The Curse of the Cat People (1944)
Directed by Gunther von Fritsch and Robert Wise, this Val Lewton production began life under the title Amy and Her Friend. However, RKO, delighted by the success of the previous years Cat People insisted Lewton change the title and film additional scenes to add black cats to proceedings. Lewton already had Simone Simon and Kent Smith on board so with some re-writing they were to resume their roles from the earlier film.
Had this film been made now i'm sure it would have turned out a disaster, however Lewton didn't deal in disasters and the finished product is a beautiful film about a child's loneliness and desperate search for a friend. Perhaps more Gothic fairytale than horror though the film has it's fair share of creepiness including the obligatory shadowy old house and several references to Washington Irvine's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Simon is brilliant as (the ghost of) Irena, following up her character from Cat People, stunningly beautiful and warm she's the sort of imaginary friend anyone would want...but is she imaginary? Kent Smith carries on his role and it was most welcoming to see Sir Lancelot - the creole singer from I Walked with a Zombie (1943) - in a much larger role as the famiy servant (it's all very dignified) and the nearest thing to a friend the girl has.
As with all Val Lewton productions the film looks stunning despite being low budget. It's almost cliched to mention the use of light and shadow in Lewton's films but it's so distinctive and makes each and every one of them something special and a real treat for classic horror fans. The Curse of the Cat People is no different, it's gorgeous to watch and a film i often go back to at this time of year.
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