Dir. Jacques Tourneur (1942)
A Serbian immigrant fears turning into the legendary beast of her homeland if she becomes intimate with her new husband.
Creating a psychosexual horror movie in the 40's, smackdab in the middle of the Hayes Code era, takes some serious guts. Produced by legendary early horror visionary Val Lewton and directed by Jacques Tourneur, who also helmed Lewton's I Walked with a Zombie and The Leopard Man, Cat People is a stellar example of the genre despite being made so long ago, and in a time where this sort of thing simply wasn't done. It tiptoes around the subject of sex, but it's always clear what's going on, and the linkage between sexual expression and an evil presence just underneath a person's surface is such an astounding thing to be discussing in 1942.
Shortly after moving to New York City, Serbian immigrant Irena Dubrovna (Simone Simon) meets, and quickly falls in love with and marries, American businessman Oliver Reed (Kent Smith). As Irena discusses the myths of her home country with her new husband, she begins to believe that she will turn into a deadly cat person if the pair become intimate. As the tension ratchets regarding Irena's potential transformation, Oliver is forced to contend with ancient irrationalities and real dangers in order to consummate his relationship with his wife. When Irena begins to believe that her husband is having an affair with his coworker Alice (Jane Randolph), the evil inside her threatens to burst to the surface and put everyone in harm's way. Is Irena as dangerous to her husband's life as she thinks, or is it all superstition?
Simon is extraordinary in her role, balancing a subtle dangerous undercurrent with perfectly understandable insecurities as a woman in an era where they were viewed as second-class citizens. She's a baby-faced virtuoso, intentionally cast because she looks as harmless as a kitten (heh), and she uses her femininity to create a character that is equal parts sympathetic and terrifying. Adding in the extra dynamic of a potential love triangle with Alice, a competitor for the devotion of her new husband, and you have an exceptionally compelling character delivered to absolute perfection by Simon.
Tourneur delivers a masterclass in tension, crafting a noir-ish thriller that builds to a crescendo of potential terror without ever releasing, a perfect metaphor for the psychosexual horror at the center of the film. Cat People was made 82 years ago, and even though there have been plenty of films with the same themes made since, there are some seriously scary scenes within this film. The pool scene is legendary, and it should be: the use of shadows and the refusal of the filmmaker to provide a score to the scene so that all we hear is what the character sees, is utter perfection. It's difficult to really compare Cat People to more modern horror films, but it is a masterpiece regardless of the era in which it was made.
After being forced to endure some early horror for the previous decades, it's refreshing to watch a movie that is legitimately a work of art. Cat People is remarkable, an exceptionally brave film that easily could be made today and is severely underrated in the history of horror. I would dare say most people have never even heard of this film, which is a damn shame. Lewton is a fantastic producer, and all of his films are worth watching for students of horror history, but Cat People is the best of the bunch. If you get the chance to check it out, you must do so. It's a marvelous film regardless of genre, and it just so happens to be right in my wheelhouse.
Who this movie is for: Classic horror fans, Psychosexual horror lovers, Cat Fancy readers
Bottom line: Cat People is an astounding film, a true masterpiece that is a perfect example of early psychosexual horror and suspense. Simone Simon is perfection in her role as the cursed Irena, and despite entirely conforming to the decency standards of the time, there lurks a foreboding danger somewhere close beneath the surface. It's a perfectly made film, and if you haven't ever seen it, you definitely should. It's a damn good one.