The Cat Creeps

Reporter is assigned to investigate the ravings of a woman who says she can prove that the current DA and senatorial candidate was involved in a "suicide many years before. According to the woman it was murder. Complicating matters is the fact the reporter is boyfriend of the DA's daughter. The reporter, his photographer friend, the girl, the DA and several other people all end up on the island where the "mad" woman lives in a creepy mansion. Murder, mayhem and the search for two hundred thousand dollars ensue.

Well written with some witty dialog, this film falters thanks to Fred Brady as the smart mouthed reporter. Looking like Donald O'Connor, but with little of his charm. While the character as written is an interesting guy, suspicious of everyone and everything, he plays he role so low key as to be almost on the ground. He reads his lines as if he's trying to be in a more serious movie and it upsets the whole tone of the some what tongue in cheek movie since he seems to be in a different movie than everyone else. The film also suffers from being too short at 50 odd minutes for its complicated plot. There are a couple of odd twists that would have made more sense if they had actually set them up instead of spring them on us at the required moment.

Not a bad movie, its actually quite enjoyable, especially if you take it completely on its own terms. However if you're not forgiving you'll end up like me, which is liking the movie but wishing it was better. Worth a bag of popcorn if you can ever catch it as part of an all day marathon of old mysteries.

6 out 10 (should probably be 7 out of 10 but I'm disappointed).

You wouldn't know it by first glance but this cheap-looking borefest is one of the final Universal horror movies of the 1940s. It's a remake of the 1930 lost film of the same name, itself a remake of the silent classic The Cat and the Canary which was also remade as a Bob Hope comedy in 1939. So this is a worn-out plot that had been made into movie four times in nineteen years. Five if we count the also-lost Spanish version of the 1930 picture. To make matters worse this particular version stars Frederick Brady (who?) as one of those annoying "I'm a reportah baby" types that were all over movies in the 30s and 40s. He's so annoying I just wanted to reach through the screen and punch him. This is a very tired unimaginative movie that doesn't even benefit from the usual atmosphere Universal horror-thrillers had. You would be forgiven for thinking it was a Poverty Row production. Avoid unless you need to see all versions of this story. I'll stick with the silent one or even the Hope comedy.

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.

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.

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.