Question 1

Why is Basil Rathbone's character called 'Sherlock Holmes' in The Black Cat?

Accepted Answer

Broderick Crawford's line 'He thinks he's Sherlock Holmes' is a gag referencing Basil Rathbone's earlier roles as Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939) and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939).

Question 2

How did Orson Welles become involved with the cinematographer of The Black Cat?

Accepted Answer

Director Orson Welles was so impressed by Stanley Cortez's atmospheric lighting and angling in The Black Cat that he hired Cortez to photograph The Magnificent Ambersons (1942).

Question 3

What is the story behind Marlene Dietrich's cameo in The Black Cat?

Accepted Answer

Marlene Dietrich made a from-the-back cameo while visiting her then-boyfriend Broderick Crawford on set. She volunteered to fill in for Claire Dodd in a non-dialog scene after Dodd left the studio.

Question 4

How does the 1941 The Black Cat differ from the 1934 film of the same name?

Accepted Answer

Despite the same title, the 1941 film's plot has nothing in common with the 1934 film or the Edgar Allan Poe story. The 1934 film was a darker, more violent adaptation.

Question 5

Why was Alan Ladd's billing increased in The Black Cat?

Accepted Answer

Universal increased Alan Ladd's billing to take advantage of his fame following his hit Paramount film This Gun for Hire (1942).

The Black Cat

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