The Man Who Died Twice (1958)

Oct 26, 2025

by Linda Kay

Directed by: Joseph Kane

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

Synopsis: The accidental death of nightclub owner T.J. Brennon (Don Megowan) sets off the action in this crime thriller. Brennon’s wife Lynn (Vera Ralston) is suspected of being complicit in his drug dealing and T.J.’s recently-arrived-in-town brother Bill (Rod Cameron) is roped in by police to try to get the truth out of her.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Also in town because of T.J.’s questionable loyalty to his drug boss are muscle men Hart (Gerald Milton) and Santoni (Richard Karlan) who check into a hotel and wait for instructions. Hart hears a nearby meowing and opens the door to the hallway to find a black cat outside.

The Man Who Died Twice - black cat in hallway
The Man Who Died Twice - black cat held by Hart Gerald Milton in hallway

Hart brings the cat into the room and thinks for a moment, then carries the animal to the window. Santoni watches worriedly as Hart opens the window and starts to place the cat on the sill outside. “That’s three stories down!” Santoni points out.

The Man Who Died Twice - black cat picked up in hallway by Hart Gerald Milton and brought into hotel room animated gif
The Man Who Died Twice - black cat held by Hart Gerald Milton inside hotel room
The Man Who Died Twice - black cat placed on windowsill by Hart Gerald Milton as Santoni Richard Karlan watches

Hart closes the window and then brings the blinds down, leaving the cat on the small sill. Santoni moves to get the cat but Hart strongly warns him to leave it.

The Man Who Died Twice - black cat placed on windowsill by Hart Gerald Milton as Santoni Richard Karlan watches

The cat can still be sitting outside as the call the men have been waiting for comes through.

The Man Who Died Twice - black cat sitting on windowsill outside behind Hart Gerald Milton

Later in the film we see the cat nervously walking around the small sill, meowing for help.

The Man Who Died Twice - black cat standing on windowsill
The Man Who Died Twice - black cat standing on windowsill

The cat is spotted by his owner, the snoopy police informer Sally Hemphill (Jesslyn Fax) who lives in the apartment above .

The Man Who Died Twice - black cat standing on windowsill spotted by Sally Jesslyn Fax animated gif

She wastes no time in going downstairs and breaking into the room to rescue her kitty from the windowsill.

The Man Who Died Twice - black cat rescued from windowsill by Sally Jesslyn Fax

On her way out with the kitty, she notices a bottle of liquor and helps herself to a swig before leaving.

The Man Who Died Twice - black cat held by Sally Jesslyn Fax as she takes swig from liquor bottle
The Man Who Died Twice - black cat carried by Sally Jesslyn Fax who stops to drink from bottle animated gif

After Hart and Santini return to the room, Hart catches Sally eavesdropping outside the door. Having noticed her curious nature in the hotel lobby when they checked in, he had put the cat on the sill to catch the woman in the act. He starts to take her upstairs to her room while she protests that she was only looking for her cat. Some time later Bill and the hotel manager enter Hart and Santini’s room and see water coming from the room above. Going up to investigate, they find the black cat sitting on a chair looking worried. The cat scurries away as the men discover Sally in the overflowing bathtub, murdered.

The Man Who Died Twice - black cat sitting on chair in room as Bill Rod Cameron enters

Final Mewsings: Our loyalty to cats can sometimes be our undoing.

Many thanks to Mark Murton for letting me know about the cat in this film.

Relevant Links:

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