The Curse of the Cat People (1944)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Directors:

Gunther von Fritsch
Robert Wise

Writer:

DeWitt Bodeen (screenplay)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror

Tagline:

The Black Menace Creeps Again !

Plot:

This mostly unrelated sequel to Cat People (1942) has Amy, the young daughter of Oliver and Alice Reed...

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Child | Sequel | Spanking | Dysfunctional

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Simone Simon	...	Ghost of Irena
Kent Smith	...	Oliver 'Ollie' Reed
Jane Randolph	...	Alice Reed
Ann Carter	...	Amy Reed
Eve March	...	Miss Callahan, Amy's teacher
Julia Dean	...	Mrs. Julia Farren
Elizabeth Russell	...	Barbara Farren
Erford Gage	...	Police Captain
Sir Lancelot	...	Edward, Reed's Butler / Cook

Runtime:

70 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:Approved (PCA #9618) | Australia:PG | UK:A (original rating) | UK:U (video rating) (1987)

Filming Locations:

Malibu Lake, California, USA

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

According to the screenwriter DeWitt Bodeen, Val Lewton wanted to call this film "Amy and Her Friend". However, RKO executives insisted on using the "Cat People" name to attract fans of Cat People (1942), which had been an enormous box office success made with a very low budget.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the Reed's house, there is a small side table with two figurines and a vase near the closet where the coats are kept. This table varies from having a backboard on it (when the carolers some to the house) to lacking one (when Oliver takes Amy outside to look for Irena and later when Amy flees the house).

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Dick Van Dyke Show: The Curse of the Petrie People (#5.18)" (1966)

Soundtrack:

Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant

Lovely and haunting...

This film is one of my all time favorites; and I have to admit that I really question the smarts of anyone who can't see the very strong ties this film has to its predecessor.

In fact, the whole film centers around curses of various kinds; however, we're not talking about curses in the gypsy-mumbo-jumbo sense but in the sense of seeming to live under the kind of weight brought on by loneliness, anger, frustration, and, perhaps to a certain point, obsession.

There is so much loveliness in this film that to quibble over semantics really does it a disservice. Open your mind when you watch this one, and let its enchantment do its work.