The Leopard Man (1943)
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88% of critics liked it
(16 reviews) -
65% of users liked it
(1,335 ratings)
Adapted from the Cornell Woolrich novel Black Alibi, The Leopard Man is a lesser but still fascinating psychological-horror effort from producer Val Lewton. Someone has been killing off the citizens of a small New Mexico town, and the most likely suspect is a huge leopard, purchased for a local… More Adapted from the Cornell Woolrich novel Black Alibi, The Leopard Man is a lesser but still fascinating psychological-horror effort from producer Val Lewton. Someone has been killing off the citizens of a small New Mexico town, and the most likely suspect is a huge leopard, purchased for a local nightclub act by press agent Jerry Manning (Dennis O'Keefe), which has escaped from its cage. Neither Manning nor his star Clo-Clo (Margo) are totally convinced that the big cat is responsible.The haunting finale takes place during the annual "Day of the Dead" festivities. The opening sequence of Leopard Man, atmospherically detailing the last few moments of murder victim Teresa Delgado (Margaret Landry), is so powerful that the rest of the film seems anticlimactic. Long available only in its 59-minute reissue form, the film was restored to its original 65-minute running time in the mid-1980s. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Jacques Tourneur, Mark Robson
- Genres
- Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy
PG,
- In Theaters
- May 8, 1943 Wide
Critic Reviews
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Variety Staff, Variety
It's all confusion, in fact too much for an audience to follow.
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, Time Out
A film for lovers of pools of darkness.
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Bosley Crowther, New York Times
Half-baked efforts such as this one provoke little more than a yawn.
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Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
epending for much of its effect on a subtle and poetic nudging of the spectator's imagination, the film has a couple of sequences that are truly terrifying.
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Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy
The film has atmosphere to spare... [but] uses it like a crutch for a story that doesn't work on its own.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Dennis O'Keefe
as Jerry Manning
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Margo
as Clo-Clo
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Jean Brooks
as Kiki Walker
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Isabel Jewell
as Maria
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James Bell
as Dr. Galbraith
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Margaret Landry
as Teresa Delgado
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Richard Martin
as Raoul Belmonte
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Tula Parma
as Consuelo Contreras
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Ben Bard
as Chief Robles
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Ariel Heath
as Eloise
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Fely Franquelli
as Rosita
- Rita Corday
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Jacqueline de Wit
as Helene
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John Dilson
as Coroner
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Joe Dominguez
as Cop
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William Halligan
as Brunton
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Rose Higgins
as Indian Weaver
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Brandon Hurst
as Gatekeeper
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Kate Lawson
as Senora Delgado
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Jacques Lory
as Philippe
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Charles Lung
as Manuel
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Mary MacLaren
as Nun
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Ottola Nesmith
as Senora Contreras
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George Sherwood
as Police Lieutenant
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Robert Spindola
as Pedro
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Marguerite Sylva
as Marta
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John Tettener
as Minister
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Russell Wade
as Man in Car
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Abner Biberman
as Charlie How-Come
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Betty Roadman
as Clo-Clo's Mother
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Elias Gamboa
as Senor Delgado
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John Piffle
as Flower Vendor
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Robert Anderson
as Dwight
