The Curse of the Cat People (1944)

This is the most compelling and realistic psychological exploration of a lonely little girl's mind, thought processes, and feelings ever attempted by Hollywood. Every performance is perfectly on the mark, as are the frustrations evidenced by every character. If (God forbid) I never were to watch it again, every scene would continue to live on in my heart and mind.

Fmovies: 'The Curse Of The Cat People' isn't really a sequel to 'Cat People' despite several recurring characters. It also isn't strictly a horror movie, despite having some suspenseful moments. Like 'Cat People' the line between the real and the imaginary is blurred, and being a Val Lewton production it is extremely atmospheric. 'Cat People's director Jacques Tourneur is replaced by Gunther von Fritsch, who I confess to know absolutely nothing about, and Robert Wise, who among many other things, is beloved to genre fans for 'The Day The Earth Stood Still' and 'The Haunting'. I'm not as big a fan of the latter as most horror buffs, I actually think 'Curse Of The Cat People' is the better movie. Kent Smith and Jane Randolph reprise their 'Cat People' roles. They are now married and have a child (Amy, played by the talented child actor Ann Carter). Smith is still trying to get over the death of his first wife Irena (Simone Simon), a story we know from the earlier picture. Amy is a loner with a rich fantasy life and this increasingly troubles her father, who fears it's going to be Irena all over again, even though Amy isn't her child. Amy wishes for a friend and begins to see Irena. Like 'Cat People' this can be "read" in any way the viewer cares to. This movie is one of the best I've ever seen about childhood and fantasy. Ann Carter is just terrific, and I particularly enjoyed the subplot involving her eccentric neighbours played by Julia Dean and Elizabeth Russell. These scenes were creepy and very gothic reminding me of both 'Rebecca' and 'Great Expectations'. Russell also had a very memorable bit in 'Cat People'. Her scene towards the end of the movie with Amy is unforgettable. 'Curse Of The Cat People' is overshadowed by 'Cat People', but to me it is almost as great. I highly recommend both movies and other Lewton productions like 'I Walked With A Zombie' (directed by Tourneur) and 'The Body Snatcher' (directed by Wise). These are some of the most important and influential horror movies ever made.

Never mind the lurid title; this is a charming fantasy involving a little girl and a lonely retired actress. Julia Dean actually hadn't done a film for a quarter of a century, and is terrific in her comeback role of the secluded actress who is delighted to befriend the child. Recommended to all.

The Curse of the Cat People fmovies. I saw it as a boy and I did not realize how much it affected me until I found it again over 30 years later and remembered so much! It's mystical...it's beautiful. This film was Robert Wise's directorial debut. All that he learned from working under Welles comes through. A gem; a must see.

but then that should really be no surprise considering who's involved here..Val Lewton, Robert Wise and returning star Simone Simon here in a much different albeit the same role as in CAT PEOPLE. Ann Carter as Amy is absolutely phenomenal in this film as well.

This celebration of the strength of a child's imagination is a joy to watch as it is in essence her imagination which gives her strength and courage and in the end will even her tormented and worried father , still terribly haunted by the events in CAT PEOPLE, need it?

While this is in part a sequel to CAT PEOPLE, it's relation to that film is mild at best. No this is a journey into the fantastic through the eyes of one very imaginative yet very lonely child. Beautiful and moving.

One of my all time favorite films which captures the innocence and free imagination of youth set against the pragmatism of adulthood(as portrayed by the young girl and her father respectively). Only the little girls schoolteacher is supportive of the girls rich imagination, as even the old woman she befriends is caught up in irrational personal demons that have none of the simple beauty and longing that the girl carries in her soul. The direction, by the great director Robert Wise and Gunther Von Fritsch is perfect, the musical score haunting and expressive of the girl's altering state of mind and the screenplay by Dewitt Bodeen, gentle, observed and haunting. Bodeen also wrote the screenplay for the film The Enchanted Cottage which has a similar feeling about it and also focuses on the power and healing of a rich imagination and love.Enchantment is the perfect word to describe the whole essence of Curse and the magical moments when Simone Simon(as the spirit of the little girls mother) appears to her. These two movies would actually make a perfect double feature. An absolutely captivating film that is enchanting and does indeed call to mind glimpses of the open minded acceptance and wonder of a childs mind.There is even one scene towards the end that IS frightening and shows how a childs accepting attitude can sometimes put them in harm's way. This scene, however, turns its attention to the enchantment that the rest of the movie shares. Simone Simon is also flawless and equally mysterious, alluring and sympathetic at the same time. Some of the images in this film will stay with you. A must see.