by Linda Kay

Original Title: Le baron fantôme

Directed by: Serge de Poligny

This review contains an implied Kitty Carnage Warning!

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

Synopsis: The mysterious Baron Julius Carol (Jean Cocteau) disappears without a trace, leaving his whereabouts and lineage in question.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): As the movie begins the Baron’s niece, the Countess of Saint-Hélié (Gabrielle Dorziat), her daughter Elfy (Marie Magali) and an adopted orphaned girl named Anne (Mercédès Brare), arrive at the Baron’s castle where the son of the caretaker, Hervé (Jacques Ory), is waiting at the gate holding a black cat.

Because a downed tree blocks the passage of their carriage, the Countess journeys on foot to the castle where the cat jumps down from a high window and stares at her.

Once inside, the Countess is subjected to the superstitious fears of the servant Toussaint (Charles Vissières) who has been badly affected by his master’s strange behavior and consequent disappearance. As the nervous man relates the story to her we see a quick shot of the Baron with the black cat on his desk.

When a door creaks open the poor man freaks out but it only turns out to be the cat.

The film jumps ten years later and the children are grown. Elfy (Odette Joyeux), Anne (Jany Holt) and Hervé (Alain Cuny) have been close friends since childhood when they played together under the watchful eye of the cat whom they have named Carol.

Elfy and Anne love to play in the abandoned castle where Carol still resides (the Countess wisely chose to live in the cozier house next door with the girls).

Carol appears suddenly behind a tapestry in one scene but the meaning of this is not revealed until later.

Late in the film Elfy goes missing and a search party is formed. Anne and Hervé set out on their own and are surprised to find Carol hidden amongst some bushes wearing a necklace which was previously given to Elfy. The cat is instrumental in leading them to the secret passage where Elfy has fallen.

Kitty Carnage Warning! Sadly Carol is accidentally shot by Albéric de Marignac (Claude Sainval). Carol’s body is not shown but Hervé retrieves the now-mangled locket which has been hanging around the poor kitty’s neck.

Final Mewsings: Cats know full well that no good deed goes unpunished.

Many thanks to Jack for letting us know about the cat in this film.

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