The Black Cat (1941)
The Black Cat (1941)
Plot.
Where to Watch.
Cast & Crew.
Basil Rathbone
Montague Hartley
Hugh Herbert
Mr. Penny
Broderick Crawford
A. Gilmore Smith
Anne Gwynne
Elaine Winslow
Bela Lugosi
Eduardo Vidos
Gladys Cooper
Myrna Hartley
Albert S. Rogell
Director
Gale Sondergaard
Abigail Doone
Robert Lees
Writer
Frederic I. Rinaldo
Writer
Cecilia Loftus
Henrietta Winslow
Eric Taylor
Writer
Alan Ladd
Richard Hartley
Robert Neville
Writer
Claire Dodd
Margaret Gordon
John Eldredge
Stanley Borden
Edgar Allan Poe
Writer
Erville Alderson
Doctor Williams (uncredited)
Harry C. Bradley
Coroner (uncredited)
Jack Cheatham
Moving Man #1 (uncredited)
Edgar Sherrod
Minister (uncredited)
Ted J. Kent
Editor
Charles Henderson
Music
Stanley Cortez
Director of Photography
Media.
Details.
Release DateMay 2, 1941
StatusReleased
Running Time1h 10m
Content RatingNR
Budget$178,000
Genres
Wiki.
The Black Cat is a 1941 American comedy horror and mystery film directed by Albert S. Rogell and starring Basil Rathbone. The film was a hybrid of style: being inspired by comedy "Old Dark House" films of the era as well as the 1843 short story "The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe. It stars Basil Rathbone as Montague Hartley, the head of a greedy family who await the death of Henrietta Winslow (played by Cecilia Loftus) so that they can inherit her fortune. When she is found murdered, an investigation begins into who might be the culprit. Alongside Rathbone and Loftus, the film's cast includes Hugh Herbert, Broderick Crawford, and Bela Lugosi.
Initially set to start filming in January 1941, the film was delayed twice with the script being re-written by comedy writers Robert Lees and Frederic I. Rinaldo and having some last minute cast changes. It officially began filming on February 17 and finished filming on March 10. It was released to lukewarm reviews from The Hollywood Reporter, The Film Daily and The New York Daily News.