JENNIFER GARNETT (Jennifer Garner) as

                                                                                              "Julia Grayson: A.K.A. 'The Cat'".

JENNIFER GARNETT is probably best known to genre and D-A movie fans for this well-done mystery/adventure series about reformed cat burglar/jewel thief Julia Grayson. It is also the first D-A series to conclude in a 12-chapter serial called "THE CAT RETURNS:VENGEANCE OF THE VIXEN". Ironically, Miss Garnett was reportedly reluctant to give up feature films, but the deal she struck which gave her the television rights to the series was later to prove a financial windfall for her in the next decade.

1) ALIAS--THE CAT (1943)

This first entry in the series begins with a series of newspaper stories about a mysterious cat burglar who specializes in daring jewel thefts. The stories start as small articles then grow into screaming headlines as "The Cat" becomes something of a Robin Hood since the victims of her thefts are swindlers, con artists and other shady  characters themselves. Then comes the shocking headline that a debutant Julia Grayson has been arrested by Inspector James Drake and sentenced to prison. (It appears from the headlines Julia was seeking to avernge her grandfather who's business was ruined by swindlers who were never brought to justice. Julia's parents having died in a plane crash when she was a child, was raised by her beloved grandfather who died a broken man after the swindle). Then a smaller story appears about Julia being paroled. Pull back camera to find James Drake now in uniform with military intelligence telling his superior that the person they need for this "impossible" assignment is Julia Grayson. (The colonel in charge asks Drake how he came suspect Julia. The former detective explains he realized the thefts were cdommitted by someone with inside knowledge of High Society. "I thought it was a man at first, but after all the male suspects were eliminated, I had to look at the females and Julia Grayson stood right out. She was a Olympic level gymnast, mountain climber, and swimmer. Several of those robberies were done by a well-trained distance swimmer. I saw from her background why she would have hated crooks and swindlers the law couldn't touch. I tried to figure out who she would go after next and I caught her in the act, though if her escape rope hadn't broke at the wrong moment, she might still have gotten away.")  The colonel then reluctantly agrees Julia's unique talents would indeed fit their needs.

Cut to a small, exclusive fitness club for women called simply "Grayson's" where the now Captain Drake attempts recruit Julia for the mission. In the course of this Drake asks Julia just how she got started in her career of crime. "I had decided to make my aunt happy by making a somewhat belated debut. In the course of this I met Krista Zorn, daughter of one of the men who ruined my grandfather. I wouldn't have held that against her, but she had the nerve to taunt me. To actually flaunt her the diamond necklace her father had given her in my face. That's when I knew what i would do. I kept my temper. Sure enough, with a little time she couldn't resists showing off the safe where she kept her jewels. I made a visit soon after and relieved of her of the jewels. The best part was that she actually tried to pull on a gun on me, I knocked it away and she put up a fight. You know she was actually pretty good, but I finally stunned her enough to tie her up. I am still surprised she didn't try to file assault charges on me, but I guess she hated to admit losing a fight." (We see this in a flashback: Julia in tight fitting black clothes and mask vs Krista in silk pajamas. "Krista" loyal D-A fans immediately realize is played by KARA HARCOURT (Katherine Heigl).

Also present at the club is Julia's new personal assistant "Mimi Miller" played by MONICA KEENE (Monica Keena) whom, Julia explains to Drake, she met as cellmates in  prison. It seems Mimi was tricked by her own sister into embezzling money from the bank where she worked to supposedly pay off sis' gambling debts. In fact, the sister runs off with her boy friend leaving Mimi holding the bag alone. "I deserved to go to jail," Mimi says, "but I don't like feeling betrayed." This was a feeling Julia could understand, so when they were paroled about the same time, she hired Julia as her assistant for her new business.

("Where did you get the money for this?" Drake asks. Julia smiles: "I have some very loyal friends who understood why i did what I did. Oh, don't worry, I liked what i did, those people deserved to be relieved of a portion of their ill-gotten diamonds, but I don't like prison. I don't plan on ever going back again. So you needed worry "The Cat" will stalk no more."

Well, actually, Captain Drake, explains, that's what we want you to do. He needs her talents as a burglar, safecracker and thief, to retrieve something. He can promise that there might well be a presidential pardon at the end of this. Julia is now interested and asks: "This wouldn't be about a certain File 3417 would it?" The captain is startled this is supposed to be top secret. Julia smiles: "I still certain connections and I heard about certain parties obtaining that file--a file the U.S. government wants badly to get back. I was actually planning to offer my services. I may be a former thief, Captain Drake, but I still love this country. I know that file, whatever it contains is important enough for you to turn to me. I also know the other reason you came to me: the file is in the possession of Krista Zorn--accuse me--Baroness Thorvalde, wife of the Ambassador of a Neutral Country. Perhaps you think I can renew old acquaintance with Krista. You are correct. As a matter of fact, Krista has already contacted me and I have good reason to believe that she wants to recruit me for another theft. That's why I was going to contact you when you called. So I accept your offer. I do ask that my friend Mimi also receive a pardon, as she will be assisting me in this. (This leads into the Mimi backstory)

The Captain Drake is taken aback, but accepts the offer  However, he insists he will be supervising this mission. Julia just smiles, she seems to want to impress him.

Later we see Julia working out, climbing ropes, practicing her gymnastics leaping abilities, as Mimi watches with a clipboard and stopwatch. (They are wearing shorts and sweat shirts, though Julia peels down to a gymnastics leotard to do part of it. Then a receptionist appears to inform Julia that "Baroness Thorvalde is here." Julia has her shown in. The elegant, proud-looking beauty Krista (KARA HARCOURT/Katherine Heigl) walks in, but she accompanied by a smaller blonde woman, who says is her assistant, Elsa (ELISHA CANTRELL/Elsha Cuthbert). While Mimi and Elsa eye each other warily, Julia and Krista verbally spar about their previous encounter and Krista drops hints she could make it worthwhile for Julia to carry out a special assignment for her. Julia suggests she could use the money and that is willing to work for her. However she wants Julia to come to her embassy's country estate for "further discussions".

Soon enough, Julia and Mimi are out at the country estate where Krista plainly wants to prove to herself that Julia beating her the first time was a fluke. In the guise of "seeing if you are condition", they have swimming races, show off diving skills, and, of course, wrestle. (This being a black & white picture, Julia simply wears a light colored one piece, while Krista in dark-colored). Julia lets Krista win, which pleases the arrogant blonde no end. However as a bonus, Mimi and Elsa get into a wrestling match when Elsa sneers that "your employer is plainly overrated as an athlete."). Though smaller than Elsa, Mimi is able to thrash the blonde who curses her in German. Julia drags Mimi off and pretends to reprimand her, but she gives Mimi a wink. Krista is now so comfortable with Julia that she reveals she needs to her to steal another file--the one that will allow them to decode the contents of File 3417 more quickly. (That is why is hasn't been slipped out of the country yet). However, Elsa insists on coming along on the mission, though Julia will have to make the actual break-in on her own.

Later Julia meets Captain Drake to ask about Elsa and the Captain says they think she is actually a German spy, probably the person who stole File 3417 by seducing a gullible file clerk whom she then murdered to protect herself. She is technically a embassy employee and has diplomatic immunity so she can't be arrested, but they have let her go in hopes she can lead them to the missing file.Julia pretty much thought this herself. She tells Drake about Krista's request to recover the Code File. There is also the problem of Elsa, but Drake tells Julia to carry out the mission--however the Code File she takes will be a phony.

Julia then finds herself training with Elsa. The mission involved Julia being dangled down the side of a building in a harness, she will then open a window and enter a room, here she will crack the safe and get the file. Elsa is good at what she does, but plainly is not to be trusted.

The mission itself is tense filled with Julia's nagging suspicion Elsa will kill her just like she did that file clerk. However the mission is carried out and Elsa doesn't kill her. The reason being they have yet another mission planned for her: she is to plant a bomb that will destroy a research laboratory and delay vital weapons development. What Julia doesn't know is that the bomb she is supposed to plant has been rigged so that when she sets the timer--it will explode instantly. This is Elsa's way of eliminating another threat to the spy ring which she, in fact, runs, not the Baroness.

Julia informs Captain Drake of this latest mission and they decide she'll blow up a phony lab (still unaware the bomb could kill her any way). As Julia sets out on her mission alone, Mimi remains behind at  Julia's heaslth club. Elsa has decided Mimi is a loose end as decides to eliminate her by making it look like she was shot in a robbery at the club. However Mimi,who has always distrusted Elsa, fights off the attack and Elsa gets shot with her own gun. She spiteful tells MImi that Julia is "going to her death."

Mimi rushes to try to warn Julia and arrives just in time to see the empty building explode! However Julia appears and explains she was suspicious that Elsa not only handed her the bomb, but declined to go on this mission. She had the bomb examined and the boobie trap was discovered. The bomb was then reset to explode and let Elsa and the Baroness think she was dead. This will allow Julia to break into the country estate and recover File 3417.

This Julia does, but, once again, she is surprised by Krista and there is a fierce battle room. (Krista has just come from a swim and is wearing a two piece with a light open shirt over it. Julia is in her black "cat suit"). It is a rousing battle, Julia finally punches her out with a flurry of shots the take them across the romm. A final uppercut smashes Krista against a wall and she slides slowly down out cold. Julia quickly ties her up and makes her escape.

Later, Captain Drake reports that upon being presented with the proof that his wife is a spy, the ambassador threw her out and "into our waiting arms. She's got a lot to tell us about that spy ring--it just might keep her away from a firing squad--but at the very least she'll be behind bars for a very long time."). He then presents Julia and Mimi will their presidential pardons. Julia thanks him but says she and Mimi feel they have a lot more they could do. The Captain smiles. As a matter of fact, he does have another case that could use her talents...."

JULIA GRAYSON: Jennifer Garnett (Jennifer Garner)

MIMI MASON: Monica Keene (Monica Keena

KRISTA ZORN/BARONESS THORVALDE: Kara Harcourt (Katherine Heigl)

ELISA KRIEGER: Elisha Cantrell (Elisha Cuthbert)

Although the film sports a small cast of featured players, all of them were quite well-known to D-A fans of them time and no doubt drew them in. In addition, the sets, action and fights scenes so showed obvious signs of economy though it definitely budgeted as such. The characters were interesting and done with obvious enthusiasm. The series was off to a good start.

***************************************************************************************************************************************