Cat People (1942)

Directed by Jacques Tourneur. Starring Simone Simon, Kent Smith, Jane Randolph, Tom Conway, Jack Holt.

Subdued, sophisticated horror film was not what RKO wanted when they gambled on a string of low-budget fright flicks to recoup losses from recent financial failures; they were hoping for something in the vein of the Universal Classic Monsters, but instead got a moody chiller with the sort of adult themes that wouldn’t have been passed by the Hays Code in a serious dramatic treatment. Smith dismisses fashion designer Simon’s beliefs in local legends from her home village in Serbia, but she resists consummating their marriage all the same for fears of awakening the “animal within” through arousal. Aside from some instances of subtextual restraint, the story’s study of sexual jealousy and repression sticks to the surface, and the performances are no better than adequate. Yet despite the dated elements, there’s atmosphere and imagination to spare, establishing the “jump scare” technique through soundtrack cues, and validating the less-is-more concept through execution—the creature is never clearly seen, always offscreen or restricted to the shadows. First of three straight collaborations between director Tourneur and producer Val Lewton. A barely-related sequel (despite the participation of Lewton and several cast members in the same roles) followed in 1944: Curse of the Cat People; a similarly barely-related remake came in 1982.

83/100