The Leopard Man

Adapted from the novel “Black Alibi” (1942) by Cornell Woolrich, “The Leopard Man” is a fitting conclusion to the “Fantasy Trilogy” directed by Jacques Tourneur for RKO.

Evil, the unknown, and the unspeakable violent impulses which even the most unexpected man discovers he unwittingly harbors are all recurring themes in producer Val Lewton’s work, in which expresses his anxieties through a series of bitter statements aimed at crushing any human hope for security and control over reality (“We know little about the forces that drive us and drive the world around us” “People were like that ball […] they get pushed around by things bigger than themselves“).

This time, however, these topics have settled into a somewhat more concrete context compared to the prior installments. Now, social aspects (money, social status, advertising) actually take on significant relevance, as do doubts and uncertainties provoked by a period of transition and change (increasing urbanization, new models of consumerism).

Another point that bears mentioning is the fact that the director came up with one of the first classic-noir/horror/thriller hybrids; some actually consider “The Leopard Man” a sort of precursor to the modern slasher movie, which is at least partially accurate if we consider the way the murderer vents his savage instincts (he’s one of the first serial killers in cinematic history, and probably the first to butcher a string of women).

The cast is jam-packed with Val Lewton’s favorite actors, including James Bell (“I Walked with a Zombie”, 1943) and the always-captivating Isabel Jewell and Jean Brooks (“The Seventh Victim“, 1943). Even the feline is the same black leopard featured in “Cat People” (1942).