The Leopard Man (1943)

USA,
59m (some US television prints), 66m, 1810.5 metres, 7 reel
35mm film, black and white, 1.37:1
mono, English

An American horror film directed by Jacques Tourneur.

Plot Summary

New Mexico: Nightclub performer Kiki Walker uses a leopard in her act to upstage a rival. But the animal is startled and escapes. Over the next few days, a number of bodies turn up, all horribly mutilated, apparently killed by the escaped cat. Kiki and her manager frantically try to track down the cat before it can kill again, but some come to a startling realisation – the culprit may not be the leopard at all…

Credits

* = uncredited

Crew
Directed by: Jacques Tourneur
Copyright MCMLXIII [1943] RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. presents
Produced by: Val Lewton
Screen Play: Ardel Wray
Additional Dialogue: Edward Dein
From the novel, “Black Alibi” Cornell Woolrich
Assistant Director: William Dorfman
Director of Photography: Robert de Grasse
Edited by: Mark Robson
Music by: Roy Webb
Musical Director: C. Bakaleinikoff
Recorded by: J.C. Grubb
RCA Sound System
Art Directors: Albert S. D'Agostino, Walter E. Keller
Set Decorations: Darrell Silvera, Al Fields

Cast
Dennis O'Keefe (Jerry Manning)
Margo (Clo-Clo)
Jean Brooks (Kiki Walker)
Isabel Jewell (Maria)
James Bell (Dr Galbraith)
Margaret Landry (Teresa Guadalupe Maria Delgado)
Abner Biberman (Charlie How-Come)
Tula Parma [real name: Tuulikki Paananen] (Consuelo Contreras)
Ben Bard (Chief Robles)
Dynamite [the leopard] *

Alternative Titles

El hombre leopardo – Spain
L'home lleopard – Spain (Catalan)
L'homme-léopard – France
Leopardimies – Finland (television)
Leopardmannen – Sweden
L'uomo leopardo – Italy

Extracts included in
78/52 (2017)
Monsterama Sci-Fi Late Night Creature Feature Show Vol. 1 (1996)

References

Periodicals

  • Kine Weekly no.1904 (14 October 1943) p.125 – review (by anonymous)
  • Metro no.116 (1998) pp.51-52 – illustrated credits, review (by Fiona Villella)
  • Motion Picture Herald vol.151 no.6 (8 May 1943) p.1303 – review (by R.P.)
  • Radio Times vol.232 no.3008 (4-10 July 1981) pp.6-7 – illustrated article (Tasteful terror, elegant unease by Geoff Brown)
  • Today's Cinema vol.61 no.4940 (8 October 1943) p.15 – review (by C.A.W.)

Books