by Ted Davis and Linda Kay

Directed by: Harry Lachman

Synopsis: Bland and inaccurate survey of the life and career of tormented author Edgar Allan Poe (John Shepperd aka Shepperd Strudwick), focusing on his tragic love for young cousin Virginia Clemm (Linda Darnell), the movie’s one advantage is its short runtime.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): As the disgraced Edgar approaches the apartment of his aggressively folksy Aunt Mariah Clemm (Jane Darwell), a lively gray and white kitten is sitting in a windowsill on the second floor.

As Edgar knocks on the door of the apartment, the kitten is seated in the window with his shadow against the opposite wall. The kitten hops down from the window frame to join Edgar.

If you look closely at the shadow on the wall you can see that someone actually catapults the cat through the prop window. Their hand is still there after the cat jumps down then is finally pulled down.

The eager kitten rubs against Edgar’s legs and sniffs curiously at the closed door. Unfortunately, for the sake of the movie, the cat is not seen again.

Final Mewsings: Quoth the Kitty Cat “Nevermore.”

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