A Quick Look: THE CAT PEOPLE (1940)

   In the early 40's, producer Val Lewton was more or less forced to make a horror picture for RKO. Lacking the budget to really provide the sort of stunning visuals that audiences had come to expect thanks to the Universal epics, Lewton instead focused on moody lighting and strong atmosphere. Val figured what the audience didn't see was actually more frightening than anything they did see, and his efforts were rewarded in the masterpiece that is THE CAT PEOPLE. The insanely adorable Simone Simon stars as an immigrant girl who falls in love with all-American Kent Smith. They marry, but Simone is terrified that she has inherited a curse from her old-world bloodline. She believes herself to be one of the Cat People, and if she lets her husband touch her, she'll turn into a killer cat and slaughter him. This puts a wedge between the couple and Smith eventually find his attentions being sought by pretty co-worker Jane Randolph. Meanwhile, smarmy psychologist Tom Conway thinks he can exploit Simone's fears into instigating an affair. Very strong drama, expertly told, with more adult situations that one usually finds in this kind of programmer. The film was a smash hit, and Lewton's less-is-more tactic was employed for a whole series of horror pictures still considered to be some of the best genre movies ever made. This whole affair would be referenced in THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL in the 50's. The 50's also produced a quasi-remake in the form of THE CAT GIRL. The story was famously sexed up and remade under the same title as the original in the early 80's. Meanwhile, there was a follow-up made shortly after the original.
   Val Lewton didn't think THE CAT PEOPLE was really right for a sequel, but the film did so well for RKO that the studio insisted on another one. Basically handed the keys and told to deliver another hit, Lewton went in a completely unexpected direction. THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE really isn't a horror movie of any kind. It's a sweet fantasy in which the daughter of Kent Smith and Jane Randolph begins getting visits from the specter of Simone Simon's character from the previous film. She's at peace now, and has come to help her "daughter" through a difficult time of her life during a particularly snowy Christmas season. Truly, if THE CAT PEOPLE is the definitive halloween flick, THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE is a delightful (if darkly moody) Christmas story. One wonders what the studio's reaction to the finished film was. Just how were they to advertise this picture? It was nothing like audiences expected, and the film tanked. Not helping matters was that the production went wildly over budget. It has since found it's fanbase, however. Charming, suspenseful, mysterious, and quite good.,(and of course, there's that brilliant black and white photography that marks all of Lewton's horror films. It's just a beautiful movie), THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE was the first effort of director Robert Wise, and I hear the film has even been used as a study guide in child psychology courses!