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One sheet original 1957 theatrical poster for
The Cat Girl, a British-American horror film. Often considered an unofficial remake of the 1942 classic Cat People, the movie explores themes of family curses and psychological terror.
Movie Overview
Release Date: August 28, 1957 (US premiere in Anaheim, California).
Production: Produced by Lou Rusoff and Herbert Smith for American International Pictures (AIP) and Anglo Amalgamated.
Director: Alfred Shaughnessy (notably, the poster lists Peter Hennessy, who was actually the film's cinematographer).
Starring: Barbara Shelley, Robert Ayres, and Kay Callard.
Plot Summary
The story follows Leonora Johnson (Barbara Shelley), a young woman who returns to her ancestral home to claim an inheritance. Her uncle, Edmund Brandt, reveals that she is actually inheriting a centuries-old family curse: she is destined to be possessed by the spirit of a leopard.
Leonora's unfaithful husband, Richard, is soon killed by a leopard, leading her to believe the curse has manifested. She seeks help from her former boyfriend, a psychiatrist named Dr. Brian Marlowe (Robert Ayres). However, Marlowe believes her "were-cat" transformation is a delusion caused by severe psychosis. The film's suspense builds as Leonora's jealousy towards Marlowe's wife, Dorothy (Kay Callard), triggers further violence, leading to a climax on the dark streets of London.
Cast and Key Roles
Actor Role Description
Barbara Shelley Leonora Johnson The central character afflicted by the "were-cat" curse.
Robert Ayres Dr. Brian Marlowe The skeptical psychiatrist and Leonora's former flame.
Kay Callard Dorothy Marlowe Dr. Marlowe's wife and Leonora's rival.
Jack May Richard Johnson Leonora's adulterous husband.
Ernest Milton Edmund Brandt Leonora's uncle who passes on the family curse. |
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