The Private Life of a Cat

A male cat courts a female cat and they raise a family together. We see the kittens being born and nurtured by mother, while an interested and proud dad lends his support. Beautifully photographed and executed. With subtitles, no dialog, and a refreshing absence of human beings onscreen. Very touchingly realized by Alexander Hammid, whose collaborations with Maya Deren I had prior acquaintance with, and also highly recommend.

Amply demonstrates beyond any shadow of a doubt that animals are more authentic and interesting onscreen than people. I recall W.C Fields' comment to the effect that you should never try to act with children or animals because they will invariably upstage you. You don't have to be a fervent cat lover to find yourself utterly charmed and captivated by this sweet and simple gem of a short film.

For those regular readers of my reviews who have come to expect at least one asinine and/or tacky comment in all my reviews, I won't disappoint. I think kitty porn is outrageous and as upright citizens we must put a stop to this sort of thing immediately! Luckily, there's no kitty porn in this gentle film, just a simple, poignant love story. A film with universal appeal, like a lovely piece of music. Seek it out, and enjoy.

It's amazing how did the director capture the right moments to fit in the story that he wants , I mean they're animals and it's really hard to give directions right??. But I almost die because they look so adorable!! I remember my cats when they were kittens, life is so short.. HAHA.. And the cats acted so well! HAHAHAHA!!! I love Felines!!!!

This film was so great. I adore cats, it's the only thing in life I can honestly say I've loved every day of my life. This was a beautiful film to watch. I have never seen the birth of kittens in real life and it is so amazing to see what it's like through this film. However, that is not why the film is so great. It is portrayed as if the cats have personalities and are comparable to human relationships and dating/child-raising. We get to see the looks on the mother's face as the she disciplines and feeds her kittens. We get to see the looks on the father's face when he, presumably, sees his kittens for the first time and decides to take part in "fathering". It's beautiful the way the cats react and I love how it was all caught on film and turned into a human-like story. It's a simple idea that can be almost sickeningly charming and adorable if shown to the right kind of person (i.e. cat lovers like myself). It is masterfully captured full cat emotion! Brought tears to my eyes. Well done! 10/10.

Show it to your kids!

The photography in this film is fabulous. It's amazing how they got the cats to "do their thing" unselfconsciously. If you've ever tried to actively film cats, you know that they somehow figure out that you're messing with their minds, and they don't do what you hope for. These cats acted as though they were totally unaware of the camera. That is a feat unto itself! I'd recommend this to any cat lover, any animal lover, and anybody interested in nature.

Great intro to the subject of reproduction for kids. I remember watching this process when I was 10 -- never forget it -- and this is the real thing. Nothing offensive at all.

(Film can be found on-line at the Internet Archive. Apparently it is in the public domain.)

Calling all cat lovers!

'The private life of a cat' is a simple, uncomplicated short film documenting the lives of two housecats, identified merely as "he" and "she." We watch the cats groom one another and explore their surrounds; footage of the felines is broken up by some shots that imitate their perspective as they look about their surroundings.

Perhaps most notably, this short includes stark footage of the female cat giving birth to a litter of kittens, a scene rarely depicted in cinema. This leads to further pleasing video as the new parents raise their young, and we get to see them develop from newborns to unsteady crawlers to playful small cats. All the while, filmmakers Maya Deren and Alexander Hammid arrange shots and scenarios that allow the audience to enjoy a variety of cat behavior - peeking under a door or pushing it open, climbing a scratching post, and more.

The film is plain and straightforward in every way, yet Deren and Hammid carefully sequenced the shots to impart a minor sense of narrative as we watch the kittens grow, their parents lovingly tending to them. This is bolstered by the light, unobtrusive music laid over top that echoes the tranquility of the visuals.

There's not much else to say. 'The private life of a cat' is a fun, unsophisticated classic short film that fills a small niche in the filmmakers' oeuvre. Cat lovers especially should give it a watch, but it's a fine view for any general audience that appreciates the unbusy purity of life caught on camera.