The Three Lives of Thomasina (1964)

Your kids will cry but it is a great movie

I saw this when I was a kid on WWoD and bought it for my own girls now who are cat lovers. It plays a lot differently for you as an adult, but there are still some very good messages in the movie, as well as a storyline that is constantly entertaining. I wish Thomasina had a different voice, though--that old Scottish brogue doesn't fit her very well. July 6, 2008

My first love

When I was about 9 and first saw this on the Wonderful World of Disney I was utterly enchanted. It has hovered in my imagination for over 40 years, and now with a lovely DVD transfer I can check to see just how shameful and naive my childish infatuation was. And I can honorably report that Thomasina is almost as good as I remember!

I watched this for the first time with my nine year old grandson, and he liked it as much as I. He's a sensitive and smart young man, a bit lonely and prone to solitude, as I was. And he was as enchanted as I remember being. Susan Hampsire is beautiful, oh yes, I never loved a movie star again as I loved her. Not only gorgeous but kind, generous, sweet and utterly sure of herself. Who wouldn't want to marry her? And Patrick McGoohan, whom I loved in Scarecrow (please don't be lying again about a release this fall, please!!!), was just as good here.

But what sets this movie above the run of the mill Disney films, which were far better than nearly everything out there today, is the well-examined battle between science and religion. McGoohan, the man of science, gruff and brutally honest, revels in self-pity after the loss of his wife and has rejected God. Hampshire, the woodland sprite with an unending belief in goodness and in God, demonstrates conclusively that there are some things science cannot explain. This argument is still with us, (see "Expelled") with science currently managing to claim it offers a plausible explanation for everything, though those increasingly convoluted descriptions will probably eventually crumble as Ptolemy's did. But with so many good things packed into one film, great child actors, gorgeous scenery, small town prejudice and gossip, humor, charm, and love...what could be better? May 5, 2008

A story with heart

Thomasina captures the view of a cat with perfection. She (the cat) is lost from her first family by an accident - a diagnosis of a fatal, contagious illness which results in her being "put down" by the father of the family - a hardened veterinarian who has shut himself off from the world. This also cuts him off from his daughter Mary, who loves the cat with a special attachment. Apparently, though, the shot doesn't take - Thomasina survives to live with a loving "witch" who nurses her back to health. The vet in time meets the so called witch who opens his heart, and ultimately reunites father and daughter. This touching tale is perfect for all members of the family, but remember the tissue box. May 4, 2008

*Wonderful Movie For Everyone!*

This is a great movie for any animal lover.It really shows how much people love their pets.A must see for all cat lovers.Wonderful and one to watch again and again. April 9, 2008

Not only for children

Beautifully filmed in Scotland, this film offers darker themes than most Disney productions. I wouldn't recommend it for children under 8 or so, but adults will enjoy it more than most children's movies. Patrick McGoohan and Susan Hampshire work well with the young stars of Mary Poppins. February 14, 2008

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