The Leopard Man

Released May 8, 1943

1h 5m

Horror

List

90%

Tomatometer

21 Reviews

62%

Audience Score

1,000+ Ratings

When Latin dancer Clo-Clo (Margo) begins to overshadow nightclub singer Kiki Walker (Jean Brooks), Kiki's agent, Jerry Manning (Dennis O'Keefe), decides to spice up his client's act with an enormous black leopard on a leash. But the big cat escapes from the club -- and soon after, a young girl (Margaret Landry) and others are found dead around their small town. When evidence suggests that the killer may be human, suspicion falls on the leopard's Native American owner (Abner Biberman).

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Variety Staff

Variety

It's all confusion, in fact too much for an audience to follow.

Nov 15, 2007

Full Review

Time Out

A film for lovers of pools of darkness.

Jun 24, 2006

Full Review

Bosley Crowther

New York Times

Half-baked efforts such as this one provoke little more than a yawn.

Rated: 1/5

Mar 25, 2006

Full Review

Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

...those seeking cheap thrills should look for creature-features elsewhere; The Leopard Man is classy, striking entertainment from the top drawer...

Rated: 4/5

Feb 20, 2021

Full Review

Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

This is entertaining pulp fiction produced with a keen visual eye.

Rated: 8/10

Nov 25, 2020

Full Review

Manny Farber

The Nation

This film still seems to be one of Hollywood's original gems -- nothing impure in terms of cinema, nothing imitative about its style, and little that misses fire through a lack of craft.

Nov 24, 2020

Full Review

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Aldo G

When discussing the the topic of the old Hollywood studio system occasionally manufacturing a work of art, The Leopard Man should be among the first movies talked about. It's one of those rare movies that repeated screenings secrete more about the movie's multiple themes and the adventurous manner in which the filmmakers and cast treat the material.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/12/23

Full Review

dave s

This offering from Val Lewton and Jacques Tourneur (producer and director, respectively), clocking in at just over an hour, feels like it's over before it starts. In The Leopard Man, set in a small New Mexico town, mayhem ensues when a black panther escapes from captivity. When the bodies start to pile up, authorities begin to consider that there may be a killer on the loose, not of the feline variety. The movie moves along at a quick pace, not surprising consider the running time, and the tension is palpable at times thanks to some effective lighting, decent sound effects, and creative camerawork. Other than an ending that feels a bit predictable, it's an effective thriller when considering the time period.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Tourneur un gran director no muy aprovechado. Maestro de la insinuaciòn.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A mexicali-noir by Lewton. The only character which disappoints is Brooks, well worth watching once or twice.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

ashley h

The Leopard Man is an excellent film. It is about a seemingly tame leopard used for a publicity stunt escapes and kills a young girl, spreading panic throughout a sleepy new Mexico town. Dennis O'Keefe and Margo give incredible performances. The screenplay is well written. Jacques Tourneur did a great job directing this movie. I enjoyed watching this motion picture because of the horror and drama. The Leopard Man is a must see.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A poor man's Cat People, but still okay. For most of the movie you're mostly looking at the lighting and enjoying well structured suspense scenes. But once the mystery kicks in, it becomes a lot more interesting, culminating in an ending echoing (if not perfectly) Fritz Lang's M.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

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Jacques Tourneur

Director

Dennis O'Keefe

Jerry Manning

Margo

Clo-Clo

Jean Brooks

Kiki Walker

Isabel Jewell

Maria

James Bell

Dr. Galbraith

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Synopsis

When Latin dancer Clo-Clo (Margo) begins to overshadow nightclub singer Kiki Walker (Jean Brooks), Kiki's agent, Jerry Manning (Dennis O'Keefe), decides to spice up his client's act with an enormous black leopard on a leash. But the big cat escapes from the club -- and soon after, a young girl (Margaret Landry) and others are found dead around their small town. When evidence suggests that the killer may be human, suspicion falls on the leopard's Native American owner (Abner Biberman).

Director: Jacques Tourneur
Distributor: Fox Hill, Fox Hills Video
Production Co: RKO Radio Pictures Inc.
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 8, 1943, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2009
Runtime: 1h 5m

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