Terry Nichols (Frederick Brady) is a reporter for the Morning Chronicle. The Publisher, Mr. Sampler (Arthur Loft) received a letter from Cora Williams (Vera Lewis). Cora is a wacky old lady that lives on one of the small Florida Keys. Cora’s letter insinuates that a man named Eric Goran, whose death fifteen years ago was ruled a suicide, was actually murdered. She says he was murdered for $200,000 and she has the money to prove it. She also says she found the money, after years of searching for it, with the help of her cat.
Sampler is interested in the case because Cora’s relative, Walter Elliot (Jonathan Hale), who could be implicated if it proves to be murder, is running for senate against the editor’s brother-in-law. Sampler is now sending Terry out to cover the story. Terry is not happy about it since he is expected to dig up dirt on Elliot and he is also in love with and dating Elliot’s daughter, Gay Elliot (Lois Collir). Terry has no choice since if he doesn’t cover the story the paper will send out a slime ball reporter in his place.
Terry tells Gay and Walter about the assignment. Walter tells his attorney Tom McGalvey (Douglass Dumbrille). They decide they need to talk to Cora before the press does. Walter, Tom and Gay meet at the boat dock. Tom brings along his secretary Connie Palmer (Rose Hobart) and a private detective, Ken Grady (Paul Kelly). Terry shows up with his photographer Pidge “Flash” Laurie (Noah Beery Jr.). They all head out to the island.
Cora lives alone in a creepy old mansion with her black cat. As soon as everyone starts swarming around the house Cora is attacked. Then someone sets the boat on fire. Now everyone is stuck on the island with a potential killer in their midst. When Cora dies a mysterious woman appears. She says her name is Kyra (Iris Clive) and she is Eric Goran’s daughter. She says she was summoned to the island to find Cora’s killer. She also says the within the cat is the spirit of Cora Williams and the cat will lead the way to the killer.
“The Cat Creeps” was released in 1946 and was directed by Erle C. Kenton. It is a murder mystery and an old dark house film.
Universal billed the movie as a horror-whodunit. The horror aspect is actually incorrect. The plot devise of Mrs. Williams’ cat being possessed by her spirit was a ploy that Terry uses to intimidate the suspects and, hopefully, get the killer to either confess or get tripped up. During the movie Terry and Kyra are seen conspiring together and Kyra is seen scooting the cat in the general direction that she wants it to go. The cat is not the spirit of Mrs. Williams. The cat is a cat, but used effectively by Terry and Kyra to manipulate the suspects and the situation. As just a mystery movie it’s not too bad. It is basically standard for most of the mysteries of the era.
Fred Brady's character’s full name is Terry Patrick Francis Osfield Omal Vaney Nichols the second.
“The Cat Creeps” has a few old dark house elements that are similar to the film “The Cat and the Canary” 1929 but is basically a different film altogether. There was another film called “The Cat Creeps” 1930 that actually was a remake of the 1929 “The Cat and the Canary” film, as well as the 1922 stage play, but it has no connection with the 1946 film of the same name. The 1930 film is a lost film.