The Leopard Man (1943)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Jacques Tourneur

Writers:

Cornell Woolrich (novel)
Ardel Wray (screenplay)

Release Date:

8 May 1943 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Women Alone the Victims of Strange, Savage Killer!

Plot:

At the encouragement of her manager, a nightclub performer in New Mexico (Kiki Walker) takes a leashed leopard into the club as a publicity gimmick...

Plot Keywords:

Leopard | New Mexico | Nightclub | Minister | Child

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Dennis O'Keefe	...	Jerry Manning
Margo	...	Clo-Clo
Jean Brooks	...	Kiki Walker
Isabel Jewell	...	Maria - Fortune Teller
James Bell	...	Dr. Galbraith
Margaret Landry	...	Teresa Delgado
Abner Biberman	...	Charlie How-Come
Tuulikki Paananen	...	Consuelo Contreras (as Tula Parma)
Ben Bard	...	Roblos - the Police Chief

Runtime:

66 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | USA:Approved (PCA #9179)

Filming Locations:

Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

The black leopard was named Dynamite. It was the same cat that Val Lewton used for Cat People (1942).

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: Galbraith refers tells Kiki a story about Mrs. Leslie Carter, only refers to her as 'Miss' which is incorrect. Kiki professes not to know who she is, but somehow manages to use the correct 'Mrs' salutation.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Kiki Walker: It may sound like music to her. I can do better with my teeth in a cold shower.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Monsterama Sci-Fi Late Night Creature Feature Show Vol. 1 (1996) (V)

New Mexico After Dark

A far better than average early film from the Val Lewton unit, The Leopard Man is as much murder mystery as horror picture. It is set in a New Mexico town where there are some weird goings on, including, among other things, big cat attacks. The photography is exceptional, moving from subjective to documentary-style objective without drastically altering the tone of the picture. What horror there is comes more from a sense of dread than anything that actually happens; also from the eerie feeling that certain places are unlucky, that some people are bound to die simply because of where they are. How true.

The star players are somewhat dull, but the supporting cast is quite good. And the merging and sometime colliding of the Anglo, Hispanic and Indian cultures is nicely presented. There is a sense of primitive feeling, of old religion, throughout the film, implied rather than stated, that is beyond the grasp of the hyper-rational lead players. We can catch this mood in fits and starts, but like the major characters, it eludes our grasp. Jacques Tourneur's direction is masterful every step of the way; and he uses music sensually yet emphatically, and the result is a fine-tuned film. It's major flaw is the revelation of the culprit, yet once Tourneur accepted the script's limitations he works superbly within them. The best thing about the movie is that its most crucial events happen mostly off-screen, leaving a good deal to our imaginations. And the minimalist script leaves a great deal in the dark, and even after the picture's florid, almost surreal climax, the air of mystery lingers. There are loose ends for sure, but Tourneur's polite, civilized touch dresses them up to appear profound and suggestive rather than threadbare, and the result is a pleasing conclusion that does not quite give the whole thing away; and we are left wanting to know just a little bit more. Tourneur was a true master.