The Leopard Man (1943)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Jacques Tourneur

Writers:

Cornell Woolrich (novel)
Ardel Wray (screenplay)
(more)

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ed Agresti	...	Mexican Police Officer (uncredited)
Robert Anderson	...	Dwight Brunton (uncredited)
Jack Chefe	...	Nightclub Waiter (uncredited)
David Cota	...	Boy Singer (uncredited)
Sidney D'Albrook	...	Waiter Serving Helene and Dwight (uncredited)
Rosita Delva	...	Young Lover (uncredited)
Jacqueline deWit	...	Helene (uncredited)
John Dilson	...	Coroner (uncredited)
Joe Dominguez	...	Police Officer (uncredited)
Dynamite	...	The Leopard (uncredited)
John Eberts	...	Nightclub Waiter (uncredited)
Fely Franquelli	...	Rosita (uncredited)
Eliso Gamboa	...	Señor Delgado (uncredited)
William Halligan	...	Brunton - the Rich Man (uncredited)
Ariel Heath	...	Eloise (uncredited)
Rose Higgins	...	Indian Weaver (uncredited)
Brandon Hurst	...	Cemetery Gatekeeper (uncredited)
Robert Karnes	...	Nightclub Customer (uncredited)
Colin Kenny	...	Nightclub Customer (uncredited)
Kate Drain Lawson	...	Señora Delgado (uncredited)
Dora Leyva	...	Nightclub Customer (uncredited)
Jacques Lory	...	Philippe (uncredited)
Charles Lung	...	Manuel - the Grocer (uncredited)
Mary MacLaren	...	Nun (uncredited)
Richard Martin	...	Raoul Belmonte (uncredited)
Belle Mitchell	...	Señora Calderon (uncredited)
Ottola Nesmith	...	Señora Contreras (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Bob O'Connor	...	Mexican Police Officer (uncredited)
Tom Orosco	...	Window Cleaner (uncredited)
Juan Ortiz	...	Plainclothesman (uncredited)
Manuel París	...	Man Blowing Smoke (uncredited)
Rene Pedrini	...	Frightened Waiter (uncredited)
John Piffle	...	Flower Vendor (uncredited)
Jose Portugal	...	Young Lover (uncredited)
Betty Roadman	...	Clo-Clo's Mother (uncredited)
George Sherwood	...	Police Lieutenant (uncredited)
Bobby Spindola	...	Pedro Delgado (uncredited)
Marguerita Sylva	...	Marta (uncredited)
John Tettener	...	Minister (uncredited)
Rosa Rita Varella	...	Clo-Clo's Sister (uncredited)
Russell Wade	...	Man in Car (uncredited)

Directed by
Jacques Tourneur

Writing credits
Cornell Woolrich		(novel "Black Alibi")
Ardel Wray		(screenplay)
Edward Dein		(additional dialogue)

Produced by
Val Lewton	....	producer

Original Music by
Roy Webb

Cinematography by
Robert De Grasse		(director of photography) (as Robert de Grasse)

Film Editing by
Mark Robson

Art Direction by
Albert S. D'Agostino
Walter E. Keller

Set Decoration by
A. Roland Fields		(as Al Fields)
Darrell Silvera

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Dorfman	....	assistant director

Sound Department
John C. Grubb	....	sound recordist (as J.C. Grubb)
Terry Kellum	....	sound (uncredited)
James G. Stewart	....	sound (uncredited)

Music Department
C. Bakaleinikoff	....	musical director

Other crew
Lou L. Ostrow	....	supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• RKO Radio Pictures (presents)

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1943) (USA) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1952) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1957) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Fox Hill (video)
• Fox Hills Video (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Media Home Entertainment (198?) (USA) (VHS) (as Nostalgia Merchant)
• R&B Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• R&B Video (2004) (USA) (VHS)
• Turner Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Turner Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)

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:

Continuity: The smoke from Jerry's cigarette during the conversation with Galbraith in the nightclub during Clo-Clo's dance.

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 Val Lewton: The Man in the Shadows (2007)

Spooky scenario...

In an age when serial killers are deified, what Val Lewton and company wrought so long ago must seem tame, indeed; quaint. But THE LEOPARD MAN is anything but a tame little "murder mystery": it's a spooky psycho-sexual story about a serial killer feeding (as is the serial killer's wont) on the innocent. Cornell Woolrich (whose novel BLACK ALIBI was the impetus for this film) was definitely ahead of the curve on this one and the Lewton approach (to suggest rather than to show; to imply rather than indulge) fits, if you'll pardon the allusion, like a glove... Woolrich and Lewton were both on the same wave length, and THE LEOPARD MAN comes highly recommended.