Old lady gathers her greedy relatives in her gloomy isolated mansion for a reading of her will. Not long after, she winds up dead. Welcome to an old dark house thriller, friends. Yes, it's fairly repetitive of many other such thrillers or comedies but it's pretty entertaining at times. It has an excellent cast, most of which unfortunately have little to do. Broderick Crawford stars in an early role. He's equal parts leading man and buffoon. The kind of part Wayne Morris would have been playing over at WB. Bela Lugosi has a small, thankless part. He spends most of the movie ominously lurking in the shadows and peering in windows. Hugh Herbert provides the movie's comic relief. For the uninitiated that means he fidgets and talks to himself, punctuating every other sentence with "woo hoo." It's not very funny but I found it harmless enough. Maybe I'm just used to Herbert by now. Others may find him irritating so be warned. The rest of the cast includes Basil Rathbone, Gale Sondergaard, Anne Gwynne, Gladys Cooper, and Alan Ladd before he made it big. I agree with another reviewer that this probably would have worked better as an Abbott & Costello movie. Despite the relatively short runtime, it begins to feel overlong as it nears the hour mark. It's enjoyable enough but flawed. Still, anything Universal was putting out in the horror/thriller field in the 1940s was worth watching.
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TheLittleSongbird4 January 2015That isn't saying that The Black Cat is a bad film, in fact to me it's pretty good. Just that considering the cast and idea it could have been better than it was.
What did let The Black Cat down in particular is Hugh Herbert, whose comedy was always an acquired taste(not a fan personally to be honest) but here he is very over-utilised and really got on my nerves. Bela Lugosi despite looking appropriately ghoulish(that ghoulish close-up is the most memorable his performance gets) and does a good job with his screen time but is wasted, not just because he doesn't have much to do but also his material is not an awful lot to write home about. The film really drags in the middle and not all the script works. The mystery parts are great and Crawford's quip to Rathbone was a delight but parts are a little melodramatic and the comedy with Herbert was like Herbert himself, more annoying than funny.
The Black Cat looks great though, it's very elegantly photographed and the sets/scenery are beautiful and creepy. The music is a little intrusive in places but it's effectively eerie and has a lot of energy as well. The mystery while having pacing issues in the middle is very compelling and suspenseful mostly, with a truly gripping ending that took me completely by surprise. The direction is never too flashy or simplistic and most of the acting is just. Gale Sondergaard is effectively mysterious and the personification of elegance, while Alan Ladd before he made it big plays it straight and more than decently and Gladys Cooper brings bags of class to her role. Broderick Crawford is likable and a lot of fun, his material works far better than Herbert's and he's much better used. Basil Rathbone does his usual solid job in a role that suits him very well and Anne Gwynne is sympathetic and not bland.
All in all, pretty good but could have been great considering the cast. 6/10 Bethany Cox -
The Black Cat is directed by Albert S. Rogell and written by Robert Lees and Robert Neville. It stars Basil Rathbone, Hugh Herbert, Broderick Crawford, Bela Lugosi and Gale Sondergaard. Music is by Hans J. Salter and cinematography by Stanley Cortez.
Henrietta Winslow, a cat-loving old dear, is coming to the end of her days. Tonight her parasitic family have gathered at the Winslow mansion to rub their hands with glee as Henrietta's will is read out. But.......
.....Henrietta knew that whom the black cat follows – dies!
"That house is doubly blest. Which to the feline friends gives rest"
It's hardly a classic from the old dark house murder mystery treadmill, but The Black Cat is enormous fun and gets the sub-genre staples spot on. It's a big old fashioned mansion that is host to the creepy shenanigans, complete with secret passageways, revolving booths, suits of armour and roaring fires. There's even a creepy cat crematorium annex in the grounds as well! Naturally it's a stormy night, and naturally the collection of weasels and deviants start getting bumped off one by one. Cue much shrieking, blaming, dodging and the odd red herring. The mystery element is strong, with a good reveal preceding a fiery finale, and there's some high energy antics thrown in for good measure; the latter concerns Crawford's character who jumps through armour, leaps off a balcony and constantly falls down on the floor. Cast are working on a par with the material, with the highlights being Crawford, Sondergaard (who is deliciously spooky) and Herbert (who is the Lou Costello type comedy relief).
More comedy than creeper, but a comfortable recommendation for fans of similar movies. 6.5/10 -
I say "attempts" because most of the comedy just falls flat. This could have been a great little thriller if Broderick Crawford and Hugh Herbert's bumbling around in the dark could have been omitted. Instead, this film comes across more inane than sinister.
I give it 6/10 because the mystery is good enough and the atmosphere is pure Universal horror. The background of the story is that a wealthy elderly lady has provided her estate as a haven for homeless cats, complete with creepy crypt and crematorium for them when they die. She has just dodged another bout with death through illness when she decides to read her will to her greedy relatives ahead of time. Shortly afterwards the elderly woman dies mysteriously, followed by the discovery of an addendum to the will, followed by the mysterious deaths of other members of the household, all during the period of one dark and stormy night. For some reason Universal figured the presence of an investigating protagonist would not be enough for this one - that injecting some bumbling good guys in the spirit of Abbott and Costello would be a good idea, but they (Broderick Crawford and Hugh Herbert) just distract the viewer from the mystery aspect with their lame attempts at humor.
The sad part of this film is how little Bela Lugosi is given to do. At this point in his career he is pretty much relegated to walking around and looking creepy. -
Norm-3024 May 1999The housekeeper's name (Gale Sondergaard) was "Abigail Doone".
Review: Even tho' this is a Great film, the first person to be murdered should've been Hugh Herbert! With his presence, this film can't decide whether it's a mystery trying to be a comedy, or vice-versa. It's STILL a great, spooky film, tho! Norm Vogel -
Before I discuss the film in depth, I want to point out that this film wasted two talented actors. In the case of Alan Ladd, I can't blame the studio too much--after all, he was still a bit player and it wouldn't be for another year or two until he achieved notoriety. But for Universal Pictures to cast Bela Lugosi and place him in such a small and insignificant role in an old house-type movie is crazy and a real shame. It's really a shame they didn't give obnoxious Hugh Herbert one of these smaller roles, as he really, really hams it up and just doesn't fit into the overall tone of the film (likewise, he was horrible and out of place in SH!THE OCTOPUS). As for the rest of the class, with such wonderful stars as Basil Rathbone and Gladys Cooper among others, the film has some exceptional performances for such a "small" film.
Despite the title, this film has nothing to do with the earlier Lugosi film of the same title nor does it compare in almost any way to the Poe short story (except for the cat stuck behind something concept). Instead, it's a murder mystery with a hint of comedy. An old lady is beset with greedy relatives who can't wait to take her fortune after she dies. She's apparently dying and one of the family even called in some people (Hugh Herbert and Broderick Crawford) to buy the contents of the old home. However, unexpectedly the lady recovers--prompting someone to kill her so they no longer need to wait! However, inexplicably, no one seems to notice when Crawford insists the lady was murdered--everyone seems very eager to accept that it was an accident--even though shortly before the lady died, there was an attempt to poison her!! This is a bit of a plot hole, as no sane people (even greedy ones) would be so quick to dismiss the possibility of murder. So, it's up to Crawford to stick around, solve the mystery and avoid a "cat-astrophe".
Overall, it's a fun but relatively unremarkable Universal picture that perhaps the other reviewers have been a bit too kind to. However, it did give Crawford one of his first starring roles and is a decent time-passer.
PS--Towards the end, get a load of how strong Gladys Cooper is supposed to be! Considering her age and frail look, having her exerting herself in the hidden passages is really silly. Also, had this been made just a year or so later, it probably would have been an Abbott and Costello film and probably would have worked a bit better with them in Crawford's and Herbert's roles. -
For my taste, there's too much humor in this semi-spoof of the old dark house type mystery, but it manages to be fairly entertaining anyway.
The strongest thing the movie has going for it is the marvelous sets, that really convey the feeling of a large and elaborately furnished old mansion out in the country. The typical thunderstorm that strands a group of people for the night is present and contributes greatly to the spooky atmosphere.
Cecelia Loftus is wonderful as the old lady whose will has a surprise in store for her greedy relatives. Good supporting performances from Anne Gwynne as the nicest member of the family, with such reliables as John Eldredge and Basil Rathbone among the would-be heirs, including a surly young Alan Ladd and Gladys Cooper as Rathbone's long suffering wife. Bela Lugosi gets to look sinister a lot, but his character is actually benign, if a bit cryptic.
The weakest parts have to do with the rather forced comedy involving real estate hustlers Broderick Crawford and Hugh Herbert, who are hoping to sell the old house and its collection of antiques. Crawford's character is meant to be a sort of bumbling hero, but he gets pretty annoying, with his almost manic energy. Hugh Herbert has a few amusing moments, such as his naive conversation with the predatory Gale Sondergaard as the housekeeper, when she offers him a suspicious looking cup of tea. But his brand of absent-minded humor is more intrusive than comical most of the time, and the picture would have been better if played a little more straight.
This is a fairly entertaining little movie overall and should be enjoyed by most viewers who like the mysterious old house type of film. -
bensonmum24 October 2007The family of Henrietta Winslow gathers in her old rambling house for the reading of her will. Problem is, Henrietta's not dead. But this greedy bunch will soon see to that. Before you can say "Watch out Granny!", she's been murdered. And Henrietta won't be the only person murdered this night as greed takes hold of everyone involved.
Based on what I've read over the years about the 1941 version of The Black Cat, I'm a little surprised at how much I enjoyed it now that I finally had the opportunity to see it. No, it's not the best thing that Universal put out, but it is an enjoyable little mystery/thriller with a great setting and a strong cast. On its face, The Black Cat would seem to be a movie tailor-made for me a creepy dark old house filled with hidden rooms and secret passages, a dark and stormy night, Basil Rathbone, multiple murders with multiple suspects, Bela Lugosi, and no escape because of a washed-out bridge. What's not to love about the set-up? The Black Cat successfully mixes comedy with the chills something that can be difficult to successfully do. There's a scene with Lugosi doing his best impersonation of a cat-wrangler that had me laughing out loud. Or the scene where one character condescendingly remarks that Rathbone's character must think he's Sherlock Holmes good stuff! I found the ending to be very satisfying. After a delightful series of red herrings, it's always a treat to discover the killer is the absolute last person you would have considered. And while I mentioned Rathbone and Lugosi, the entire cast is great. Even Broderick Crawford, seemingly terribly miscast as the films unlikely hero, is a lot fun.
Overall, I'm very happy to have finally "discovered" The Black Cat. It's one I'm already looking forward to revisiting. -
Given one of the most abused titles in cinema history (innumerable films were supposedly inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's short story but few, if any, bothered to be faithful to it), the plot of this one could go in any direction. Universal had already used the title for one of its most stylish (and potent) horror offerings in 1934, so the 'remake' tried something entirely different: an old dark house comedy-chiller on the lines of THE CAT AND THE CANARY (itself brought to the screen several times, the most recent up to that time emanating from 1939). As always with this kind of film, we get a plethora of characters brought together for the hearing of a will and then starting to die violently one by one; the cast is notable and eclectic – including two horror stars (Basil Rathbone and Bela Lugosi: the latter was also in the earlier version, where his role was far more substantial), whereas the comedy is supplied by Broderick Crawford (proving surprisingly adept and likably accident-prone!) and the insufferable Hugh Herbert. Of course, there is a damsel-in-distress (pretty Anne Gwynne, also serving as Crawford's love interest) being invariably the one to receive the lion's share of the fortune possessed by the dotty (and cat-loving) owner of the estate; also on hand are Gale Sondergaard (as the sinister housekeeper, a virtual reprise of her role in the aforementioned version of THE CAT AND THE CANARY) and Gladys Cooper and Alan Ladd(!) as mother and son (the former is married to Rathbone, but he carries on an affair with another relative present). Being definitely a B-movie, the film is best compared to similarly modest ventures in this vein: even so, not involving recognizable comics (such as THE GORILLA [1939] did with The Ritz Brothers) or a horrific figure (a' la NIGHT MONSTER [1942]) – both films, incidentally, feature Bela Lugosi in an almost identical (and equally thankless) part – the film ends up not satisfying anyone even if it is harmless enough as entertainment, the eerie atmosphere well up to par and the identity of the villain (who perishes flamboyantly in a blaze) a genuine surprise.
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Rainey-Dawn9 February 2016I like this one. It's a far cry from 'The Black Cat' (1934) - two completely different films in every way minus the title and Bela Lugosi being in both of them.
The one unfortunate thing about this movie is Bela Lugosi and Basil Rathbone's parts are smaller than I would have liked for them to be. I wish the two of them had more screen time but the movie is fun to watch regardless.
The mystery in this film is kinda easy to solve but still has you wondering if your guess is right or not as to whodunit.
The movie seems more like an Abbott and Costello film as other reviewers mentioned - it really does. Something about the particular style of comedy. So if you like Abbot and Costello films then I think you might get a kick out of The Black Cat 1941.
7/10 -
BA_Harrison16 September 2022The Black Cat is 'suggested by the story by Edgar Allen Poe', which is another way of saying that it has almost nothing to do with Poe's oft-told tale of the macabre. This film is, in fact, yet another 'old dark house' murder mystery, in which the greedy relatives of a cat-crazy old woman gather in an spooky mansion on a stormy night waiting for her to drop dead. However, instead of dying naturally, the old dear is killed with a knitting needle, someone turning to murder to get their hands on the money.
This could have been a thoroughly enjoyable thriller -- it certainly has some great names in the cast, including Basil Rathbone, Bela Lugosi, Alan Ladd and the beautiful Anne Gwynne -- but like so many horror films of the era, it is ruined by some terrible comedy, Hugh Herbert as clumsy antiques dealer Mr. Penny being the main culprit. He's in far too many scenes and his signature 'woo-hoo' laugh is enough to make one wish they could reach into the screen and shake the man firmly by the throat. Broderick Crawford as realtor Gil Smith handles his comedic role better -- one comic relief should have been more than enough.
While there's some fun to be had with all of the expected genre tropes -- the raging storm, the creepy housekeeper (Gale Sondergaard), the shifty cat-wrangler (Lugosi), the secret passageways etc. -- The Black Cat would have been so much more entertaining without all of the 'woo-hoos'.
4.5/10, rounded up to 5 for the line "He thinks he's Sherlock Holmes", spoken about Rathbone's character. -
telegonus6 September 2002This is a fairly typical old dark house comedy of the sort that was popular in the wake of the Bob Hope Cat and the Canary of a couple of years earlier. Gale Sondergaard is even on hand, as in the earlier film; and this one, while hardly brilliant, has some wonderful photography and great (and exceedingly familiar) standing sets. It's a routine reading of the will plot, with the usual suspects, here more lively than usual, with Runyon refugee Broderick Crawford, Gold Diggers alumnus Hugh Herbert, deerstalker- and meerschaum-less Basil Rathbone, and a sadly defanged Bela Lugosi, in a minor role. If one goes for old-fashioned studio thrillers and isn't too demanding of dialog, which is far from clever, or plot, which isn't too ingenious, this one might be just what the doctor ordered on a dark and rainy night.
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blanche-28 August 2007Terror strikes the hearts of Henrietta Winslow's relatives and servants when they spot "The Black Cat" in this 1941 comedy/mystery starring Basil Rathbone, Broderick Crawford, Hugh Herbert, Gale Sondergaard, Gladys Cooper, Cecilia Loftus, Bela Lugosi, and in a small role, Alan Ladd. Nothing new about the plot - or the mansion, which looks mighty familiar. Henrietta Winslow (Loftus) is an old, rich woman whose greedy relatives are waiting for her to die, except she keeps defying the laws of nature. To put their minds at ease, she reads her will, eliminating the codicil that says no one collects anything until her housekeeper Abigail (Sondergaard) and all her many cats are dead. Crawford and Herbert come along; they're interested in the contents of the house. Soon, Henrietta is found dead with a black cat nearby, which seems to signal death each time it appears.
There is the obsequious rainstorm, the secret passages, the will that goes missing, the suspicious-looking gardener (Lugosi), an adulterous affair, and people running all over the place. Broderick Crawford, whose flair for comedy rarely had a chance to be exercised, is very funny, as is Hugh Herbert, who plays his associate. They really keep the film lively. Rathbone, Cooper and Ladd play it very straight, as they should, and Sondergaard gives it the sinister, over the top performance that must accompany a film like this. And don't forget those cats and those darling kittens.
Highly recommended. As someone mentioned, it's doesn't have the non-stop wit of a Bob Hope comedy, but it's fun just the same. -
kevinolzak18 December 20131941's "The Black Cat," not to be confused with Bela Lugosi's 1934 classic, is merely another 'Old Dark House' murder-mystery in a comic vein, in the wake of 1939's "The Cat and the Canary." The unfunny comedy relief is supplied by Hugh Herbert, while the remainder of the stalwart cast maintain interest throughout, despite a severely dragging middle in which virtually nothing of interest happens, one red herring topping another. The young Broderick Crawford is certainly likable, and pairs nicely with lovely Anne Gwynne, but top-billed Basil Rathbone is reduced to playing a weasely scoundrel, fooling around with beautiful Claire Dodd behind the back of desperate wife Gladys Cooper, to the annoyance of her devoted stepson (Alan Ladd). Henrietta Winslow (Cecilia Loftus) has been at death's door for some time, but makes certain that her many cats will be taken care of, along with longtime housekeeper Abigail Doone (Gale Sondergaard) and caretaker Eduardo Vidos (Bela Lugosi); when she gets stabbed to death with a long hatpin, hardly anyone bats an eye in the assumption that the old lady simply fell on it. One of the nicer aspects of the film is that the titular black cat actually becomes the hero during the admittedly thrilling climax, first alerting Crawford to his girl's danger, then causing a falling candle to set the killer ablaze. Claire Dodd was enjoying a resurgence at Universal ("In the Navy," "The Mad Doctor of Market Street"), where she had previously starred in 1934's "Secret of the Château," while the relatively unknown Alan Ladd remained a year away from stardom in "This Gun for Hire" (he's actually the only one sporting a gun for protection!). Lugosi is genuinely amusing but sadly wasted with less than 4 minutes screen time, happily hamming it up in numerous gag photos on set; Gale Sondergaard, the one cast member from "The Cat and the Canary," remains stuck in dour mode, the attractive actress allowing her uniform to call attention to an impressive bosom. No classic but entertaining (the screenwriters better known for the 1948 "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein"), "The Black Cat" appeared 4 times on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater, while its 1934 counterpart was served up on 8 occasions.
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eddy-283 December 2004Rating: *** (of of five)
Greedy family heirs stay at their grandmother's mansion and wait for her to die, so they can collect her money and estate. They later discover that they cannot collect a dime until all of her pet cats are dead as well. Someone in the mansion then begins to murder them one by one. This film has all of the elements of horror. Although it bears a notch below many of the popular horror films released by Universal Pictures, director Albert Rogall's The Black Cat has the "haunted" house scene, a rain storm, secret passage ways and plenty of laughs and scares to make it a good horror film. Basil Rathbone and Broderick Crawford are also both good as the leads, as well as Hugh Herbert providing the laughs. Oscar winner Gale Sondergaard and Bela Lugosi, both playing the servants looked wickedly evil and sinister, and it was my surprise that they were not the murderers when both of their characters were murdered as well. The real killer was a surprise, especially with the premise of the black cat being around at the time of the murders often throws the viewers off. The Black Cat is a good horror film classic with intriguing mystery. -
The_Void5 October 2008Basil Rathbone would of course go on to be best known for his role as the classic London detective Sherlock Holmes; but in-between making the films for Universal studios, he had a starring role in this little mystery flick; which could well have been a part of the classic Holmes series and indeed is very similar to plot featured in 1945's Sherlock Holmes and the House of Fear. The title would lead most people to believe that this film is based on the classic Edgar Allen Poe story of the same title; and while the film does give a "suggested by" credit to the great writer, the links between this film and Poe's story are flimsy at best. The plot takes the familiar base of having a family gather together upon the death of a wealthy relative for the will reading. Henrietta Winslow gathers her family and lets them know how they will benefit from her death before she is dead, and naturally her death follows on quickly from that. However, the elderly woman - who happens to live in a big house full of cats - has added another clause into the will.
The film is often considered a part of the horror genre, and while it does make a claim to the genre via the "suggested by" subject material as well as the atmosphere surrounding the house and number of cats inhabiting it; the film is mostly a mystery thriller. The cast is good however, although the two main names are underused. Basil Rathbone gives an understated performance in one of the lead roles, while horror star Bela Lugosi doesn't get a lot of screen time. Alan Ladd, however, is given more to do and provides most of the entertainment. The film has some comedy elements to it also and to me they bring it down somewhat and I'd have preferred it had the film have been a bit straighter. There are plenty of films called 'The Black Cat' and while this one doesn't take a lot of influence from the classic story; I would have to say it stands up against some others, although Edgar G. Ulmer's 1934 film is superior. The mystery does play out well throughout the film and the director uses the setting well. It all boils down to a satisfying conclusion and the identity of the murderer comes as a surprise. All in all, this is certainly very much worth watching and I would recommend it to mystery fans. -
This was a movie that I had gotten confused with the 1934 version. It is interesting as this and the other version are two different types of movies using the same title. I do believe both are Universal films to complicate it more. Due to similar titles, I did have a bit of an issue finding this, but I just picked up the Blu-Ray set with 3 other lesser-known Universal titles. To get into this movie here, the synopsis is elderly Henrietta Winslow (Cecilia Loftus) lives in an isolated mansion with her housekeeper and beloved cats. As her health fails, her greedy relatives gather in anticipation of her death.
We start this movie off hearing a somber piano song being played by Richard Hartley (Alan Ladd). He is asked to stop by his father of Montague (Basil Rathbone). Everyone here is impatient and the reason is horrible. They are all slated to be in the will of Henrietta who as the synopsis states, is on her deathbed. Also there is Monty's wife of Myrna (Gladys Cooper). I believe Henrietta's niece by the name of Elaine Winslow (Anne Gwynne). There is also Margaret Gordon (Claire Dodd) and Stanley Borden (John Eldredge).
Catching wind of her potentially passing brings A. Gilmore Smith (Broderick Crawford) who wants to sell the house. He is bringing with him Mr. Penny (Hugh Herbert) to look at the antiques to get an idea of what they could be sold for. They arrive at the gate and meet Eduardo Vidos (Bela Lugosi). He is the groundskeeper and he informs the two that he cannot admit their car through the gate. After one of her cats was hit, Henrietta refuses to let cars through. They come in through a gate instead.
Also here is Abigail Doone (Gale Sondergaard). She is the maid and is quite close to Henrietta. When the doctor emerges, everyone believes it is news that she has passed. It is quite different though. She seems to have recovered. This sassy, elderly woman decides to go through the will, announcing to everyone what they are being left. Some of them are disappointed in how small they are left compared to their relatives, aside from Elaine who is getting the house, the lands and the balance of the money. There is more to this will though. Gilmore and Mr. Penny interrupt before she reveals that no one receives anything until after all of the cats and Abigail passes away.
Things then turn sinister when Mrs. Winslow is murdered in her crematorium. She was superstition and a black cat is found in the room with her. Gilmore is convinced it is murder while everyone else disagrees. He is in love with Elaine and she is bothered that he accuses her family of the horrible deed despite her knowing how they are. Gilmore tries to prove what he is saying is true. This leads them to discover secret passageways and someone trying to get Mrs. Winslow's will.
That is where I'm going to leave my recap of this movie. That really gets you a bit more in-depth of what we are getting here. This is your typical old dark house/murder mystery type film. What I did find to be interesting is that they legit killed Henrietta. The person that behind all of this is ruthless. Something I found interesting in my journey through cinema is the fact that I can see when the Italians started to incorporate these into giallo films; we are getting that murder mystery aspect. It is just lacking the brutality or the sleaze you would get later though.
The mystery is something that I want to delve a bit more into here. We are given this group of people and all of them have a solid motive to kill Henrietta. Everyone is jealous of Elaine since the bulk of the estate is going to her. She even has a motive when we learn that Abigail and the cats are technically pushing her out for the inheritance. Monty has money troubles and although he is getting a sizable amount, he is still looking for more. Myrna is struggling that her husband could be leaving her, despite being left one hundred grand. Margaret and Stanley are both getting a sizable amount. Richard is getting less, which gives him a reason. Heck, there is even Gilmore knows that as long as Henrietta lives, he cannot sell the house and get his commission. I thought all these red herrings worked as I didn't figure it out until the reveal.
What didn't really work for me was the comedy. I'm assuming this was added or at least included due to the success of Abbott and Costello films and like The Ghost Breakers. Mr. Penny is just here for that. I think he has good comedic timing and he acts like Mr. Magoo to me. I'm sure it will land with some people, but it didn't add much for me overall. I felt this was made more of a focus where I prefer a bit darker of a tone. I do know this is also partially due to the censors of the era, I'm sure.
The last little bit would be basing this off of the Edgar Allan Poe short story. It really isn't outside of the fact that black cats are supposed to be bad luck. This movie is claiming that if a black cat is following you, then you are the next to die. I did like when this is used to spook characters, but that is about the extent of what it is borrowing from the short story. If memory serves, that one is more about a cat tormenting the main character where we don't get much of that. I bet it is there to get people to see the movie with name recognition.
I think then I should shift over to the acting. I thought that Rathbone brings an interesting bit of arrogance to the character of Monty. Herbert as I said adds some comedy as Mr. Penny. I like Crawford as this man who knows something is up, but he's made out to look unreliable. He continues to push the envelope. He's really the star here. I like the minor role for Lugosi. I think they're playing with the fact that he's been a villain before and it worked. Gwynne was attractive and I like that early we are introduced that she is selfish. That helps with making me not trust her despite Gilmore wanting to. Cooper is solid as this older woman with nerves that are shot as Myrna. Sondergaard was solid as this uptight maid. I like the sassiness from Loftus. I'd say the rest of the cast rounded this out for what was needed. I also enjoyed seeing all the cats.
Then really the last thing to go into would be the setting, cinematography and the soundtrack. If you know me, I'm a big fan of the old dark house films. We have secret passages that allow who are killer is to hide. There is a lot of room here and makes it difficult to figure out who is behind things. The cinematography gives it character which works. I thought the musical selections fit. The sound design did as well with making it feel like it is storming out. I could also tell the cat yowling was done by a human, but it was fine.
So then in conclusion here, this movie is a solid lesser-known Universal film. It isn't necessarily doing anything new. We have a really good setting in this old dark mansion and I like that this one is a bit more horrific than some I've seen in the past. The acting is solid to bring these characters to life. I would say the music and the sound design are also fine to build the overall atmosphere. I don't necessarily think the comedy works all that well and it really isn't following that much of the Poe short story. This is still worth a viewing if you want to see an early film that would lead into the giallo sub-genre. Overall, I would say this is an above average movie, just lacking going much higher than that. -
DriftedSnowWhite17 October 2022I would love this movie 100% but for Hugh Herbert and his Mr. Penny'. But first, let me get this out of the way: One of the prolific User Reviewers states that 'Mr. Penny' was the client. He wasn't. Bugs me that there i no way to communicate that to this reviewer. It's a big error. He classified the review as having Spoilers, and his review is otherwise fine, but this is a big, misleading error, and I can't do a thing about it). Don't you hate it when top reviewers who write good reviews, (I don't), make blatant errors? (I do).
I think that the estate of Hugh Herbert owes the Ed Wynn estate compensation for his utter rip-off of Ed Wynn - but without the style. Finesse, subtlety. A rip-off and a bad one.
What was the director thinking in giving Hugh Herbert carte blanch, no restraints. Were they related or something? Herbert's 'Mr. Penny' fairly kills this otherwise excellent movie, which I watch on a regular basis, (with no remote, and on VHS so I can't obliterate Hubert). And could the scriptwriters really have gotten so many yucks seeing Herbert's 'Mr. Penny' destroy all those antiques? Were they sophomoric adolescents, or did the director push for more of this destruction?
All other actors were perfectly cast and delivered 100%. The cinematography, set design, costuming, etc., is excellent. I don't recall if it was the same referenced User Reviewer who also said that the film could have been a good vehicle for Abbott & Costello. I disagree - vehemently. Save for Herbert, the film is quite elegant. Broderick Crawford's.'A. Gilmore Smith' is never an Abbott, nor a Costello in this film; it is only Hubert's unleashed nails-on-the-blackboard performance that would make anyone suggest it. (Even Costello wouldn't have been such an idiot).
Someone must be gathering all the movies where one character destroys the film, and will eventually release the movies without characters that make you feel murderous, and endings that do likewise. Let me know when this film gets the editing-out of all but the most appropriate, and short, Hubert scenes, will you? -
babeth_jr10 April 2008This 1941 movie was made by Universal Studios as a part of their famous horror line of movies that they cranked out in the 1930's and 1940's. Even though it was billed as a horror movie, this movie isn't a horror movie at all, but instead a murder mystery that is set in an old creepy mansion.
Basil Rathbone and Bela Lugosi are two actors who star in "The Black Cat" who were famous for making horror movies for Universal in the 1930's.
The movie has a terrific cast, including academy award winners Broderick Crawford and Gale Sondergaard, as well as Anne Gwynne and Alan Ladd. The basic premise of the movie centers around Henrietta Winslow,(played by Cecilia Loftus) an eccentric, rich, old woman who is supposedly on her deathbed, whose greedy heirs have all gathered at her spooky, cat filled mansion to await her anticipated demise. When Henrietta rallies and doesn't die as expected, someone in the house murders her to hasten their inheritance. Who is the murderer? The greedy granddaughter who is having an affair with her cousin's husband? Or is it the housekeeper (portrayed by Sondergard) who inherits the house and its contents as long as she is alive and will take care of her employer's cats? Or is it someone else in the house?
There is plenty of atmosphere, lightening, secret passages, black cats, etc. This movie is just a lot of fun, and I was honestly surprised when the murderer was revealed at the end of the movie. -
mark.waltz13 October 2014Bela Lugosi returns to the world of Edgar Allan Poe in this non- remake of "The Black Cat", just like Boris Karloff would do over twenty years later with "The Raven". While Karloff had a late career triumph with that comic version of Poe's sonnet, Lugosi got to do little here, pretty much going around, picking up cats and calling, "Here kitty kitty", in one of his most embarrassing non-Ed Wood screen moments. Even so, the veteran actor gets billing above the credits with Basil Rathbone, Broderick Crawford, and woo-hoo, get this, Hugh Herbert.
The last name alone is an indication that this "Old Dark House" rip- off is a comedy, or at least a spoof, and a mildly funny one at that. It's another variation of "Kill the old relative so we can get their loot" plot, and in this case, the poor old thing is Cecilia Loftus, a feisty old bat who has made room for all of her greedy relatives and spooky servants in her will, with strict guidelines that concern her dozens of cats. Of all the cats she has, she refuses to keep any black ones, having made strict orders that the one black kitten born in a litter years ago be destroyed. She also has a creepy crematorium where a statue of a black cat guards all the urns of the ashes of her dead felines.
Acting honors, or at least camp acting honors, go to Gale Sondergaard as the strikingly beautiful but severe and mysterious housekeeper who has been taking care of Loftus for years and is assigned the responsibility of doing the same with her cats. "What did you say?", she inquires dramatically through a slot in the front door towards Herbert whom she has just slammed the door on, only to hear an insult made at her expense. Every time she is on screen, she commands all the attention, while Hugh Herbert makes you want to turn your head in aggravation at some of his antics. He was very amusing doing his shtick in all those Warner Brothers musicals and comedies of the 1930's, but here, it just seems a bit too much and after a while is more annoying than funny.
It is surprising to see a young Broderick Crawford in a romantic lead role, with that booming voice that later dominated "All the King's Men" and "Born Yesterday" in bully roles. Here, he's an old friend of the family who has been hired to try to find a buyer for the spooky house against Loftus's will. Herbert is his client who does nothing but walk around and wreck the furniture. Among the greedy relatives are Gladys Cooper as a niece who has been "little trouble", Basil Rathbone as her philandering husband, a very young Alan Ladd as his son from a first marriage who calls Loftus "grandmother", and among others, Anne Gwynne and Claire Dodd. Sliding panels, a love-seat with a foot switch that moves it 180 degrees, and other various nooks and crannies are among the tricks of this Poe's trade.
Entertaining, yet somehow totally unbelievable, this is acceptable but easily forgettable, although I must admit that I have an affection for it. The killer is shown carrying a body that is obviously beyond their weight, yet they get a great come-uppance at the conclusion. Some of the frights are real, taking this beyond the farcial moments that Herbert provides a bit too much to the point of annoyance. Basil Rathbone has a great line concerning one of his most popular screen characters that will leave you in stitches. -
1941's The Black Cat is neither a remake of the 1934 Karloff-Lugosi film of the same name, nor does it bear the slightest relation to the same-named Edgar Allan Poe story (as if the 1934 picture did!) The fact that the heroes are played by Hugh Herbert and Broderick Crawford is indication enough that the 1941 film wasn't meant to be taken entirely seriously. SPOOF all the way . t all begins when elderly cat fancier Henrietta Winslow (played by legendary vaudeville impressionist Cecilia Loftus) is murdered by a scheming relative. At the reading of the will, Henrietta's heirs discover that the old dear has left her entire fortune to her pet felines. No one will get a penny until all the cats join their ancestors in Tabby Heaven. Several more murders occur, as suspicion is cast on such shady types as Mr. Hartley (Basil Rathbone), Abigail Doone (Gale Sondergaard) and family butler Eduardo (Bela Lugosi in yet another red-herring role). By the time that bumbling Mr. Penny (Herbert) and Hubert Smith (Crawford) figure out who the real killer is, heroine Elaine Winslow (Anne Gwynne) is on the verge of meeting her doom as well. Billed last, Alan Ladd has practically nothing to do as one of the heirs. Hardly one of the classic Universal horror efforts. Still the film The Black Cat had a good murder mystery plot line and although mainly absurd I found it very enjoyable . I recommend this movie
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This picture is directed by a studio hack: The production values are hilariously terrible. The acting is hammier than a German deli, and the plot? Well, there is no plot. But this is a fun film to watch. Broderick Crawford plays a virile Lou Costello in tandem with a Vaudeville partner similar to Ed Wynn. Miss Gwynne is a very strong woman, and Basil Rathbone is the most likely candidate to be the villain. Alan Ladd, in an early career appearance, is terribly miscast as a swell, and Bela Lugosi is fairly wasted in his superfluous role.
This should have been called a night at the Fun House. The set is more like a fun house than a real house. The actors appear to be suffering from sleep deprivation, as they are awoken every fifteen minutes, by another incident. Despite all these horrible foibles, the film is fun to watch. Enjoy. -
Spondonman14 June 2009This little gem has long been one of my favourites: since I taped it in the '80's my daughter and I have watched it dozens of times, and although the 1934 horror film may be better it's still lovely to watch. Universal Pictures in the 1940's could churn out inconsequential family entertainment films like this so seemingly effortlessly and all with a special atmosphere that marked them apart from their bigger and richer rivals. Russell Gausman as set director did his usual fantastic job of creating something gorgeous to look at from nothing and the nitrate-film photography by Stanley Cortez was beautifully brooding, when the comedy allowed.
Relatives with secrets and problems assemble at a dying old lady's spooky old house to find out how much they'll inherit from her when the day comes. Or whether her army of beloved pampered cats will get it all. Dapper Basil Rathbone had the biggest problems of them all - but was he the one who murdered the old lady, or was she killed from kindness after all? There could have been some mysterious feline power at work, Alan Ladd looked like he'd shoot everyone for a nickel, Gladys Cooper was very demure even if very strong, Gail Sondergaard (her line "Two is equal to one" matched her "Sometimes they get into the machinery" from Cat And The Canary) and Bela Lugosi were as creepy as ever, Claire Dodd was plain nasty and John Eldredge just too dumb to be real. However I don't care what anybody says the lovely Anne Gwynne was never going to be Guilty in my eyes! Chunky Broderick Crawford and Hugh Herbert bumble through it all as the hero and light relief – this was a big vehicle for Herbert to woo-hoo his way through too. His over-zaniness can be a problem at times – was he and Crawford there in place of some songs or Abbott & Costello and overall did he help or detract? And what the Hell was Anne Gwynne supposed to see in Broderick Crawford anyway??
Maybe it helps to have seen it when young to see it now through rose-tinted spectacles. It can be too melodramatic at times, especially during the otherwise gripping climax, but with plenty of lovely smoky visuals and a rich atmosphere to wallow in I've always enjoyed watching this and hope to many more times. -
Hitchcoc18 December 2016This is great fun. With Rathbone as the most visible of actors, it enlists a bevy of character actors from the time. In an old house, a woman who keeps cats is dying (or so everyone thinks). All the usual vultures are hovering around, waiting to get their hands on her fortune. When she suddenly takes a turn for the better, someone decides to take matters into his/her hands. Now we have a murderer on the premises and the house and its contents become a big part of the plot. Of course, each character's possible participation in the murder is weighed. Accusations abound as we are led on a merry chase. This is a cut above the low budget whodunnits that populated the screen in those days.
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alexanderdavies-9938220 May 2017Any relation between the 1934 masterpiece of the same title and this rubbish, is simply non- existent!
This 1941 film is a bore and painfully unfunny. Abbott and Costello might have made something of this plot but as it is, this is one of "Universal's" worst horror films. Basil Rathbone and Alan Ladd are wasted and Bela Lugosi has nothing to do except scowl once in a while.