The Cat Creeps

When a wealthy widow sends a one thousand dollar bill to the local newspaper claiming murder, blackmail, a corrupt politician and $200,000 fortune to be had, it's up to reporter Terry Nichols and photographer Pidge 'Flash' Laurie to figure out the nefarious plot and clear the politician's (who's Terry's soon-to-be father-in-law) name. But they won't be alone. Among the colorful cast of characters are Terry's beautiful fiancée, a lawyer with his feline phobic secretary, a very deceiving private detective, and finally a mysterious woman and her even stranger black cat, which maybe involved with the murders itself!

A black cat, a spooky house, a bunch of characters, one of them a murderer, and people getting bumped off - it's all here in this universal offering, and it's watchable enough. Keeps your attention, plus there's some witty dialogue, however, having said that, the fun is marred by that annoying reporter who is charmless and has that smug superiority- hence his wisecracks came across as insults, plus there were too many of them. There's something wholly unlikeable about him and one wishes he got bumped off fifteen minutes in, and have Noah Beery take over as the lead. Every time he opens his mouth he spoils the atmosphere. Also it could've been more eventful but a longer running time would be needed.

"Universal" had an Image of "The" Horror-Mystery-Suspense-Supernatural Studio...It's Legacy to This Day.

The Result of Studio-Head Carl Laemmle and a Conscious, Hard-Working and Dedication to the Genre with an Emphasis on Production-Values, a High-Class Style while Dealing and Delivering His "Product", He would Label it "Art", with "Touchy", Sensitive, and Controversial, Edgy (some would say "Low-Brow") Material.

It Became Even More So as"The Movies" Gained an Influence as a Popular, Meaningful Media in America that Could Shape Consciousness, Life-Styles and Thought as, it No Longer could be Doubted, it would be Confirmed, both Commercially and Creatively as the"Art" of the Century".

But Conservatives "Cried & Whined", Protested the "Free Expressionism in Films" and Demanded , then Formed..."The Code"...The Historical Over-Reach and Abuse of Their Power, Now that "They" as Opposed to the "Creators" of the Art-Form Now had that Power to..."Control Men's Minds".

Universal Studios Legacy Established...It's Now 1946 and America has Entered an "Atomic-Age" and the "Old Dark House" seems a Template from Another-Age.

The Iconic "Famous Monsters" and Other Related Iconography that Universal Invented and then Employed in a Series of Movies for a "Never-Ending" Star-Creatures...Dracula, The Frankenstein, The Mummy...The Invisible Man, and The Wolf Man, at this Point in Time are a Legacy of the "Past" and would Finally "Die" and be Buried After "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" (1949).

This "Black Cat" Icon with "The Old Dark House" was so Old it had Grown Whiskers.

"Earl C. Kenton", would be Most-Noted for Directing an Undisputed Bona-Fide Masterpiece of Movie-Horror..."The Island of Lost Souls" (1932)...He also Directed for Universal, as Part of that Aforementioned Legacy,,,"The Ghost of Frankenstein" (1942),,,"House of Frankenstein" (1944)...and "House of Dracula" (1945).

He was Assigned to Direct "The Cat Creeps" and it was so Undistinguished, Lame, and way Past its Expiration-Date, and it Sent Earl C. Packing for Television.

This is All-Padding to Safely Say that "The Cat Creeps" is Mostly Forgotten , for Good Reasons...Worth a Watch...But Barely.

I am a fan of the old Universal, Columbia, Monogram, PRC, etc. supernatural, suspense, and mystery thrillers from the 1930s and 1940s. I was wondering when or if this little "B" ( or "C" ) mystery was going to be on VHS and so I found it via Sinister Cinema.

This little thriller is worth watching to see due to the fact that it is a murder mystery with supernatural overtones. I first saw this at the age of 12 (when I started to become a fan of this genre) and found some scenes hair-raising. I think this is due to some of the acting and the way some of the action occurs, especially when Mrs. Williams talks about the creeping cat. Overall, it is not a bad film to have in one's collection and I recommend for other fans of Universal mystery and suspense.

Cat Creeps, The (1946)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

Poor Universal "B" mystery about a group of greedy folks trying to locate $200,000 at a creepy mansion. A reporter is also along for the ride as bodies start to pile up. Once again, if you've seen one of these "B" mysteries then you've seen them all. We get the same group a characters being led by the same smartass reporter who comes off dumb yet he's able to solve the case each and every time.

As of now Universal hasn't issued this on DVD. If you want to view the film there is an unofficial version floating around from 16mm prints.

You wouldn't know it by first glance but this cheap-looking borefest is one of the final Universal horror movies of the 1940s. It's a remake of the 1930 lost film of the same name, itself a remake of the silent classic The Cat and the Canary which was also remade as a Bob Hope comedy in 1939. So this is a worn-out plot that had been made into movie four times in nineteen years. Five if we count the also-lost Spanish version of the 1930 picture. To make matters worse this particular version stars Frederick Brady (who?) as one of those annoying "I'm a reportah baby" types that were all over movies in the 30s and 40s. He's so annoying I just wanted to reach through the screen and punch him. This is a very tired unimaginative movie that doesn't even benefit from the usual atmosphere Universal horror-thrillers had. You would be forgiven for thinking it was a Poverty Row production. Avoid unless you need to see all versions of this story. I'll stick with the silent one or even the Hope comedy.