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Katzenmenschen

Original title: Cat People
  • 1942
  • 12
  • 1h 13m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
26K
YOUR RATING
Simone Simon in Katzenmenschen (1942)
Theatrical Trailer from RKO
Play trailer1:07
2 Videos
99+ Photos
FantasyHorrorThriller

An American man marries a Serbian immigrant who fears that she will turn into the cat person of her homeland's fables if they are intimate together.An American man marries a Serbian immigrant who fears that she will turn into the cat person of her homeland's fables if they are intimate together.An American man marries a Serbian immigrant who fears that she will turn into the cat person of her homeland's fables if they are intimate together.

  • Director
    • Jacques Tourneur
  • Writer
    • DeWitt Bodeen
  • Stars
    • Simone Simon
    • Tom Conway
    • Kent Smith
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.2/10
    26K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Jacques Tourneur
    • Writer
      • DeWitt Bodeen
    • Stars
      • Simone Simon
      • Tom Conway
      • Kent Smith
    • 204User reviews
    • 145Critic reviews
    • 85Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 3 nominations

    Videos2

    Cat People
    Trailer 1:07
    Watch Cat People
    Cowboys! Detectives! Giant Bugs! B-Movie History!
    Clip 5:23
    Watch Cowboys! Detectives! Giant Bugs! B-Movie History!

    Photos107

    Simone Simon in Katzenmenschen (1942)
    Simone Simon in Katzenmenschen (1942)
    Henrietta Burnside, Connie Leon, Jane Randolph, and Kent Smith in Katzenmenschen (1942)
    Mary Halsey and Betty Roadman in Katzenmenschen (1942)
    Mary Halsey and Betty Roadman in Katzenmenschen (1942)
    Elizabeth Dunne, Simone Simon, and Kent Smith in Katzenmenschen (1942)
    Alec Craig in Katzenmenschen (1942)
    Simone Simon in Katzenmenschen (1942)
    Simone Simon and Kent Smith in Katzenmenschen (1942)
    Kent Smith in Katzenmenschen (1942)
    Kent Smith in Katzenmenschen (1942)
    Jane Randolph in Katzenmenschen (1942)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Simone Simon
    Simone Simon
    • Irena Dubrovna Reed
    Tom Conway
    Tom Conway
    • Dr. Louis Judd
    Kent Smith
    Kent Smith
    • Oliver Reed
    Jane Randolph
    Jane Randolph
    • Alice Moore
    Jack Holt
    Jack Holt
    • The Commodore
    Henrietta Burnside
    • Sue Ellen
    • (uncredited)
    Alec Craig
    Alec Craig
    • Zookeeper
    • (uncredited)
    Eddie Dew
    Eddie Dew
    • Street Policeman
    • (uncredited)
    Elizabeth Dunne
    • Mrs. Plunkett
    • (uncredited)
    Dynamite
    • The Panther
    • (uncredited)
    Dot Farley
    Dot Farley
    • Mrs. Agnew
    • (uncredited)
    Mary Halsey
    Mary Halsey
    • Blondie
    • (uncredited)
    Theresa Harris
    Theresa Harris
    • Minnie
    • (uncredited)
    Charles Jordan
    • Bus Driver
    • (uncredited)
    Donald Kerr
    • Taxi Driver
    • (uncredited)
    Connie Leon
    • Neighbor Who Called Police
    • (uncredited)
    Murdock MacQuarrie
    Murdock MacQuarrie
    • Sheep Caretaker
    • (uncredited)
    Alan Napier
    Alan Napier
    • Doc Carver
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Jacques Tourneur
    • Writer
      • DeWitt Bodeen
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The horror movie technique of slowly building tension to a jarring shock which turns out to be something completely harmless and benign became known as a "Lewton bus" after a famous scene in this movie created by producer Val Lewton. The technique is also referred to as a "cat scare," as off-screen noises are often revealed to be a startled harmless cat.
    • Goofs
      When Irena does not show up at her apartment when Dr. Judd, Oliver, and Alice are waiting for her, they leave. Dr. Judd hides his cane in the apartment to give him an excuse to borrow Oliver's key and go back in for it. Afterward, he leaves the door unlocked so that he can sneak back in, something that is hidden from Oliver and Alice. Yet, after Oliver and Alice are threatened in the office, they call the apartment to warn Dr. Judd that Irena is definitely dangerous and that he should leave.
    • Quotes

      Irena Dubrovna: I like the dark. It's friendly.

    • Crazy credits
      [From the opening credits] "Even as fog continues to lie in the valleys, so does ancient sin cling to the low places, the depression sin the world consciousness." - "The Anatomy of Atavism" - Dr. Louis Judd
    • Connections
      Featured in Draculeena Presents: Cat People (1960)
    • Soundtracks
      Dodo, L'Enfant Do
      (uncredited)

      Traditional French folk lullaby

      Arranged by Roy Webb

    User reviews204

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    Maybe even the greatest horror film ever made
    The horror genre has had many of the greatest films of all time stem from it, and Cat People is, without doubt, one of the best and most important. The film represents the first collaboration between (probably) horror's most important producer, and one of the genre's best directors. Under Val Lewton's watchful eye, Jacques Tourneur has managed to put together a film that successfully fuses a foreboding atmosphere with a terrific storyline and the result is a film with merits impossible to deny. The story starts off slowly, with Kent Smith's American gentleman meeting the Serbian beauty Simone Simon sketching a black leopard in a zoo. From there, the two fall in love amidst a backdrop of malevolence stemming from her belief that she is the victim of an ancient curse on her village that means she will transform into a black panther if emotionally aroused. The two get married anyway, but it soon becomes apparent that this curse will play a bigger part in their marriage than either of them first imagined or hoped.

    There are two sides to this great movie. The first side is the technical one. Jacques Tourneur's handling of the camera is superb, and the way that the characters are manipulated into certain situations allows him to really show his talent. Consider the famous shadow-laden scene at the swimming pool, or the sequence that sees Jane Randolph being pursued by a mysterious presence. These scenes work not because of the characters or the situation; but because of the way that Tourneur captures the scene. He would go on to show this talent throughout his career, but it's done best here. The acting is typical of the forties, with much of it being soaked in melodrama. This actually helps the film because the heavy performances allow you to really get into what the film is trying to achieve and, despite the fact that the subject material is definitely 'B-class'; the acting gives it a grounding alongside the bigger budgeted films of it's day. The beautiful Simone Simon takes the lead role, and it's her persona and European origin that gives the film much of it's intrigue and mystery. Kent Smith and Jane Randolph are great in support, while Tom Conway shines like he has in several other Val Lewton films in his small but effective role as the psychiatrist.

    The second side of the film concern's its story. This is the main reason why Cat People is such an enchanting piece of cinema. Soaked in mystery, the central plot - which handles themes of lust, aggression and not being able to subdue certain emotions, will always be relevant to whoever is viewing the film. While here it is portrayed in a much more extreme way than in real life, the fundamentals of what the plot is portraying exist in every person. More important than this, however, is the way that the mythology is built up around the 'cat people'. We are never really given a definite explanation as to what the curse is all about, and this allows the director to tap into the fear of the unknown, and this also allows him to keep the cards regarding the ending close to his chest throughout. Obviously, due to the time in which it was made; Cat People wasn't allowed to show shocking violence, but it implies brilliantly; and despite the fact that we never really see anything - it is easy to believe otherwise. The simple plot really helps the film as it allows it to convey what it needs to convey without getting tangled up in sub-plots and other non-essential elements; and this piece of pulp poetry really shows that you don't need an epic running time to create a successful film. I really can't recommend this film highly enough.
    helpful•41
    17
    • The_Void
    • Oct 3, 2005

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    FAQ22

    • How long is Cat People?Powered by Alexa
    • What is 'Cat People' about?
    • Is "Cat People" based on a book?
    • Did Irena really turn into a panther?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 25, 1942 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Czech
      • Serbian
    • Also known as
      • Cat People
    • Filming locations
      • Stage 14, RKO Studios - 780 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • RKO Radio Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $134,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 13 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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