30/10/2025
Excellent film by Val Lewton!
"Cat People" (1942) - Released December 5, 1942 by RKO
Directed by Jacques Tourneur
Cast:
Simone Simon as Irena Dubrovna
Kent Smith as Oliver Reed
Tom Conway as Dr. Louis Judd
Jane Randolph as Alice Moore
Jack Holt as "Commodore" C. R. Cooper
Alan Napier as "Doc" Carver
Elizabeth Dunne as Mrs. Plunkett
Elizabeth Russell as the "Cat Woman" at The Belgrade (voice dubbed by Simone Simon)
Alec Craig as the zookeeper
Dot Farley as Mrs. Agnew
Theresa Harris as Minnie
Fun fact:
RKO gave Val Lewton only $150,000 to make the film, resulting in creative producing. This forced many of the scenes requiring special effects to be done in shadows, which many believe increased the suspense of the film. When studio execs insisted that more footage of the panther be included in the movie, Lewton was able to maintain the budget and the suspense of the film by limiting how many scenes the panther could be visibly seen in, and by telling the cinematographer to "keep the panther in the shadows." Thus, the panther was only visible in the office and the zoo cage.
#1942
