Villain(s)  Werecat

Actor(s):  Carl Esmond, Lenore Aubert, Adele Mara, Douglass Dumbrille

Brief Description  The Catman of Paris is a 1946 Republic Pictures mystery-horror film directed by Lesley Selander. Plagued by mysterious blackouts, Charles is suspected when people close to him are brutally clawed to death by a feline monster. Set in Paris in 1896, the story follows Charles Regnier (played by Carl Esmond), a dashing author who returns to the city after years of exotic travel. Charles has just written a highly controversial, politically charged bestseller criticizing the Ministry of Justice regarding a Dreyfus-esque trial. The government desperately wants to ban the book

Plot:
The Murders & Blackouts: On the very night of his return, a library official named Devereaux—who held documents capable of destroying Charles's reputation—is found brutally clawed to death in the dark streets. Charles suffers from severe, hallucinatory amnesiac blackouts and begins to fear that he is subconsciously committing the crimes.

The Investigation: The Prefect of Police believes a supernatural "were-cat" is prowling the city, while the skeptical Inspector Severen (Gerald Mohr) targets Charles, believing his political motives are entirely human.

The Twist: As more people close to Charles are slaughtered, his loyal new love interest, Marie Audet (Lenore Aubert), and his best friend, Henry Borchard (Douglass Dumbrille), try to clear his name. However, the "Catman" eventually begins stalking Marie.

The Climax: In a final confrontation, it is revealed that Charles is entirely innocent. The actual killer is his trusted friend, Henry Borchard, who has been using a combination of hypnosis to trigger Charles's blackouts and a horrific, hirsute cat-monster disguise (complete with top hat and tux) to frame him for murder. Marie ultimately saves the day by shooting and killing the monster.

Because the movie was directed by a Western veteran and shot over a brief 20-day schedule, critics often note that The Catman of Paris features an odd blend of genres. While it attempts a gothic horror atmosphere, it includes a classic bar-room brawl and a high-speed carriage chase that feel as though they were lifted straight out of a cowboy movie.