First off major SPOILER warning as I completely (almost) spoil the film.
Boy (Kent Smith as Oliver) meets girl (Simone Simon as Irena). Except boy is one of the few men between 20 and 60 who is not in the military, and the girl has bizarre fantasies about being one of the "cat people" - people descended from a group of witches and warlocks in Europe that escaped the sword of King John when he came to cleanse their village of wickedness.
Oliver and Irena eventually admit their love, and Oliver proposes marriage. Irena has doubts because of her feelings that there is evil in her, that she is one of the "cat people". Oliver poo poos such nonsense and basically says"Forget that cat people nonsense babe and marry me anyways, it will make no difference." But it does. Irena doesn't want to consummate the marriage. Oliver says no problem he'll wait. Irena goes to see a psychiatrist, Oliver says no problem he'll wait. Irena wrestles with her cat people identity problem until a few months later she tells Oliver she has decided to put the past behind her and be a real wife to him. Not so fast Oliver says. He now loves Alice, a girl at work and he wants a divorce.
So Irena, a troubled soul to begin with, has a husband who thinks "Until death do you part" is just a saying people kick around at weddings and has completely overestimated his patience, while Alice, a woman who has said she was Irena's friend has been that shoulder Oliver can cry on at work until she steals his heart. Also, the psychiatrist has ulterior motives too as Tom Conway rips a page from his brother George Sanders' playbook.
Last line of the film - Oliver saying "She never lied to us". Yep, but ALL of you - the doctor, Oliver, Alice - essentially lied to HER. I'd like to turn into a big cat and eat the three of them if I were in Irena's circumstances.
Don't think I don't love this film - I do. It uses atmosphere and what you don't see where the 82 version just used cheesy sex scenes and lots of gore.
Boy (Kent Smith as Oliver) meets girl (Simone Simon as Irena). Except boy is one of the few men between 20 and 60 who is not in the military, and the girl has bizarre fantasies about being one of the "cat people" - people descended from a group of witches and warlocks in Europe that escaped the sword of King John when he came to cleanse their village of wickedness.
Oliver and Irena eventually admit their love, and Oliver proposes marriage. Irena has doubts because of her feelings that there is evil in her, that she is one of the "cat people". Oliver poo poos such nonsense and basically says"Forget that cat people nonsense babe and marry me anyways, it will make no difference." But it does. Irena doesn't want to consummate the marriage. Oliver says no problem he'll wait. Irena goes to see a psychiatrist, Oliver says no problem he'll wait. Irena wrestles with her cat people identity problem until a few months later she tells Oliver she has decided to put the past behind her and be a real wife to him. Not so fast Oliver says. He now loves Alice, a girl at work and he wants a divorce.
So Irena, a troubled soul to begin with, has a husband who thinks "Until death do you part" is just a saying people kick around at weddings and has completely overestimated his patience, while Alice, a woman who has said she was Irena's friend has been that shoulder Oliver can cry on at work until she steals his heart. Also, the psychiatrist has ulterior motives too as Tom Conway rips a page from his brother George Sanders' playbook.
Last line of the film - Oliver saying "She never lied to us". Yep, but ALL of you - the doctor, Oliver, Alice - essentially lied to HER. I'd like to turn into a big cat and eat the three of them if I were in Irena's circumstances.
Don't think I don't love this film - I do. It uses atmosphere and what you don't see where the 82 version just used cheesy sex scenes and lots of gore.