Felix the Cat (2013, movie)

***Felix the Cat***, also known as *The Felix the Cat Movie* (not to be confused with *Felix the Cat: The Movie*), is a 2013 American live-action comedy film based on Don Oriolo's *Felix the Cat* TV series in the 1950's. In the film, Felix the Cat was created with computer-generated imagery, though all other animals were real.

While the TV series and its' related media were critically acclaimed, *Felix the Cat* was heavily disapproved.

## Plot

Felix is a magical cat who had a bag of tricks and lives in the American cul-de-sac. Felix passes his time by harassing his foes such as a bulldog Rock Bottom. Felix also interacts with and occasionally manipulates his animal friends, including the dimwitted Zoo and Felix's romantic interest, Kitty Kat (who are both seen as live-action animals). Meanwhile a local scientist, the Professor, known for his nephew "Poindexter" is introduced as supposedly a man, but in reality he is jealous of his fateful sister, Marcy, who is Felix's owner, and wants to outwit her in success wise. Felix has made a habit of coughing up hairballs (unlike his animated self). Regardless, he is displeased at having to share the house with Kitty, of whom Marcy grows fond. Felix gets involved in a ruckus there with other animals.

After Felix causes a mess inside Marcy's house, Marcy puts him outside. Felix runs away, and is picked up by an elderly woman named Mrs. Aweson. A distraught Marcy searches for him, while the neighborhood animals ridicule Felix for what he did. Meanwhile, the Professor and Poindexter find a "lost cat" found poster Mrs. Aweson created, of Felix and recognizing the lucrative possibilities, claim Felix as the Professor's own. Felix, realizing his selfishness, vows to intervene himself with a help of his magic bag of tricks. Felix finds Kitty captive in a room; the Professor enters and secures a shock collar to Felix, which, when activated, releases an electric discharge that forces him to perform tricks. The Professor heads for the train station, with Felix in pursuit. However, an animal control officer snags Kitty as a runaway before she can reach Felix. Meanwhile, Marcy contacts Mrs. Aweson through her poster, and is told Kitty's real owner had already retrieved him. Felix is sprung from the pound by Poindexter who turns out to be actually named as Marc.

At the train station, the Professor boards the train, with Kitty in the luggage car. Felix arrives only to see the train depart. As the train speeds away from the station, and seeing a child with a toy train engine (probably the flying Scotsman in a different shape and size) makes Felix remembers that his train set at home is similar, so he sneaks into the control room and attempts to stop Kitty's train. The tracks get rearranged, leading to an impending train wreck. Felix hits an emergency control and causes the Professor's train to return. Felix frees Kitty and they exit the train. However the Professor notices them walk out and gives chase. The Professor corners the two, and threatens Kitty with the collar, but is greeted by the cats, led by Felix. They swarm and attack the Professor, allowing for Kitty to escape. The Professor gets up to find the collar has been placed on his own neck, from which he receives two powerful jolts. Marcy arrive to reclaim the animals and find the Professor off-balance. Marcy punches the Professor for stealing Kitty and Felix, and leaves with the two animals. The Professor is arrested for his supposed involvement with the trains, as well as for abducting Kitty. Felix regains the trust of his animal friends.

Back at home, a man kisses Marcy, while Felix seems to have learned about friendship, love and not to envy others. The film closes with Felix singing and dancing to James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)". He does a split and can't get it back up without help.

## Cast

### Live action actors

* Breckin Meyer as the Professor, Felix's arch-nemesis'
* Jennifer Love Hewitt as Marcy, Felix's owner
* Eve Brent Ashe as Mrs. Awenson
* Juliette Goglia as Alice
* Joe Bays as Poindexter (he renames himself "Marc")
* Leyna Nguyen as Engineer

Joe Oriolo appeared as an uncredited drunken attendee, but his role was cut from the final version of the film.

### Voice actors

* Will Smith as Felix the Cat, Marcy's magical, black cat with a bag of tricks.
* Alan Cumming as Rock Bottom
* Debra Messing as Kitty Kat, Felix's girlfriend.
* Richard Kind as Zoo

## Production

The film was produced by Felix the Cat Productions, 20th Century Fox and Ultimate Enterprise Studios, and stars Breckin Meyer as the Professor, Jennifer Love Hewitt as Marcy, and features Will Smith as the voice of Felix.

The film was released in the United States on June 11, 2013. Reviews of the movie were generally very mixed, although Smith's voice work received some positive notices. Smith has claimed that he only took part because he was under the misguided impression the screenplay, actually co-written by Joel Cohen, was the work of Joel Coen.

## Music

Nicki Minaj performed the song "What is Magic" for the film and its soundtrack. The music video premiered in early summer 2013 and featured clips from the film and gags showing obvious references to the Felix the Cat franchise (such as magic bag of tricks jokes).