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The Leopard Man

Play trailer Poster for The Leopard Man Released May 8, 1943 1h 5m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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90% Tomatometer 21 Reviews 63% Popcornmeter 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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The Leopard Man

Critics Reviews

View All (21) Critics Reviews
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 Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jerry W If you like Cat People it’s got a similar atmosphere Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/28/24 Full Review 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 Read all reviews
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The Leopard Man

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Movie Info

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
Producer
Val Lewton
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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