Cats & Dogs is a 2001 spy action-comedy film. The film was directed by Lawrence Guterman with screenplay by John Requa and Glenn Ficarra, and stars Jeff Goldblum, Elizabeth Perkins and Alexander Pollock, with the voices of (among others) Tobey Maguire, Alec Baldwin, Sean Hayes, Susan Sarandon, Charlton Heston, Jon Lovitz, Joe Pantoliano and Michael Clarke Duncan. The story centers on the relationships between cats and dogs, depicting the relationship as an intense rivalry in which both sides use organizations and tactics that mirror those used in human espionage. It was shot in Victoria and Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada as well as at Warner Bros. Studios. It was released by Warner Bros. Pictures on July 4, 2001. The film received mixed reviews and earned $200.7 million on a $60 million budget.
Plot[]
The Brody family's pet Bloodhound Buddy chases a cat and is captured by other cats in an ambush. Cats and dogs are revealed to be highly intelligent, tech-savvy enemies capable of speech, waging war with covert operatives while concealing their true nature from humans. After an Anatolian Shepherd dog named Butch reports Buddy's capture to his superiors, the best canine agents are dispatched to complete Buddy's mission: to prevent the cats from making all humans allergic to dogs.
At a local barn, a litter of Beagle puppies mock the youngest for trying to escape captivity. A Doberman Pinscher agent replaces the litter with puppy agents, failing to notice the youngest Beagle. Carolyn, the Brodys’ matriarch, arrives to adopt a new dog and selects the Beagle, naming him Lou after her son Scotty sarcastically suggests the name "Loser".
After detonating an explosive trap laid by cats for Lou, Butch – mistaking him for a trained operative – brings him to the dogs’ underground network, and introduces agents Peek, a Chinese Crested Dog, and Sam, an Old English Sheepdog. Realizing Lou is a civilian, Butch raises his concerns to his superiors but is rebuffed. Lou is briefed on the origins of the conflict between cats and dogs, dating back to Ancient Egypt when cats ruled the world. Butch reveals that Buddy has escaped the cats and the spy trade, retiring to a condo in Boca Raton.
Meanwhile, Mr. Tinkles, a white Persian cat, plans to exploit the Brodys’ patriarch Professor Charles’ research on dog allergies to conquer the world. His scheming is interrupted by Sophie, his comatose owner's maid, who enjoys dressing Tinkles in embarrassing costumes. Tinkles orders his sidekick Calico, an Exotic Shorthair, to send Devon Rex ninjas to steal the research. Lou foils the theft and meets former agent and Butch's ex-girlfriend Ivy, a Saluki who encourages him to bond with Scotty.
Mr. Tinkles contracts a Russian Blue mercenary named Dimitri Kennelkoff, who tricks Lou and places a bomb on Brody's lab door. Kennelkoff battles Lou and Butch, damaging the Brodys’ house until Butch disables the bomb and captures Kennelkoff. During interrogation, the dogs recover a note by Mr. Tinkles from Kennelkoff's stomach.
After a breakthrough involving Lou playing with Scotty, Charles' machine finally finds the formula to a cure for human allergies to dogs. Having bugged the house, Mr. Tinkles and Calico spring a trap for the Brodys. First, Mr. Tinkles travels to a Christmas tree flocking plant under the guise of the plant's comatose owner, Mr. Mason, and sends the employees home, then lures the Brodys with faux tickets to an exhibition game between Uruguay and Chad, capturing the family.
The dogs receive a video from Mr. Tinkles demanding Charles’ research as a ransom for the Brodys, and dogs around the world assemble at a meeting led by a Mastiff. When the assembly decides not to surrender the formula, Lou confronts Butch. Revealing that he was abandoned by his owner, the unsympathetic Butch leaves Lou behind. Desperate, Lou brings Mr. Tinkles the research and is double-crossed. Butch, realizing what has happened, stages a raid of Mr. Tinkles' factory where mice are being prepared to spread the mass-produced allergy.
While Butch, Ivy, Peek, and Sam fight Tinkles' cat forces, Lou frees the Brodys and Calico, who was betrayed by Tinkles, revealing to the family that he can speak. Lou defeats Tinkles but is struck by an excavator as an explosion destroys the factory. Butch rescues the seemingly dead Lou, tearfully admitting that Lou was right to love his adoptive family, and Lou awakens. He decides to return to a normal pet's life with the Brodys until he can serve as a full-grown agent.
Meanwhile, Tinkles is sent to live with Sophie and her three sisters, with even more humiliating outfits as punishment for his actions against the dogs.
Cast[]
- Jeff Goldblum as Professor Charles Brody
- Elizabeth Perkins as Mrs. Carolyn Brody
- Alexander Pollock as Scotty Brody
- Miriam Margolyes as Sophie the Maid
Voice cast[]
- Tobey Maguire as Lou (Louis) a Beagle, who lives with the Brody family
- Alec Baldwin as Butch, an Anatolian Shepherd and an experienced field agent, and Lou's mentor
- Sean Hayes as Mr. Tinkles, a Persian cat and leader of the cat agents who wants to defeat the dogs and rule the world
- Susan Sarandon as Ivy, a Saluki and "domestically challenged" former dog agent Lou meets when he trains to be an agent, who has a history with Butch
- Charlton Heston as The Mastiff, an English Mastiff and the leader of the dog agents
- Jon Lovitz as Calico, an Exotic Shorthair and Mr. Tinkles' second in command
- Joe Pantoliano as Peek, a Chinese Crested Dog agent.
- Michael Clarke Duncan as Sam, an Old English Sheepdog agent.
- Billy West as Ninja Cat #1
- Danny Mann as Ninja Cat #2
- Glenn Ficarra as Dimitri Kennelkoff / The Russian, a Russian Blue agent sent to set off an explosive device at Professor Brody's lab
- Paul Pape as Wolf Blitzer of Canine News Network
- Victor Wilson as Doberman Drill Sergeant
- Charles Howerton as German Shepherd at Dog Headquarters (uncredited)
- Richard Steven Horvitz as Puppy at Barn (uncredited)
- John Michael Higgins as Ginger Kitten (uncredited)
Puppeteers[]
- Adam Behr
- Kevin Carlson
- Alejandro Diaz
- Randi Kaplan
- John Kennedy
- Luke Khanlian
- Bruce Lanoil
- Drew Massey
- Gordon Robertson
- Michelan Sisti
- Allan Trautman