The Seventh Victim

An RKO classic produced by “poet” Val Lewton who continues elaborating his favorite themes: the unfathomable horrors hidden by the reassuring yet ephemeral veil of daily life, the dark recesses of the human mind, and the seductive nature of evil.

And, once again, the bottom-line message turns out to be a rather uncomfortable one: they may not have fangs or cloven hooves, but demons are all around us. They’re men and women we come into contact with on a daily basis, and what’s worse, despite above-average socioeconomic status and unquestionable intelligence, their hearts are filled with wretchedness.

Robson employs a subtle direction that skillfully knows when to look away (the sound-only suicide scene is unforgettable) and turns glimpses into an element of primary importance, depicting evil in all its senselessness and banality (the devil worshipped by the cult members isn’t much different from the bourgeois Satan of “The Brothers Karamazov”). Numerous connections with the earlier “Cat People” (1942) include several shared characters, first and foremost being Dr. Louis Judd, once again played by Tom Conway. Even entire scenes are reprised, such as the suspense-charged nighttime pursuit.

A work rich with atmosphere (Nicholas Musuraca’s B/W is excellent), in which mortal dangers lurk in the shadows and silence echoes like a threat.