The Leopard Man (1943), dir. Jacques Tourneur, RKO Radio Pictures
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Ending our slasher feature, and we really haven't gotten to the works of Val Guest that much. He worked with RKO throughout the 40's and his output has been studied by intellects far greater than mine. This wasn't one of his, but he did produce it and the direction was handled by his frequent collaborator Tourneur.
Somewhere in New Mexico, promotor Jerry Manning (Dennis O'Keefe) is having some trouble with his latest client, Kiki Walker (Jean Brooks). The other act at the nightclub she's performing at is blowing her off the stage, and Clo-Clo (Margo) is well aware of this.
Jerry has the perfect answer however; he figures Kiki needs a gimmick. Something bold and daring, something these one horse hicks have never seen! So he gets her an oversized black leopard. Clo-Clo isn't going to take this lying down, so she spooks the animal with her castanets. The leopard goes crazy and flees into the night desert.
A young girl is found torn apart mere steps from her family's door. Patrols and posses are formed but nothing. Local professor Dr. Galbraith (James Bell) tries to calm the town. After all, why would an animal such as a leopard stay in town? No, he argues, the animal must have fled to the somewhat familiar grounds of the desert.
Then why do more bodies keep turning up? Kiki vows to bring the killer to justice but who could it be?
Short, I'll say that. If this had run a full ninety minutes, I'm not sure my mind could take it. It's cheap but passable. You can see the beginnings of the slasher genre though, as a senseless killer is stalking women in a remote local. Even the ending too, as when you watch it you'll scratch your head.
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