The Catman of Paris (1946) User Reviews

I am the catman - goo goo g'joob!

[BA_Harrison · 5/10 · 1 May 2023]

The basic plot for The Catman of Paris wouldn't win any awards for originality: it sees controversial author Charles Regnier (Carl Esmond) arriving back in Paris just as people start to turn up dead, scratched to ribbons, as though by a large cat. Suffering from memory loss at the same time as the murders, Charles begins to believe that he is responsible, and the police would just love to pin the blame on him, his latest book having upset the French government. All the evidence does seem to indicate that Charles is the killer, but beautiful Marie Audet (Lenore Aubert) believes otherwise.

It's not very hard to work out who is the real villain, but the supernatural revelation at the end isn't so easy to predict: a crackpot's theory that the killer is capable of transmutation, turning into a half-human/half cat, turns out to be on the money, leading to an entertaining finale featuring the furry, fanged feline/man. Also adding to the fun is a rousing fist fight between Charles and four men in a restaurant, and a high-speed horse and carriage chase scene in which the police are incredibly trigger happy, shooting wildly at the three passengers in the carriage in front.

The Catman of Paris

[CinemaSerf · 5/10 · 8 January 2023]

There is a scene in this film when "Marie" (Leonor Aubert) is in a coach, terrified, with the protagonist in this Jekyllian style thriller. She is shouting, pleading, imploring with this person - who transmorphs into a deadly cat - for him not to kill her. When she calls out for him to "say something to me" the entire cinema - maybe 50 people, all simultaneously called out "miaow". It was really an achievement of coordination and comedy timing that far surpassed anything creative being seen on the screen as this rather dreary murder mystery rubbed along. Carl Esmond is "Regnier", a successful novelist who discovers that his book is going to be censored. When the archivist carrying papers to the censor is found dead - mauled - he is suspected and off we trot on the most benign of mysteries that lacks just about everything - except, perhaps, an alluring eeriness of late 19th century Paris. The writing, directing and acting are wholly adequate, but the thing lacks any sense of menace or thrill - and at times it is little better than a darkly lit romance with a well telegraphed twist.

Unseen for many years, but a thrill if you're right age

[djsonovox · 5/10 · 3 March 2010]

This is a middling to fair movie, gamely cashing in on the popular 1940s passion for Wolfman and Cat People creature films. Lame, but it limped along anyway.

Spine-chilling horror and suspense it has little of, but be fair! When you stack this film up against other non-Val Lewton movies or non-Brit films, (think DEAD OF NIGHT) it's okay for what it attempts. The director was probably a studio hack given the task of making something cheap using standing sets and on-hand costumes to fill the double bill and not run much more than an hour, thus clearing the seats for the A picture.

Workmanlike is he best that can be said about it. A good monster, wasted.

Anticipation ran high for me in the pre-home taping/DVD days when indie TV stations surrounding the SF Bay put this in their late-night viewing logs in the papers. My appetite for it was whetted by a photo spread in Monster World or maybe FAmous Monsters, showing Bob Wilke down in a makeup chair with a week's whiskers, getting on the fingernails and greasepaint and hair and full catty dentures. He looked great as the monster. His eyes were always cat-like and a bright shiny green anyway. Recall him as the first mate to Captain Nemo (James Mason) in 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA?

Robert J. Wilke made his career primarily playing villains in Westerns and was always a solid on screen presence. More of the Catman and less palaver was called for. It would be a better film, but I liked it for what little it achieved in moments of unease and threatening shadows.

And whomever id the makeup was an ace at greasepaint and direct work, without much in the way of prosthesis.

DB Jones, Mountain View, CA

Not Really Sure If This Is Horror...

[gavin6942 · 12 October 2011]

Are mysterious killings in Paris of 1896 the work of man or monster?

The best thing I can say about this film is that it has an awesomely choreographed fight in a restaurant, with plenty of flips and tables breaking. The waiter getting knocked over with a full tray (even though there are no customers, so who is the food for?).

Hard to say if this is a horror film. Netflix seems to think so, and I guess the idea of a half-man, half-cat killing people is sort of horror. But it is really pretty tame. We could say it is an early serial killer film with a population getting terrorized, but whether or not it is horror is just a tough call.

This warrants a second viewing.

THE CATMAN OF Paris (Lesley Selander, 1946) **

[Bunuel1976 · 4/10 · 10 October 2013]

Savage murders at turn-of-the-century Paris are attributed to a popular crime author who suffers from bouts of amnesia. Preposterous Poverty Row riff on both WEREWOLF OF London (1935) and CAT PEOPLE (1942), disguising its singular lack of purpose under indifferent period detail. Prolific director Selander is best-known for a spate of Western programmers and, if anything, this routine affair only serves to prove that his earlier atmospheric foray into the fantasy genre, THE VAMPIRE'S GHOST (1945), was a mere fluke; having said that, the film under review does feature a bar-room brawl (involving a young Anthony Caruso and John Dehner) and a carriage assault that seem to come straight out of a cowboy movie! The troubled hero (Carl Esmond) is a bore and no sparring partner for Inspector Gerald Mohr; the root of and the reason behind the transformations are far-fetched even for the genre…and you have not lived until you have seen ubiquitous comedy foil Douglass Dumbrille decked out in the hirsute titular 'costume'!

Intriguing period horror film

[stephander · 7/10 · 11 February 2007]

In late 19th Century a writer returns to Paris to learn that his acclaimed novel may be censored by the government since it seems to contain proceeds from a secret trial. At this time someone connected with that trial is killed by what seems to be a catman. The writer, who has memory lapses, is suspected, especially when his fiancée is also a victim, but his mentor and the daughter of his publisher with whom he is falling in love strive to protect him.

Although not a classic like Cat People, it is of the 1940's genre of horror films involving supernatural transformations, films that aspired to be atmospheric and subtle, avoiding the use of already worn-out clichés of the '30's horror films and generally not employing established horror-picture stars. Catman was slickly produced (for a B-minus film), but being done by Republic Studios it not surprisingly featured many elements of Western films (can-can girls, a saloon brawl, a carriage chase). --- The cast is excellent. It's a treat to see suave Austrian Carl Esmond in a leading role, while Slovenian actress Lenore Aubert, in perhaps her most engaging role, is well showcased here. Also, Adele Mara is a knockout, and always reliable Douglas Dumbrille is particularly good.

It is, of course, a minor film and will not please those, easily bored, who prefer their horror blood drenched with a thrill a second, or those who prefer only vintage films with major stars. But it a somewhat novel twist on the classic horror film and this reviewer has enjoyably viewed it several times.

Fritz Feld as a police inspector should make you wonder

[scsu1975 · 3/10 · 21 November 2022]

Carl Esmond plays a French author who has just returned from somewhere, where he had a bout of something. Every so often he blacks out, but before he does, we get a shot of a frozen wasteland, lightning, a buoy, then a black cat. None of this makes sense unless you are on weed. After each blackout, a cast member goes belly up. Personally, I think the victims just wanted out of this picture.

After the first attack, Prefect of Police Fritz Feld, without a shred of evidence, immediately concludes the murder has been committed by a catman. Right. This guy makes Inspector Clouseau look like Sherlock Holmes. Inspector Gerald Mohr spends most of the film disagreeing with Feld, rolling his eyes, and generally smirking. I think he read the script.

Adele Mara, as Esmonds' fiancée, becomes a fancy feast for the catman, which is too bad because I was just beginning to enjoy her cleavage. Then Esmond takes up with Lenore Aubert, who manages to almost sound like a French person, unlike everyone else in the cast.

Esmond spends most of the film trying to figure out if he is indeed the killer. At one point, he says to Aubert, in resignation, "I am the catman." To which Aubert replies "I am the walrus."

We don't get to see the catman until about five minutes left in the film. During the wait, we are subjected to some astrologist telling us the history of the catman, how he appears every time Jupiter aligns with Mars (or something to that effect) and how he was present at historical events throughout time. This guy made me yearn for Criswell.

Werecat kills young ladies in 1896 Paris to maintain his immortality

[snicewanger · 7/10 · 23 September 2015]

The Catman of Paris sounds more a movie about a jewel thief or second story man then a monster film. Lesley Selander was Republics go to western director and the cast has some recognizable faces but of course, no big stars. The catman is a were-creature and part of the fun is trying to guess who the shape shifter really is. Carl Esmond and Lenor Aubert are top billed and they give the proceedings a European flavor. There is bit more attention to period detail in the set and costume design then is seen in most of these little opuses.

Selander directed westerns and Catman rolls like a western. John Dehner, Anthony Caruso, and Robert J Wilkie would all go on to make their make in television westerns in the 1950's. Republic in house eye candy Adele Mara is around to liven up the proceedings. Sherman L Loews screenplay is a no frills and move the story along quickly affair. The FX is kept to a minimum with minimal lighting and the use of shadows and darkness in the shots to convey a creepy look and cover up the cheapness of the sets.

Catman of Paris is not going to entertain the blood, guts, and gore fanatics. Its an entertaining little, horror, western action film that keeps you guessing until the end.

too much talk and not enough action

[dbborroughs · 4/10 · 22 January 2008]

Republic pictures comes late in the game to the "werewolf" er Werecat genre. The plot has a writer returning to Paris after a long trip abroad during which he developed jungle fear during which he had blackouts. He is arriving to great acclaim as his novel that parallels an infamous trial is a best seller. The French government wants to know if he had access to secret documents, something that seems more likely when an official is killed by a "catman". Suspicion really falls on the writer when his fiancé ends up dead. Complicating matters is the return of the blackouts so the writer doesn't know if he's the killer or not.

Okay thriller is much too leisurely to be fully enjoyed. There are too many musical numbers early on and too much dead time when things are all talk in the middle and later sections. The acting is fine and the sets quite good but there is a reason why most people I know only remember the top hatted killer, he's the most interesting thing in this film. despite its short running time (just over an hour) I think the reason that this film was rarely seen on TV was that after 20 minutes you begin to lose patience with it. As good as the talk is, I just wished someone would do something. When it finally did happen, in the closing minutes, it was too little too late..

Take a pass.

Good horse and carriage chase

[greenbudgie · 6/10 · 25 March 2021]

Charles Regnier is the author of 'Fraudulent Justice' which looks to become a bestseller. But it is potentially an embarrassment to the French Government. A man is carrying some secrets documents from the Archives of the Ministry of Justice when he is killed. His body has been clawed to ribbons as though he had been attacked by a powerful cat. The documents he was carrying go missing so it would seem that the murderer didn't want those papers scrutinized for some reason.

Suspicion falls upon Regnier as he was unaccountably out all night at the time of the murder. He is in the habit of leaving social gatherings on his own complaining of a headache. He sees visions of a storm and then the sight of a black cat appears. He seems to be suffering from amnesia brought on by a tropical fever he had contracted on his travels. He is accused of learning secret rituals he has discovered in India and Tibet.

A favorite of a number of 1940s B-mystery fans Douglass Dumbrille portrays the friend of Charles Regnier. There is a very good horse and carriage chase sequence but a confusing fight scene earlier in a cafe had been poorly executed. This is a reasonable mystery involving transmutation that has number of atmospheric moments. And the reproduction poster for this film with the killer's blue hand threatening the neck of a beautiful female victim has become collectible among horror film poster fans.

Did he or didn't he?

[planktonrules · 4/10 · 8 August 2020]

With "The Catman of Paris", Republic Pictures takes on the horror genre--making a film which seemed like a bit of a ripoff of the RKO film "Cat People"....as well as bit of Universal's "Werewolf of London". And, like a few other horror films Republic made (such as "Valley of the Zombies"), the results are second-rate.

"The Catman of Paris" is set in Paris (or course) in 1895. Charles has returned to the city after time abroad and after following a serious illness. Soon, folks around him start dying and the police begin to suspect Charles is some sort of Catman thingie who kills. As for Charles, because he has memory lapses following his illness, he starts to suspect that he MIGHT actually be the killer. As for the truth...well, it's somewhere in the middle.

The film is watchable. But it's odd that half the actors speak with French accents, half simply don't. And, as for the story, frankly, it's a bit goofy and silly...and the makeup they use for this 'Catman' is poor. Overall, it really wasn't a very good or exciting film...and hardly one to make RKO or Universal scared of the competition.

Curious and interesitng film for a western specialist

[searchanddestroy-1 · 8/10 · 17 February 2022]

If you watch closely to Lesley Selander's filmography, you'll notice ninety percent westerns, grade B and Z ones. So, this mystery costume drama taking place in Paris France is very very unexpected from this film maker. Obviously, anyone could think about CAT PEOPLE and DR JEKYLL...inspiration or rip-off. But Lesley Selander is not Jacques Tourneur. But for sure, I would have seen this film without the opening credits, I would have never bet a dime on Lesley Selander as the director, though this dude had no trademark at all; he was only a good technician, with the budget he was given to. This feature could have been any director's but Lesley Selander. It is short, but as most short films, there are many things happening and it seems to be one hour and a half long instead of sixty one minutes. But it is definitely worth watching for any moviegoer of gem digger.

Light but appreciable 40s genre fun

[I_Ailurophile · 6/10 · 7 September 2023]

While it is by no means true across the board, one can often consider the genre cinema of any given decade and have a fair idea of what to expect. For the 1950s this commonly means an obsession with the burgeoning Atomic Age, and low-grade monster movies. In the 40s when standards were even more strict under the Hays Code that came into effect several years before, this often means heavy emphasis on drama and investigation, with often mere suggestion of supernatural elements in passing, and scant actual visualization of the supernatural or abnormal. As a result, horror films of the 40s are not infrequently more gentle and soft-spoken, and less actively interesting or exciting, than like-minded fare from the 30s. Suffice to say that 1946's 'The catman of Paris' neatly fits the description of such fare. This doesn't mean it's bad, but it does arguably mean it has more of an uphill climb to stand out. Thankfully, while modest, I think this is duly well made and enjoyable just as it is.

Sherman L. Lowe penned an aptly compelling, satisfying story as well-traveled writer Charles, plagued by headaches, is thrown into suspicion in the wake of the violent deaths of select individuals. The telling may be tame by most any other standards but there's nevertheless enough of an edge of mystery, and a stirring of strange goings-on, to keep us engaged and curious. Those stunts and effects that we do see inject a measure of welcome vitality into the proceedings, helping to counteract tinges of ham-handedness that otherwise do the tone of this 40s genre flick no favors. Though constrained by the less robust nature of contemporary fare, the cast give commendable performances to bring the tale to life, and Lesley Selander's direction is likewise firm and mindful in building the feature with as much energy and heightened emotion as possible. The result is no revelation, but I can honestly say that it's more entertaining and worthwhile than I expected when I first sat to watch.

True, some of the ideas written into the dialogue - ruminations on the origins of the "catman" - are overly neat and clean, and lean on the hokey logic of Movie Magic as much as superstition. Still, there's something to be said of Lowe's imagination even in this regard. Meanwhile the picture is quite well made, including excellent sets, costume design, hair, and makeup, making the viewing experience one that's easy on the eyes. Even the editing and cinematography are notably appreciable. When all is said and done this is certainly not a title that will appeal to those seeking visceral thrills, and one must necessarily be receptive to the broad tenor of films of the era to get on board with what this one offers. With all this having said, I for one am pleased with how fun 'The catman of Paris' turned out to be, if lightly so. It's not anything that one needs to go out of their way to see, but if you do have the opportunity to watch then it's a decent way to spend an hour.

Is he or isn't he?

[dsayne · 4/10 · 19 November 2013]

This review is short and so is this movie. SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER! Here is my synopsis: "You're the Catman!" "No, I'm not." (Insert gratuitous cat scene here.) "You're the Catman!" "No! I'm not!" "Meow" "I'm the Catman!" "No, you're not." "Yes, I am!" "No, You're not!" "Meow!" "Let's have dinner." "He's the Catman! Get him!" (Insert gratuitous Roy Rogers fight scene here.) "I'm hiding the Catman in my bedroom." "I'm Catman." "Are you? Is he?" "He is not. Is he?" (Insert gratuitous Gene Autry chase scene here.) "I'm the Catman!" "Surely you're not! Maybe he is!" "Meow" "No! Getaway!" "He was the Catman!" "Was not." THE END. A REPUBLIC PICTURE.

"What You Need Is A Long Rest And Relaxation!"...

[azathothpwiggins · 9 August 2021]

A brutal, bloody murder occurs in Paris, with the victim was apparently clawed to pieces. The police refuse to believe that a monster is at work, instead focusing their attention on famous author Charles Regnier (Carl Esmond), who has recently arrived in the city.

Regnier seems to have a motive, and the subject matter of his latest book is a bit too coincidental for the cops. In addition, Regnier has begun to suffer from strange blackouts, rendering him unable to remember his actions or whereabouts.

When another mutilation takes place, the authorities are certain they have their man.

CATMAN OF PARIS is an atmospheric horror film. The use of a black cat slinking around, as well as Regnier's blackout sequences are eerily effective. There's a restaurant fight scene that's also memorable. Esmond plays his desperate role convincingly, and there's a nice, twisty finale to boot!...

"I don't think one's fiancé has a right to come between two friends."

[utgard14 · 4/10 · 24 April 2020]

Spoken like a true Frenchman. This is the story of an author who is suspected of being the title killer. He spends all of the movie talking and talking and talking until you just want someone to put a silver bullet in his head. But unfortunately that never happens. The movie has a cool premise and even a halfway decent makeup job on the "catman," but very little time in this is spent on that. Most of it is the lead character whining about everything especially his love life. I honestly hate the guy. This movie stinks. Cool poster though.

Nah-nah nah-nah nah-nah nah-nah nah-nah nah-nah Catman!

[Coventry · 5/10 · 20 September 2023]

"The Catman of Paris" might as well have been called "The Copycat-Man of Paris", because what we have here is a cheap and inconspicuous - but not uninteresting - attempt to imitate the style and success of RKO's genius 1942 classic "Cat People" and its equally genius 1944 sequel "Curse of the Cat People". Those titles happen to be two of my all-time favorite movies, so I - for one - certainly don't mind watching another umpteenth rip-offs.

The film is more than decent, with a plot revolving around a distinguished but controversial young author who just returned to Paris after a long period in a tropical part of the world and finds several difficulties on his path. He loves a different woman than the one he's engaged to, the French government accuses him to exposing secret information via his "fictional" novel, and during his nightly walks around Paris he suffers from blackouts while people are getting ripped to pieces. Might it be that Charles Regnier returned home with a curse and turns into a lethal feline creature at night?

What I love about these ancient black and white movies is that they are short and don't waste any time! "The Catman of Paris" has a running time of barely 65 minutes, but it nevertheless features a talkative plot and a handful of exciting and action-packed moments. The highlights a feisty bar fight sequence and a wild horse carriage chase, which both could have come straight out of a western movie. The denouement isn't too complex to figure out early on already, and the cat-creature transformation sequence is rather weak, but those defaults don't bother me too much in a low-key 40s B-movie. The male cast is unremarkable, but "The Catman of Paris" does feature two strong female characters, with the protagonist's new love-interest Lenore Aubert and particularly his wicked fiance Adele Mara.

Republic Tries For A Val Lewton Movie

[boblipton · 5/10 · 7 April 2023]

Carl Esmond's latest book is selling out, and the government wishes it banned. Although Esmond insists it's fictional, the government thinks it's based on a secret trial. Meanwhile, a mysterious killer is murdering people in 1896 Paris, with all the marks of a giant cat. Is it a man who turns into a cat, as police prefect Fritz Feld thinks? Or is it Esmond, suffering from bouts of amnesia following his suffering from tropical fever?

Republic Pictures took a look at the B horror movies that Val Lewton was producing at RKO and decided they could do that too. Although they ended up only producing a couple, this shows that Herbert Yates thought it was a good idea, and assigned top B western director Lesley Selander to direct, and spent on a good cast and a lot of money on costumes -- and still had a sequence in which carriages are racing through Paris; no sense in not playing to the studio's strength. It's certainly watchable, even if it is derivative. With Adele Mara, Douglas Dumbrille, and Gerald Mohr.

Rather flaccid horror.

[glenaobrien · 5/10 · 10 February 2024]

Republic Pictures was not exactly a 'poverty row' studio (after all the studio won some Oscars and produced some John Ford and John Wayne masterpieces) but it was known for the economy and speed of its productions. The major studios often looked on with envy at Republic's capacity to churn out films in half the time and at half the cost of most other studios. It was the first studio to put the comic book superheroes on the big screen via their cliffhanger serials, which were also the inspiration for Indiana Jones, the Rocketeer, and so much more. What they weren't particularly know for was horror. Werecat film, The Catman of Paris (dir. Lesley Selander) sits among a handful of Republic chillers, including The Vampires Ghost (1945) which had a vampire but no ghost, and Valley of the Zombies (1946) which featured neither valley nor zombie. While there certainly is a Catman in The Catman of Paris, the film shares the rather flaccid quality of its stablemates.

It's Paris, 1896, and celebrated writer Charles Régnier (Carl Esmond) is experiencing strange blackouts after which people turn up murdered, throats lacerated as if by a wild animal. Caught in a love triangle between Marguerite (Adele Mara) and his friend (who wants to be a friend with benefits) Marie (Lenore Aubert), he is also being gaslit by his wealthy patron Henry Borchade (Douglas Dumbrill) who has taken him off the streets and groomed him for success. Charles is a rather limp character, an effete artist, who at night when the moon is full becomes something far more dangerous. Or does he? Is Charles really the Catman undergoing a crisis of masculinity or is he simply being manipulated by another?

While the horror sequences are quite good they are few and far between in this talky melodrama. The Parisian setting is not well staged. It's clear that in both costuming and set design Republic has recycled elements from any one of its countless westerns. There's even a scene in a salon which could easily be a western saloon and culminates in a bar fight straight out of an afternoon horse opera. There is an interestingly-staged surreal sequence each time Charles goes into one of his fainting spells. Unlike the Universal horror films, Republic horror films were not shown regularly on television, so, many people will be coming to them on Blu-ray or DVD for the first time. As curios of budget horror they are certainly deserving of preservation. As works of art they are, well, not very good, but as I always say, 'Just because it's trash, it doesn't mean it's not important.'

Poor Film

[Michael_Elliott · 28 February 2008]

Catman of Paris, The (1947)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

Cat pee poor Republic horror film about a werewolf like creature stalking the streets of Paris. This is a pretty poor, extremely lame and overly talky horror film that goes no where in its short 65-minute runtime. Not for a single second does the film quite talking, which grows quite tiresome after the first five minutes. The "creature" is only on screen for three scene and probably a total of thirty seconds. Carl Esmond stars with Lenore Aubert of Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein fame.

Don't Forget Your Caffeine

[mord39 · 17 February 2001]

I came across a copy of this rarely-seen film and I can safely say it's better off never seen. Some films just are too damned dull and uneventful for their own good, and this is one of the best examples of an uninvolving movie where nothing occurs.

If you have ever seen bores like DEVIL BAT'S DAUGHTER, SCARED TO DEATH, THE UNDYING MONSTER, or SHE-WOLF OF LONDON (all from the 1940s) you'll know what to expect...or should I say what NOT to expect? The only worthy mention is Lenore Aubert (from ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN) on hand as the leading lady.

The monster isn't seen until the very end, and you'll have given up long before that anyway. At 60 minutes or so, this feels like 60 YEARS.