# High Barbaree **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 7, 2017, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-barbaree/786063 "2017-05-07T13:35:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-barbaree/786063/1 "2017-05-07T13:35:57Z")
In _High Barbaree_ (1947) we see the nose art on a PBY. It’s a banner that reads ‘HIGH BARBAREE’, with a painting of a pouncing cat above it. I know that the Barbary Coast is along North Africa, and there’s a sea chanty in which it’s spelled ‘Barbaree’. What is the significance of the cat? Is it simply because Van Johnson is in a Catalina? Or is there something I’m missing? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-barbaree/786063/2 "2017-05-07T16:02:09Z")
Well, The Barbary Coast used to be a San Francisco cathouse. Nah, I got nothin’. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-barbaree/786063/3 "2017-05-07T16:40:06Z")
Because the Catalinas were called the[Black Cat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consolidated_PBY_Catalina)? “US Navy Catalinas used in the Pacific against the Japanese for night operations were painted black overall, and as a result were sometimes referred to locally as “Black Cats”.”