This 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.
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.