The Cat Creeps

This is probably one of the lowest budgeted films on that old "Low-budget-list" that film-buffs mentally keep track of.

It's a spooky-house murder mystery, with some sturdy studio character actors.

The victim dies early in the film, (twice, no less). A strange woman appears to tell the group that's spending the night in this house, that the dead woman's spirit lives on in her cat --a black cat, of course. The strange woman hints that the cat, or rather the spirit in the cat, will reveal the killer.

The story is ludicrous, with dialog to match, but everyone chases one another around the place, and there's enough shootin' and spookin' going on to make this film delightful late-night fare.

Like "The Cat and the Canary", this story takes place in a gloomy old home that can only be reached by boat. Also like "Canary", all the action takes place during the course of one night, with the killer revealed by sunrise. However, the similarity between the two films ends there.

This film is short and it's fast. It's dumb and it's fun.

I enjoy this sort of nonsense, and have watched my copy of "The Cat Creeps" several times over the years.-- Because I love ALL spooky-house B-movie murder-mysteries, anyway, I couldn't bring myself to rate this film any lower than 7.

Cat Creeps, The (1946)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

Poor Universal "B" mystery about a group of greedy folks trying to locate $200,000 at a creepy mansion. A reporter is also along for the ride as bodies start to pile up. Once again, if you've seen one of these "B" mysteries then you've seen them all. We get the same group a characters being led by the same smartass reporter who comes off dumb yet he's able to solve the case each and every time.

As of now Universal hasn't issued this on DVD. If you want to view the film there is an unofficial version floating around from 16mm prints.

"Universal" had an Image of "The" Horror-Mystery-Suspense-Supernatural Studio...It's Legacy to This Day.

The Result of Studio-Head Carl Laemmle and a Conscious, Hard-Working and Dedication to the Genre with an Emphasis on Production-Values, a High-Class Style while Dealing and Delivering His "Product", He would Label it "Art", with "Touchy", Sensitive, and Controversial, Edgy (some would say "Low-Brow") Material.

It Became Even More So as"The Movies" Gained an Influence as a Popular, Meaningful Media in America that Could Shape Consciousness, Life-Styles and Thought as, it No Longer could be Doubted, it would be Confirmed, both Commercially and Creatively as the"Art" of the Century".

But Conservatives "Cried & Whined", Protested the "Free Expressionism in Films" and Demanded , then Formed..."The Code"...The Historical Over-Reach and Abuse of Their Power, Now that "They" as Opposed to the "Creators" of the Art-Form Now had that Power to..."Control Men's Minds".

Universal Studios Legacy Established...It's Now 1946 and America has Entered an "Atomic-Age" and the "Old Dark House" seems a Template from Another-Age.

The Iconic "Famous Monsters" and Other Related Iconography that Universal Invented and then Employed in a Series of Movies for a "Never-Ending" Star-Creatures...Dracula, The Frankenstein, The Mummy...The Invisible Man, and The Wolf Man, at this Point in Time are a Legacy of the "Past" and would Finally "Die" and be Buried After "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" (1949).

This "Black Cat" Icon with "The Old Dark House" was so Old it had Grown Whiskers.

"Earl C. Kenton", would be Most-Noted for Directing an Undisputed Bona-Fide Masterpiece of Movie-Horror..."The Island of Lost Souls" (1932)...He also Directed for Universal, as Part of that Aforementioned Legacy,,,"The Ghost of Frankenstein" (1942),,,"House of Frankenstein" (1944)...and "House of Dracula" (1945).

He was Assigned to Direct "The Cat Creeps" and it was so Undistinguished, Lame, and way Past its Expiration-Date, and it Sent Earl C. Packing for Television.

This is All-Padding to Safely Say that "The Cat Creeps" is Mostly Forgotten , for Good Reasons...Worth a Watch...But Barely.

When a wealthy widow sends a one thousand dollar bill to the local newspaper claiming murder, blackmail, a corrupt politician and $200,000 fortune to be had, it's up to reporter Terry Nichols and photographer Pidge 'Flash' Laurie to figure out the nefarious plot and clear the politician's (who's Terry's soon-to-be father-in-law) name. But they won't be alone. Among the colorful cast of characters are Terry's beautiful fiancée, a lawyer with his feline phobic secretary, a very deceiving private detective, and finally a mysterious woman and her even stranger black cat, which maybe involved with the murders itself!

A black cat, a spooky house, a bunch of characters, one of them a murderer, and people getting bumped off - it's all here in this universal offering, and it's watchable enough. Keeps your attention, plus there's some witty dialogue, however, having said that, the fun is marred by that annoying reporter who is charmless and has that smug superiority- hence his wisecracks came across as insults, plus there were too many of them. There's something wholly unlikeable about him and one wishes he got bumped off fifteen minutes in, and have Noah Beery take over as the lead. Every time he opens his mouth he spoils the atmosphere. Also it could've been more eventful but a longer running time would be needed.

THE CAT CREEPS over the years has gotten a bum rap. This was fun stuff, usually on the late show (back in the days of NO cable!) It was also one of the last mystery/horror films to be produced by Universal, on a double bill with SHE WOLF OF LONDON.

No relation to the 1930 thriller (which there are no existing prints), still campy with a group of suspects slowly being bumped off on a remote island -- with a fortune in cash hidden somewhere in a creepy, old house. Universal also took pride in this production, boasting a terrific cast of well known character actors and directed by one of their best, Erle C. Kenton, who directed for Abbott and Costello and two FRANKENSTEIN classics.

Noah Beery, Jr is always fun, trying to figure everything out (at least he does find the money in the end, without giving too much away), also poker face Douglas Dumbrille as one of the suspects. Jonathan Hale (Mr. Dithers in the BLONDIE series), plays the DA running for the senate, caught in the middle of a suicide which turns out to be murder. Beautiful Lois Collier plays his daughter.

Fred Brady stars as the crusading reporter and detective, also look for a very sinister Paul Kelly (as another gumshoe), and veteran actress Rose Hobart as Dumbrille's devout secretary. Vera Lewis plays Hale's elderly, bedridden cousin who knows something's up. Don't forget her slinking cat.

This was your typical 40s drive-in type movie, not a classic, but a good time killer and with a memorable cast if you're a movie buff. Don't miss Kelly tripping down a flight of stairs and landing on a pitch fork?

A salute to Fred Brady, who wrote so many classic scripts for 77 SUNSET STRIP and other Warner Brothers tv cop shows. He passed in the early 60s and is missed.

Always on dvd and remastered for all us oldie fans.