The Curse of the Cat People

Curse of the Cat People is an intriguing tale, beautifully filmed in a style that bears more resemblance to a Grimms fairytale than horror, with a mesmerizing performance from Ann Carter. This is her film and she is strong and convincing in the role. The exploration of the insecurity of the child coupled with a troubled relationship with her father is fascinating. I have not seen Cat People and, possibly, aspects of the history of the demise of Irena would be clearer having seen the original. The expectation of a "horror" film with the suggestive title is also misleading. If you are looking for horror you will need to look elswhere. This is ultimately a surprisingly sensitive and uniquely haunting film that would appeal on many levels.

This film is so much more than it appears to be at first viewing. It is essentially an adult's view of a lonely child's fantasies and how those fantasies affect her relationships with the adults around her. The performances are uniformly excellent with Ann Carter as Amy, the lonely girl, a standout. Her angelic look is perfect for her character. Also excellent are Julia Dean as Mrs. Farren, the ex-stage actress living in her own fantasy world, and Elizabeth Russell as her daughter, Barbara. And to justify the title reference to "Cat People", Simone Simon appears as Amy's imaginary friend. This is a small film that deserves a much larger audience. Excellent in all respects.

Robert Wise directed this sequel to "Cat People", set several years later. Oliver Reed(played by Kent Smith) and Alice(played by Jane Randolph) are now married with a six-year old daughter named Amy(played by Ann Carter). Amy is a lonely child who has a hard time making friends, and seems to prefer living in her fantasy world, visited by the ghost of Irina(played by Simone Simon) Irina looks after Amy, but Oliver wants nothing to do with this, insisting that Amy must be socialized. Amy does befriend an elderly woman in her "haunted" house, though her daughter(played by Elizabeth Russell, though not as her cat lady character from the first) is resentful. Amy will later run away from home, becoming lost, though she is far from being alone... Unique and thoughtful sequel builds on the story from Part I, rather than repeating it, and result is most satisfying. (No third film was made however!)

What burst of rebellious inspiration led producer Lewton and writer Bodeen to follow Cat People with this delicate rumination on the fantasy life of a child. I can't imagine the studio was pleased. War-time audiences sought escape, not introspection. Yet, I've seen nothing like it before or since.

Only-child Amy Read (Ann Carter) is lonely and imaginative, trusting in others probably to a fault. Daddy tells her there's a magic mail-drop in a tree and she believes him, with unfortunate consequences. Other kids shun her because while they play, she chases butterflies. Daddy is sympathetic but uncomprehending. What Amy wants more than anything is a friend, and in desperation she makes up an imaginary one-- enter Irina (Simone Simon) from the Cat People in a rather revealing princess gown. But is Irina simply imaginary-- after all, she does cast a visible shadow. This theme of a lonely child, along with that of Irina and the spooky old house are ultimately woven into a somewhat awkward, yet memorable, balance.

Notice how magically Amy's back yard transforms into a fairy-tale wonderland when Irina appears. I expect this is a common wish for many lonely little girls who find a better world in their imagination than the one they live in. Here that fantasy world comes alive in a glittering fashion where Amy can at last be happy. Contrast that magical world with the hum-drum one of the family's and the truly spooky one of the old lady's and her neglected daughter. Of course, no one can survive in an unreal world, but an unreal world can help little ones survive, as it does for Amy.

Little Ann Carter is not much of a child actress, rather wooden and expressionless, suggesting an underlying element of stage fright. Yet it's just these qualities that suggest the deeper unhappiness her character Amy must feel in her loneliness. A more expressive little actress might have had the unfortunate effect of drowning the part in tearful emotion. I may be mistaken, but I don't believe Amy smiles more than once or twice during the entire production.

With her scary feline features, I expect Elizabeth Russell's "Barbara" was added to connect with the Cat People. Whatever the reason, it's one of the oddest parts in the entire Lewton series. Disowned by her mother, Barbara has little more to do than skulk around the Gothic mansion like a wild woman nourishing hatred against batty old Mom. I bet a collective shudder passed through war-time audiences whenever Russell put in a sudden appearance. Anyway, scary or not, the climax in the old house is one of the most touching and unexpected of any horror film, even though the very last scene remains predictably conventional and much too pat as was required of movies of the day.

Nonetheless, this is a one-of-a-kind and only qualifies as a horror story in the most extended sense. And ironically, when you think about it, Amy is saved only because her imagination projects past Russell's scary adult appearance to the injured child and wounded adult beneath. Without that profoundly child-like ability both she and Russell would have been lost. And what a good thing film-maker Lewton tried to follow his own drummer as best he could, even in a studio industry where imagination was valued only so long as it followed orders.

Lewton's sequel to the almighty "Cat People" is a mesmerizing and elegant fantasy, but it is by no means a horror film. It's a touching drama and a perceptive social portrait that makes a great study on loneliness and creating an alternate dreamworld. In this case: a young girl that hasn't got much contact with her classmates because of her constant daydreaming and often alarms her parents due to her isolated position. Amy eventually finds true friendship in the supernatural form of Irena, the deceased first wife of her father. Although entirely different in purpose and message, "Curse of the Cat People" actually has a lot more in common with its predecessor than it looks. Three essential characters return and their personalities haven't changed. Irena (played by the goddess Simone Simon) is still a warm-hearted but frigid woman and Ollie is still a loving man incapable of handling the supernatural events around him. Basically, this sequel is quite a unique achievement in cinema as it forms a solid wholesome with the first, despite implementing an entirely different tone. There are some genuine moments of fear, but these are the result of a terrific sub-plot in which an elderly Mrs. Farren (Amy's neighbor) accuses her daughter Barbara of being an impostor and a replacement for her real daughter who died in an accident. The film is beautiful to look at, with a stunning photography and excellent sets. The end-sequence (involving an imaginary metamorphosis) is breath-taking and one of the most enchanting moments in cinema history. The acting performances are flawless and the crush I had on Simone Simon only got intenser! Robert Wise does a terrific directing job (his debut) along with the unknown Gunther Von Fritsch. Wise continued working for Val Lewton one year later with the effectively creepy "The Body Snatcher". I will probably always prefer the original "Cat People" – simply because that is one of the most impressive and intelligent stories ever – but this imaginative sequel is almost as brilliant. Highly recommended.