The Three Lives of Thomasina

The Three Lives of Thomasina is a lovely and gentle but spirited children's tale that adults will also enjoy. Although it occasionally skirts with "cutesiness," it never really succumbs; more importantly, unlike many other children's films, it is not afraid to acknowledge the deep emotions of childhood, and how disturbing these can be. While never delving too deeply, it also addresses the problems that can arise when an adult does not take into consideration the gap between a child's emotional experience and her ability to understand and cope with that experience. This makes for some very powerful moments, such as Mary's feverish and heartbreaking calls for her missing pet. There's also a great deal of humor, much of it provided by Thomasina's wry comments upon the action. Karen Dotrice does extremely well as Mary, giving a believable and detailed performance that is impressive in one of her years. Patrick McGoohan is a powerful and formidable presence as her father; he is not afraid to show exactly how gruff and stern the character can be, making the audience experience some of the same conflicting feelings about him that his daughter does. Don Chaffey's direction is smooth and unobtrusive, letting the story tell itself without any unnecessary embellishments. Although some very young children may find Thomasina a little disturbing, most will thoroughly enjoy getting to know this delightful cat and her loving owner. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide