The Cat (1977) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A greedy attempt to empty an apartment building uncovers poisoning, organized crime, blackmail, and an ironic financial reversal.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

The Empty Building Scheme

The landlords pressure their remaining tenants because a real estate company offers a large payment for a vacant building. The discovery of the dead cat turns their harassment into an amateur investigation.

Key Events

• Run-Down Apartment Building — A nearly empty building is controlled by two quarrelsome landlords. Location: Apartment building
• Vacancy Scheme Begins — The landlords harass tenants to satisfy a billion-lira sale condition. Location: Apartment building
• The Cat Is Found Dead — The landlords discover their troublesome pet cat has died. Location: Apartment building
• Police Commissioner Frustrated — Francisci becomes increasingly exasperated by the landlords' investigations. Characters: Francisci Location: Police station

False Leads And Arrests

The investigation moves from a suspected firearms user to an illegal brothel and then to musicians hiding cocaine. Each discovery creates new pressure while failing to explain the cat's death.

Key Events

• The Princess Is Suspected — A resident is suspected because gunshots were reportedly fired at the cat. Location: Apartment building
• Illegal Brothel Revealed — A police raid uncovers an illegal brothel rather than a cat shooting. Characters: Francisci Location: The Princess's apartment
• No Gunshot Wounds Found — The dead cat shows no gunshot wounds, redirecting the investigation. Location: Apartment building
• Musicians Are Searched — A search of the musicians' apartment discovers cocaine. Location: Musicians' apartment
• Drug Arrests Follow — A report to the financial police leads to arrests for drug trafficking. Location: Musicians' apartment

Murder Behind The Walls

Bloodstains and a corpse expose a more serious criminal plot involving a mafia boss's butler. Anonymous threats then produce a tragic consequence when a journalist commits suicide.

Key Events

• Drug Arrests Follow — A report to the financial police leads to arrests for drug trafficking. Location: Musicians' apartment
• Failed Seduction Attempt — An attempt to seduce the priest fails during the tenant investigation. Location: Priest's apartment
• Bloodstains In Mafia Apartment — Bloodstains are discovered in the apartment of a mafia boss. Location: Don Garofalo's apartment
• Corpse In The Trunk — Two suspicious men are followed, and a corpse is found in their car trunk. Location: Car
• Beachfront Body Disposal — Salvatore's body is dumped at a politician's beachfront home to suggest a crime of passion. Characters: Salvatore Location: Beachfront home
• Threatening Letters Sent — Anonymous letters claim that the landlords know the tenants' secrets. Location: Apartment building
• Journalist's Suicide — Paul Herdigher takes the threatening letter seriously and commits suicide. Location: Paul Herdigher's apartment

Wanda's Dangerous Evidence

Wanda is revealed as the person who poisoned the cat, but her action was linked to fears about poisoned food and recordings of criminal activity. Legrand's attempted bribe fails, and Wanda testifies.

Key Events

• Wanda Poisoned The Cat — Wanda is discovered to have poisoned the cat after feeding it her dinner. Characters: Wanda Yukovich Location: Wanda Yukovich's workplace
• Legrand Offers A Bribe — Legrand attempts to pay the landlords to abandon the investigation. Characters: Wanda Yukovich, Legrand Location: Legrand's office
• Wanda Gives Testimony — Wanda explains the poisoned dinner and presents recordings implicating criminals. Characters: Wanda Yukovich, Legrand Location: Courtroom
• Wanda Escapes Assassin — An assassin targets Wanda, but she escapes and tries to leave the country. Characters: Wanda Yukovich Location: City streets

Victory Without Payment

Wanda survives an assassination attempt and her recordings lead to an arrest in court. Although the tenants leave, her return causes the property lawyer to cancel the landlords' expected payment.

Key Events

• Recordings Reach Court — The recordings are played in court, leading to Don Garofalo's immediate arrest. Characters: Wanda Yukovich, Legrand, Salvatore Location: Courtroom
• Priest Is Transferred — Obscene letters to the Bishop result in the priest moving and being transferred. Location: Priest's apartment
• Building Finally Empties — All tenants leave, apparently fulfilling the sale condition. Location: Apartment building
• Checks Are Torn Up — Wanda returns to the building, so the lawyer tears up the landlords' checks. Characters: Wanda Yukovich, Lawyer Location: Real estate company's office

Story Breakdown

• Vacancy Scheme — The landlords try to remove tenants so the building can qualify for a lucrative sale.
  • Real Estate Offer — A real estate company offers one billion lira if the building has no tenants.
  • Tenant Harassment — The landlords spy on and provoke tenants to force them out.
• Cat Investigation — The dead cat gives the landlords a new excuse to investigate and threaten residents.
  • Dead Pet Found — The landlords discover that their troublesome cat has died.
  • False Shooting Theory — A suspected firearm user is investigated, but the cat has no gunshot wounds.
• Criminal Discoveries — Tenant searches reveal unrelated offenses and gradually lead toward a murder conspiracy.
  • Cocaine Discovery — Cocaine is found in the musicians' apartment, leading to drug-trafficking arrests.
  • Bloodstained Apartment — Bloodstains are found in the apartment of a mafia boss.
• Staged Murder — A corpse and a planned disposal reveal an attempt to disguise a killing as a romantic crime.
  • Corpse In Trunk — Two suspicious men are followed after a corpse is found in their car.
  • Butler Framed — Salvatore's body is dumped at a politician's home to suggest a crime of passion.
• Threats And Tragedy — The landlords' intimidation campaign produces a consequence more serious than they expect.
  • Anonymous Letters — Letters claim that the landlords know the tenants' secrets.
  • Journalist Dies — Paul Herdigher believes the threat and commits suicide.
• Wanda's Secret — Wanda's involvement in the cat's death is tied to her attempt to protect herself from criminal evidence.
  • Poisoned Dinner — Wanda feeds her dinner to the cat after suspecting that someone poisoned her food.
  • Hidden Recordings — Wanda possesses recordings that incriminate Don Garofalo and Legrand.
• Courtroom Exposure — Bribery and violence fail to suppress the evidence, which reaches the court.
  • Failed Bribe — Legrand tries to pay the landlords to abandon the case.
  • Criminal Arrest — The recordings are played in court and Don Garofalo is immediately arrested.
• Ironic Resolution — The building becomes vacant, but the sale collapses when Wanda returns.
  • Tenants Depart — All tenants leave the building after the campaign of pressure.
  • Checks Destroyed — The lawyer tears up the checks after Wanda returns to live in the building.

Directed by

Luigi Comencini

Key Cast

• Ugo Tognazzi — Amedeo Pecoraro
• Mariangela Melato — Ofelia Pecoraro
• Michel Galabru — Francisci
• Dalila Di Lazzaro — Wanda Yukovich
• Jean Martin — Legrand