The other day I made the point, when talking about how incredible it seems to me that Jacques Tourneur directed Out of the Past (he's not a bad director, but, come on, Out of the Past is an all-time classic), I proposed that Cat People might be his second best film (again, I don't know how passionately I'd make that argument, but I having trouble coming up with a clear #2 on his list). Anyway, this is by way to saying that I watched (for the bazillionith - or at least some number larger than ten) his 1942 film Cat People. Simone Simon (who won the role in a big talent search - mainly they were looking for an actress with an "exotic" look) plays Irena Dubrovna, a Serbian refugee who has dark memories and dreams of her haunted village back home, and who may turn into a black panther if she is sexually aroused. Apparently Simone Simon was dating a double agent at the time of the filming (and the guy later swiped most of her money), and was under investigation. It's not a great film, but there's a reason why I watched it a bazillion (or at least some number larger than ten) times, and you should check it out. Alan Napier, who later played Alfred on the 1960s Batman TV show, is one of Oliver's (Irena's husband, played by Kent Smith) co-workers. Tom Conway, who normally played characters who were a bit too clever or a bit too slimy, played Dr. Louis Judd, Irena's psychiatrist, a character who was both too clever and too slimy, and pays for it with his life. Jane Randolph plays Oliver's non-supernatural love interest, and survives Irena's jealousy, including the iconic swimming pool scene. If nothing else, it's worlds better than the ridiculous 1980s remake (this month the Criterion Channel is featuring 1980s remakes, double-billed with their earlier inspirations - not to give it all away, but with the exception of John Carpenter's The Thing remake of Christian Nyby's - although it might be better to say Howard Hawks's - The Thing from Another World - both are great - the 1980s remakes are crap).
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