Cat People

1942
Approved
1h 13m

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

27K

YOUR RATING

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2 Videos

99 Photos

Supernatural Fantasy Fantasy Horror Thriller

An American man marries a Serbian immigrant who fears that she will turn into the cat person of her homeland's fables if they are intimate together.An American man marries a Serbian immigrant who fears that she will turn into the cat person of her homeland's fables if they are intimate together.An American man marries a Serbian immigrant who fears that she will turn into the cat person of her homeland's fables if they are intimate together.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

27K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 wins & 3 nominations

Sue Ellen
(uncredited)

Alec Craig

Zookeeper
(uncredited)

Eddie Dew

Street Policeman
(uncredited)

Elizabeth Dunne

Mrs. Plunkett
(uncredited)

Dynamite

The Panther
(uncredited)

Dot Farley

Mrs. Agnew
(uncredited)

Mary Halsey

Blondie
(uncredited)

Theresa Harris

Minnie
(uncredited)

Charles Jordan

Bus Driver
(uncredited)

Donald Kerr

Taxi Driver
(uncredited)

Connie Leon

Neighbor Who Called Police
(uncredited)

Murdock MacQuarrie

Sheep Caretaker
(uncredited)

Alan Napier

Doc Carver
(uncredited)

Director
- Jacques Tourneur
Writer
- DeWitt Bodeen
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The horror movie technique of slowly building tension to a jarring shock which turns out to be something completely harmless and benign became known as a "Lewton bus" after a famous scene in this movie created by producer Val Lewton. The technique is also referred to as a "cat scare," as off-screen noises are often revealed to be a startled harmless cat.

Goofs
When Irena does not show up at her apartment when Dr. Judd, Oliver, and Alice are waiting for her, they leave. Dr. Judd hides his cane in the apartment to give him an excuse to borrow Oliver's key and go back in for it. Afterward, he leaves the door unlocked so that he can sneak back in, something that is hidden from Oliver and Alice. Yet, after Oliver and Alice are threatened in the office, they call the apartment to warn Dr. Judd that Irena is definitely dangerous and that he should leave.

Quotes
Irena Dubrovna: I like the dark. It's friendly.

Crazy credits
[From the opening credits] "Even as fog continues to lie in the valleys, so does ancient sin cling to the low places, the depression sin the world consciousness." - "The Anatomy of Atavism" - Dr. Louis Judd

Connections
Featured in Draculeena Presents: Cat People (1960)

Soundtracks
Dodo, L'Enfant Do
(uncredited)
Traditional French folk lullaby
Arranged by Roy Webb

User reviews205

Review

Featured review

10/10

My Favorite Movie!

This film hits me on the most personal level of any film I've ever seen. This tale about a young, beautiful, Serbian immigrant named Irena, who marries a man named Oliver, but can't have sex with him because she believes she'll kill him, is a movie that speaks to me every time I watch it. I see so much of myself in the character of Irena, and I connect so much with her tortured psyche. The way she is afraid of hurting those she cares about, the way no one can understand her, and the way she's her own other worldly being are aspects that I can identify with, and make me look at Irena as a kindred spirit for me. But aside from relating to the lead character, I also adore Jacque Tourneur's artistic direction, the story, the lighting, the music, the dialogue, and the overall poetic, and darkly romantic feel to this movie. This film is a true work of art, I've watched it millions of times, and I'm still not done with it. Val Lewton, I love you!