The Catman of Paris (1946) (USA)

⭐️⭐️1/2

On the heels of publishing a controversial book which has caused a bit of a stir in the French government, a young author returns to Paris after spending some time in the tropics. His return coincides with a series of slayings where the victims have been clawed to ribbons. Worse yet, the victims are all connected to the author, leading the police to suspect him of the murders. Following the death of his beautiful fiancée (right after she denies him his wish to end their engagement) the author seeks comfort from his oldest friend (and someone he has recently realized he has fallen in love with) and his loyal manager. His new love interest is out to prove his innocence and his manager is planning on smuggling him out of France as the detectives close in. Moderately fun Republic Pictures horror flick takes its premise and sets it in a wonderful world where only a few people scoff at the idea of a man transforming into a human-cat beast. Caterwauls haunt the night before the catman strikes and the makeup leaves a bit to be desired but when it comes to these stuffy cheap wonders you’re pretty lucky to get anything other than a man in a gorilla costume. It somehow has trouble filling up its slight runtime but it hits just the right notes when it comes to convenient idiocy.