The Cats of Paradise - Recap

In Sacramento, Bret is on the docks when he notices a woman, Modesty Blaine, stepping up to the edge of the pier. He pulls her back and points out that with the tide out, she couldn’t drown. Sobbing, Modesty falls into Bret’s arms and he manages to calm her down. She explains that she’s upset because of cats and introduces herself. Bret takes her to a café for coffee and Modesty explains that two men robbed her of every penny she had, $500, and she was going to buy $500 of cats. Modesty sold her gold claim in Paradise because the miners need cats to deal with all of the rats and mice that have multiplied and overrun the camp. She insists that she can get $50 or more per cat and there are 200 miners. Bret realizes that he can make a quick fortune and puts up $1,000 for their new Consolidated Cat Corporation.



Bret and Modesty put up signs offering to buy tomcats for $2.00 each, and ask that they be delivered to Hanrahan’s Stable. Modesty says that they can’t get black cats because Paradise’s sheriff is superstitious and quick as a cat with a gun.

Later, Bret finishes buying the cats and thanks a skeptical Hanrahan, and then has him load them up along with barrels of smoked catfish to feed them. Modesty arrives luring more cats in with catnip, and the town’s children are eager to sell cats at $2 a head. Modesty thanks Bret for making her life a happy one, but then asks for $20 to pay off the children. Bret gives her $30 and tells her to bring back a bottle of wine, and she kisses him and calls him her knight in shining armor.

Modesty goes to the saloon and all of the men stop to stare. She approaches the bartender and offers him $20 to dispose of Bret. The bartender suggests that they arrange for Bret to be shanghaied and make $40, and Melody agrees. She asks for a sedative in case Bret gets frisky. Melody then returns with a bottle of blackberry wine and pours drinks. Bret quickly passes out and Modesty takes his money and summons the bartender’s men to haul him away.



When Bret wakes up, he discovers that he’s in a warehouse in San Francisco and bound for Singapore. Captain Puget demands that he sign the ship’s articles and get his $40 worth. When Bret refuses, Puget orders his seaman to whip Bret until he gives in . Bret disarms the seaman and whips them both, and then runs outside. When the seaman goes after him, Bret knocks the man out and takes his gun and cap, and then sells him to a press gang recruiting for Puget.

Bret rides to Paradise and arrives as Modesty holds a cat auction with the help of Mayor Uli Bemus. He goes to the sheriff’s office and meets with the man, Scratch Madden. Bret wants to file charges against Modesty and goes over to her. The townspeople thank Modesty for her efforts to save the town, but when she sees Bret she fakes a faint. When Bret threatens to file charges, Bemus and Scratch take offense and side with Modesty. Modesty denies having ever met Bret, and Scratch explains that he put up the $500... for his fiancée. Scratch tells Bret to ride out of town, and Bret appeals to Bemus. However, the sheriff easily overrides the mayor and Bret is forced to leave... but he promises to be back.



As Bret rides out of town, he runs into Faro Jack Norcross, a black-clad gunslinger and old acquaintance. Scratch rides by and Bret prepares to leave, but Faro Jack says the sheriff won’t see them and leads Bret into the cemetery. Scratch gives the cemetery a wide berth and Faro Jack explains to Bret that the superstitious sheriff won’t come anywhere near the place. Faro Jack knows about Scratch’s superstitious nature because Bemus sent him a letter commissioning him to kill Scratch because the sheriff’s corrupt and has gunned down eleven men. The gunslinger explains that Scratch was playing with Wild Bill Hickok the night the latter died, and a black cat jumped up on the table. Since then, Scratch has been the most superstitious man in the state.



The two men settle down to play poker until Bemus arrives. Come nightfall, the mayor arrives but he has Modesty with him. Bret covers his friend while Faro Jack goes to meet them. Bemus explains that it was Modesty’s idea to hire Faro Jack to eliminate Scratch. When Faro Jack points out that she’s engaged to Scratch, she figures that Bret told him. Faro Jack claims that Bret told him on the way out of town and Modesty is eager to learn how far Bret has gone. However, Bemus interrupts and explains that Modesty has decided not marry Scratch because of all the people he’s shot. Faro expresses his admiration for her paying to make sure that Scratch dies happy. Bemus starts to pay Faro Jack, but Modesty offers to pay the gunslinger $200 to dispose of Bret as well. Faro Jack agrees and Bemus and Modesty leave. Bret emerges from hiding and asks if Faro Jack plans to kill him. The gunslinger reminds him that Bret once took him in poker, and explains that as a matter of practicality he needs to dispose of Bret. Bret suggests that Faro Jack claim to have killed him since he’s already leaving town, and his friend agrees as long as Bret doesn’t return to Paradise. The gambler assures him that he’ll see Modesty again, but she won’t see him coming.

Faro Jack rides into Paradise and asks the undertaker, Floyd Gimbel, where he can find Scratch. The undertaker directs him to the saloon where Scratch is playing cards. Meanwhile, Bret breaks into Modesty’s apartment and gets the money, but Modesty catches him at it. She draws a gun on him and tells him to leave, saying that she’s arranged for his departure. Bret explains that Faro Jack is a friend but that he’ll shoot anyway, and Modesty escorts Bret to Faro Jack.



As Bret and Modesty arrive at the saloon, Faro Jack is busy cleaning out Scratch and the other players, deliberately cheating to provoke the sheriff into a gunfight so he can kill him. Scratch finally calls him out and shoots him dead when the gunslinger isn’t ready. Bemus runs out and Scratch demands to know who hired Faro Jack. He suspects Gimbel, his partner, but Modesty shoves Bret forward and says he hired Faro Jack, and Scratch tells Bret to draw. Bret points out that he’d be Scratch’s thirteenth victim, and that the last hand that Faro Jack dealt to Scratch was Wild Bill’s dead man’s hand. As Scratch stares in horror, Bret makes a quick getaway.

Gimbel goes to the cemetery to find Bret. Bret is there and asks how Bret knew what was in Scratch’s hand. Bret explains that he figured Faro Jack would have dealt the hand to Scratch to distract him. Gimbel explains that Scratch takes 10% of the town’s profits, but since Gimbel is doing so well as undertaker, he has to pay 25%. Bemus arrives with Modesty and they kiss, and Gimbel explains that everyone in Paradise knows they’re involved except for Scratch. Bret gets an idea and tells Gimbel to summon the sheriff.



While Gimbel summons Scratch, Bemus proposes to Modesty. She warns him that Scratch is dangerous but the mayor says he’s not afraid of the sheriff... until the sheriff rides up with Gimbel, calling for Modesty. Scratch can’t bring himself to enter the cemetery but he opens fire and Modesty finally goes to him. Bret sneaks up to Bemus and they watch as Modesty kisses Scratch and claims that Bemus abducted her. Scratch calls to Bemus, saying that he’ll have to come out sometime. Bret suggests that Bemus is going to have stand and fight, but neither of them are quite sure about the whole “honor” thing. Gimbel comes over and Bret explains that he has a plan and they’ve got nothing left to lose. He tells Bemus to stay in the cemetery for a half-hour while he goes into town.

Back in Paradise, Bret uses catnip to gather all the cats and then goes to the cemetery with them. He tells Bemus and Gimbel to remove his boots and polish them with black shoe polish. When they wonder what they’re doing, Bret says that they’re going to mix up some bad luck for Scratch. Bret then begins painting the cats with the black shoe polish.

The next morning, a nervous Bemus walks into town, wearing a gun belt. He sneaks into his office at the court house but finds Scratch waiting for him. Scratch says that he’s taking over once and for all, and is surprised that Bemus hasn’t already run to Mexico. Bemus tells Scratch that he’s fired, and when the sheriff refuses to leave, the mayor challenges him to a gunfight in the street. Scratch agrees and they go outside. As the two men prepare to shoot, Bret steps out and explains that he’s just walking his friends. He leads a group of 13 black cats out and a panicked Scratch starts shooting at them. Bemus draws his gun, closes his eyes, and shoots, killing Scratch. The townspeople gather to cheer their hero.



Bret goes to Modesty’s room to get his money but Gimbel emerges from hiding and tells him that Modesty has already fled with the money. The undertaker gives Bret directions and assures the gambler that Modesty will always be welcome in Paradise.

Later, Bret is on the Sacramento Queen, gambling with Mr. Gibbons. As Bret counts his money on the deck, he sees Modesty preparing to jump into the water. He goes over to talk to her and she explains that this time she really did lose her money while on the way to San Francisco to start a mail-order bride scheme that would have paid $50,000. Bret refuses to get suckered in again and walks away, and Modesty jumps in and screams. Ever the gentleman, Bret dives in to rescue her. Once he gets her to shore, Bret counts out the money and dries it. He claims that he was only thinking of the money and the brides, but finally admits that he might have been thinking about her just a little. A black cat walks by and they both eye it nervously.



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