The Curse of the Cat People (1944)

The young, friendless daughter of Oliver and Alice Reed befriends her father's dead first wife and an aging, reclusive actress.

Directors:

Gunther von Fritsch (as Gunther V. Fritsch), Robert Wise

Writer:

DeWitt Bodeen (screenplay)

Stars:

Simone Simon, Kent Smith, Jane Randolph

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Simone Simon	...	Ghost of Irena
Kent Smith	...	Oliver 'Ollie' Reed
Jane Randolph	...	Alice Reed
Ann Carter	...	Amy Reed
Eve March	...	Miss Callahan
Julia Dean	...	Mrs. Julia Farren
Elizabeth Russell	...	Barbara Farren
Erford Gage	...	Police Captain
Sir Lancelot	...	Edward

Storyline

This mostly unrelated sequel to Cat People (1942) has Amy, the young daughter of Oliver and Alice Reed. Amy is a very imaginative child who has trouble differentiating fantasy from reality, and has no friends her own age as a result. She makes an imaginary friend though, her father's dead first wife Irena. At about the same time, she befriends Julia Farren, an aging reclusive actress who is alienated from her own daughter Barbara.

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Plot Keywords:

imaginary friend | sequel | child in peril | child's point of view | ghost | 

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Taglines:

Slinking into the heart of a little girl who could not see the evil behind smiling lips that could snarl, and feline fingers that could rip young flesh to shreds (original poster)

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

Because of the incredibly tight budget, sets from Orson Welles' The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) were re-used.

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Goofs

When Oliver first drops the photographs onto the fire, they land to the right side of the flame on a log. However, in a close-up on the fireplace, they are in the centre of the log where the flame is located.

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Quotes

Miss Callahan: Children love to dream things up.

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Alternate Versions

Also available in a computer colorized version.

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Connections

Featured in TJ and the All Night Theatre: Cat People + the Curse of the Cat People + It's Alive! (1980)

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Soundtracks

Shepherds! Shake Off Your Drowsy Sleep

User Reviews

Intriguing and haunting

Curse of the Cat People is an intriguing tale, beautifully filmed in a style that bears more resemblance to a Grimms fairytale than horror, with a mesmerizing performance from Ann Carter. This is her film and she is strong and convincing in the role. The exploration of the insecurity of the child coupled with a troubled relationship with her father is fascinating. I have not seen Cat People and, possibly, aspects of the history of the demise of Irena would be clearer having seen the original. The expectation of a "horror" film with the suggestive title is also misleading. If you are looking for horror you will need to look elswhere. This is ultimately a surprisingly sensitive and uniquely haunting film that would appeal on many levels.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

April 1944 (USA)

Also Known As:

Amy and Her Friend

Filming Locations:

900 West Adams Street, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$150,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

70 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1