The Cat Creeps (1946)

Oct 31, 2017

The Cat Creeps poster

Universal Pictures
Starring: Frederick Brady, Iris Clive
Directed by: Erle C. Kenton

Cat Out of the Bag Alert!  This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: A remake of the 1930 film which is considered lost. A standard whodunnit with a group of people trying to solve a murder on a Key West island with the help of a black cat.

The Cat Creeps - black cat hissing

Featured Feline: The titular black cat is first seen as a still in the opening credits, simply sitting and not creeping.

The Cat Creeps - black cat silhouette in window under director's credit

The cat belongs to Cora Williams (Vera Lewis), an elderly woman living alone in the house on the island.

The Cat Creeps - Cora Williams Vera Lewis with black cat in chair

Newspaperman Terry Nichols (Frederick Brady) has been sent to investigate a previous suicide which Cora has written and claimed was actually a murder over a sum of $200,000. A group of interested people arrive on the island with him and Cora is nervous at their approach.

The Cat Creeps - Cora Williams Vera Lewis with black cat

After the people arrive Cora is attacked by someone and the cat hisses at them.

The Cat Creeps - black cat hissing

The cat is later seen by the group and Connie (Rose Hobart) reacts with fear, saying she hates cats. She is tormented by the presence of the cat throughout the film.

The Cat Creeps - black cat by dresser

The Cat Creeps - black cat by dresser

As the mystery deepens the group is suddenly visited by a mysterious woman named Kyra (Iris Clive) who claims she has been summoned to find Cora’s killer and that the cat will point out the murderer.

The Cat Creeps - Krya Iris Clive with black cat

Throughout the film the cat is seen in the arms of Kyra.

The Cat Creeps - Krya Iris Clive and Pidge Noah Beery Jr. with black cat

The Cat Creeps - Krya Iris Clive with black cat

At one point the cat enters Connie’s room with Kyra not too far behind. Terrified by the cat, Connie is about to confess who the killer is when she is murdered.

The Cat Creeps - black cat enters Connie Rose Hobart room

The Cat Creeps - Krya Iris Clive with black cat and Connie Rose Hobart

It is clear that Kyra and Terry are working together using the cat to pinpoint the killer.

The Cat Creeps - Krya Iris Clive and Terry Frederick Brady with black cat

The Cat Creeps - black cat sniffing at paper

The whereabouts of the money is much debated and most think it is in a dollhouse in the basement. The black cat is seen going into the dollhouse several times.

The Cat Creeps - black cat walking into dollhouse

In the end the killer tries to kill the cat but is stopped and revealed.

The Cat Creeps - black cat yowling in dollhouse

The Cat Creeps - black cat in dollhouse

The cat’s supernatural powers are shown to be false and Terry explains the cat was just acting naturally the whole time. It is then revealed the cat has a litter of kittens inside the dollhouse.

The Cat Creeps - black cat in dollhouse with kittens

Final Mewsings: Cats can solve crimes.

Relevant Links:

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