Superb, sentimental live-action drama from Walt Disney concerns a young Scottish girl's love and devotion to her sickly pet cat, who gets a new lease on life from a "magical" mountain woman whom the townspeople believe is a witch. The screenplay, from Paul Gallico's book, tries packing too much plot into its 100 minutes and, as a result, the midsection of the movie doesn't feel fully played-out. Still, the majority of the film is captivating, beautifully shot, and the characters are engaging and believable. Karen Dotrice (best known as Jane from "Mary Poppins") is quite the little thespian here, and her tears and youthful anger are convincing; she's as good a child actress as I have ever seen (Walt must've had a soft spot for wholesome British lasses, Dotrice and Hayley Mills seem sprung from the same boarding school). The production is plush and Thomasina is one gorgeous feline. *** from ****