Rhubarb (1951 film)
Encyclopedia
Rhubarb is a 1951
film adapted from the 1946 novel Rhubarb by humorist, H. Allen Smith
. Directed by Arthur Lubin
, the screwball noir comedy stars the cat Orangey
, Jan Sterling
and Ray Milland
.
. A millionaire finds a stray cat and takes him into his home, making him his one true friend. When the millionaire dies, Rhubarb is his sole beneficiary.
When the team finds out they are owned by a cat they protest. Their publicist Eric Yeager (Milland) convinces them that Rhubarb is good luck. But Eric's fiancée Polly, played by Jan Sterling, seems to be allergic to cats, and the team's success may mean new hazards for Rhubarb, including gangsters, a disgruntled daughter who was left out of the will of her millionaire father, and thwarted romances.
s (Picture Animal Top Star of the Year, the animal version of an Oscar
) for his appearances in both Rhubarb and Breakfast at Tiffany's, the only cat so far to win more than once.
Strother Martin
and Leonard Nimoy
have uncredited roles in this film. (Martin and Nimoy share the same birthday, March 26th; Martin in 1919 and Nimoy in 1931.)
The film was released on DVD
by Legend Films
on July 1, 2008.
1951 in film
The year 1951 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Sweden - May Britt is scouted by Italian film-makers Carlo Ponti and Mario Soldati-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:...
film adapted from the 1946 novel Rhubarb by humorist, H. Allen Smith
H. Allen Smith
For the congressman see H. Allen SmithHarry Allen Wolfgang Smith was an American journalist and humorist whose books were popular in the 1940s and 1950s, selling millions of copies....
. Directed by Arthur Lubin
Arthur Lubin
Arthur Lubin was an American film director and producer who directed several Abbott & Costello films and created the TV series Mr. Ed.Arthur Lubin was born Arthur William Lubovsky in Los Angeles, California in 1898...
, the screwball noir comedy stars the cat Orangey
Orangey
Orangey, a red tabby cat, was a talented animal actor owned and trained by the well-known cinematic animal handler Frank Inn.Orangey had a prolific career in film and television in the 1950s and early 1960s and was the only cat to win two Patsy Awards , the first for the title role...
, Jan Sterling
Jan Sterling
Jan Sterling was an American actress.Most active in films during the 1950s, Sterling received a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in The High and the Mighty , and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the same performance...
and Ray Milland
Ray Milland
Ray Milland was a Welsh actor and director. His screen career ran from 1929 to 1985, and he is best remembered for his Academy Award–winning portrayal of an alcoholic writer in The Lost Weekend , a sophisticated leading man opposite a corrupt John Wayne in Reap the Wild Wind , the murder-plotting...
.
Characters and story
A rich eccentric bequeaths ownership of a baseball team to a cat named Rhubarb (in baseball slang, the word "rhubarb" is a term for an argument or fight on the field), played by OrangeyOrangey
Orangey, a red tabby cat, was a talented animal actor owned and trained by the well-known cinematic animal handler Frank Inn.Orangey had a prolific career in film and television in the 1950s and early 1960s and was the only cat to win two Patsy Awards , the first for the title role...
. A millionaire finds a stray cat and takes him into his home, making him his one true friend. When the millionaire dies, Rhubarb is his sole beneficiary.
When the team finds out they are owned by a cat they protest. Their publicist Eric Yeager (Milland) convinces them that Rhubarb is good luck. But Eric's fiancée Polly, played by Jan Sterling, seems to be allergic to cats, and the team's success may mean new hazards for Rhubarb, including gangsters, a disgruntled daughter who was left out of the will of her millionaire father, and thwarted romances.
Awards
Orangey won PATSY AwardPatsy Award
The Patsy Award was originated by the Hollywood office of the American Humane Association in 1939. They decided to honor animal performers after a horse was killed in an on-set accident during the filming of the Tyrone Power film Jesse James...
s (Picture Animal Top Star of the Year, the animal version of an Oscar
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
) for his appearances in both Rhubarb and Breakfast at Tiffany's, the only cat so far to win more than once.
Strother Martin
Strother Martin
Strother Martin was an American actor in numerous films and television programs. Martin is perhaps best known as the prison "captain" in the 1967 film Cool Hand Luke, where he uttered the line, "What we've got here is...failure to communicate."-Early life:Strother Martin Jr. was born in Kokomo,...
and Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Simon Nimoy is an American actor, film director, poet, musician and photographer. Nimoy's most famous role is that of Spock in the original Star Trek series , multiple films, television and video game sequels....
have uncredited roles in this film. (Martin and Nimoy share the same birthday, March 26th; Martin in 1919 and Nimoy in 1931.)
The film was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
by Legend Films
Legend Films
Legend Films, a San Diego-based company, was founded in August 2001. The company specializes in the conversion of feature films, both new release and catalog titles, and commercials from their native 2D format into 3-D film format utilizing proprietary technology and software...
on July 1, 2008.