Mills seem sprung from the same boarding school). The production is plush and Thomasina is one gorgeous feline. *** from ****

A movie with everything from first class acting to a storyline where fantasy meets reality.In this case the Cat...who is also a voiceover...is really the central part of the story. Patrick McGoohan plays the vet,whose daughter Mary (played by Karen Dotrice)is owned by the Cat. Its definitely a weepie but everyone lives happily ever after as Thomasina returns from an unusual resurrection performed by Susan Hampshire...supposedly a witch!!!

The presence of Patrick McGoohan, one of my favorite actors of the modern era, was my motivation for renting out the 1964 Disney picture "The Three Lives of Thomasina," but as it turns out, this charming film has much to offer besides his usual sturdy support. In this one, McGoohan doesn't play a secret-agent man or gay-smashing king, but rather a widower veterinarian named Andrew MacDhui living in the small town of Inveranoch, Scotland, in 1912, with his young daughter, Mary, and their 4-year-old ginger cat, Thomasina. Their peaceful domestic life is shattered when MacDhui is forced to put Thomasina to sleep, after the cat contracts tetanus, and Mary becomes walled off and unforgiving. Fortunately, Thomasina, after a surprisingly FX-laden dream sequence, during which she encounters the Egyptian cat god Bast, does return, and sets off on life #2.... It is almost impossible to speak of this film, even as a middle-aged adult, without using the words "cute" and "charming." If Paul Gallico's 1957 source novel, "Thomasina," which I have not read, is half as appealing as this adaptation, it must be very likable indeed. Besides a sweet and compelling story, the film offers sterling support by a raft of fine British, Irish and Scottish character actors, such as Laurence Naismith, Wilfrid Brambell (who will always be Paul's very clean grandfather to me!) and Finlay Currie. Beautiful Susan Hampshire stands out as Lori MacGregor, the nature girl "witch" with a superempathic way with animals, and the child actors are all wonderful, especially newcomer Karen Dotrice as Mary. Throw in some gorgeous Highland scenery, a catchy theme song, and even an action-packed and emotionally fraught finale, and you have one winning entertainment indeed, as suitable for the adults as the kiddies. Way to go, Walt!

I love Disney, and I am very fond of this film. It isn't my absolute favourite of the live-action Disney movies, but it is one of the more poignant ones and one of the most undervalued too. The film looks gorgeous, with beautiful costumes, scenery and cinematography. The score is very charming and quaint yet kept at minimum, while the story with its poignant ending is heart-warming and the dialogue is credible. Also credible is the direction, and the pacing is brisk enough to ensure The Three Lives of Thomasina never fails to engage. The cast are wonderful too. Patrick McGoohan is superb, and Finlay Currie and Jean Anderson give fine supporting performances but it is delightful Karen Dotrice and her adorable feline companion who steal the show. Overall, it is a lovely and underrated little film. 10/10 Bethany Cox

This is honestly one of my all time favorite movies. I watched it hundreds of times as a child with my grandmother. It's honestly a completely underrated and underappreciated film. Everything about it is fantastic. It's a story of heartbreak and healing in many ways and it's a movie I will always cherish. My love for this movie is actually why I named my own cat Thomasina as she is a ginger female like the cat character.

"The Three Lives of Thomasina" is a Disney movie, so you know what that means. One of the surprising things is that the dad is played by Patrick McGoohan, who more recently played King Edward in "Braveheart". How do ya like that: in one movie, he lived in Scotland; in the other, he invaded it! Overall, I think that the movie goes a little too far in trying to tug at your emotions. My favorite cat-themed movie is "Cat's Eye", based on a Stephen King novel. As for movies with "three" in the title, I most recommend "Three Days of the Condor".

So, there are better movies out there, especially considering that this came out the same year as "Dr. Strangelove", "A Fistful of Dollars" and "Zorba the Greek". And I thought that the portrayals of the gypsies was kinda racist. The only other cast member whom I recognized was Wilfrid Brambell, better known as Paul's grandfather in "A Hard Day's Night".

I know that it's a little weird that in a review of a movie about a magical cat, I mentioned "Braveheart", "Three Days of the Condor", "Dr. Strangelove", "A Fistful of Dollars", "Zorba the Greek", the Beatles and Stephen King, but that's just the kind of person that I am.

"The Three Lives of Thomasina" is a very good movie. No questioning, this is one of Disney's best live-action movies. Maybe it's not one of their best known, but it sure is one of the great Disney ones. Curiously, the movie's title doesn't refer to the traditional nine lives of a cat, it refers only to three of them. Curiously, the opening scene is made in one of the strangest ways too, but I like the way that's made for being quite unusual.

The movie can be considered a family drama above all things, but it also has numerous moments of fun. There is very little soundtrack (unlike in many - if not most - Disney movies), but the song "Thomasina" is nice.

The story is set in Scotland, particularly in the town of Inveranoch. The year is 1912. The Scottish scenario makes this a very rich production. Words are not enough to describe these sceneries/landscapes: dazzling, wonderful, beautiful, magnificent, inspiring, fantastic, completely natural and pure. The purity of nature and the surrounding vistas always make a more than perfect panorama. The pleasant sound of the bagpipes accent the Scottish atmosphere.

Our story centers mostly around Andrew MacDhui (a cold and distant veterinarian who doesn't show much feelings for pets), his daughter Mary and Mary's beloved cat Thomasina. Not only on these characters, but also on Mary's friends Hughie, Jamie and Geordie.

Mary's 3 friends make the movie's funniest moments, especially whenever they peek at Lori (the beautiful and kind young woman who cures all injured and sick beings) and runaway from her. It's hilarious when one of the boys says «She's crazy», a line which sounds even funnier because of the way he says it and especially because of his English with a Scottish or Scottish gaelic accent.

This is the first of 3 films which Matthew Garber and Karen Dotrice star together. Matthew is Geordie, Karen is Mary. Both are excellent. The fact that these 2 lovable kids are here is great. It's impossible not to laugh with Geordie. Yet at the same time he is adventurous and carefree, he is kind and shy. In any of the 3 movies with Matthew and Karen, the funniest of the two is always Matthew.

Thomasina is a beautiful orange tabby cat. She doesn't speak "per se", but in some parts we can hear what she feels. That means, a voice narrates her feelings. For me, this is a more interesting solution that to literally put them talking (moving lips and all). Elspeth March does a great narration job for Thomasina.

Susan Hampshire is great in her role as Lori. Patrick McGoohan is tremendous as Andrew MacDhui. The film was directed by Don Chaffey, the same man who directed "Pete's Dragon".

The movie is generally simple, but there is a scene with spectacular special effects for its time: the sequence which Thomasina is going on a fantasy trip to "Cat Heaven" and encounters Bast (the ancient Egyptian Cat Goddess). Another very well made scene among others is Thomasina's "almost" funeral.

The puppy that Mr. MacDhui tries to offer his daughter is really cute and adorable. Mr. MacDhui changes later in the movie, becoming a better person, more sensible and generous.

This should definitely be on Top 250.

THE THREE LIVES OF THOMASINA, in my opinion, is a very heartwarming movie about a family that's brought together through their cat's mysterious death and reappearance. I thought that Andrew (Patrick McGoohan) was a little cold-hearted, but Lori (Susan Hampshire) was a very sweet kid. Beethoven was a sweet dog, though. She even brought her family together when two people were having difficulties with each other. Way to go, Thomasina! If you ask me, that's one thing that made the bond between her and her family special. When Thomasina was revived, I felt really moved inside. In conclusion, I highly recommend this movie to all you cat lovers or Disney fans who have not seen it.

Treacly in the tradition of Walt's live-character movies. The title song is saccharine to the max. The characters are 1-dimensional. There's a glaring 3rd-act plot-hole when the witch's house catches fire by lightening (Thomasina gets out alright but what about the other animals? We never find out). The going-to-heaven bit is done once and never clearly explained. Still, a first-rate cast in need of the Disney dollar (not as insidious in 1963 as it is in 1998). And besides, I'm baseball-bat-upside-the-head over Susan Hampshire at any age.