Cat People
Jacques Tourneur
USA – 1942Cast: Simone Simon (Irena Dubrovna Reed), Kent Smith (Oliver Reed), Tom Conway (Dr. Louis Judd), Jane Randolph (Alice Moore)
Screenplay: DeWitt Bodeen
Cinematography: Nicholas Musuraca
Production: RKO Pictures
Language: English, Czech, Serbian
Duration: 73 min
Color: Black and White

Synopsis: Irena Dubrovna, a fashion artist, has recently arrived in New York from Eastern Europe. She meets engineer Oliver Reed at the zoo, near the cages of the big cats, where she likes to work on her sketches. The two fall in love and get married despite Irena’s reservations. She has always felt different than other people, because of an ancient story of witchcraft from her homeland. The story tells that women from her village change into great cats whenever aroused by passion, anger or jealousy. In therapy, Dr. Judd, the psychiatrist, learns that, because of her superstitions, Irena is has always been afraid of falling in love. Her fears are put to the test when Oliver seeks solace from his distant spouse with co-worker Alice Moore. Beware the curse of the cat people when Irena learns that she may be losing Oliver to Alice!

Beauty and the Beast
La Belle et la Bête
Jean Cocteau, René Clément
France – 1946Cast: Josette Day (Belle), Jean Marais (La Bête – The Beast / The Prince / Avenant), Marcel André (Belle’s Father), Janice Felty (La Belle, singing voice), Gregory Purnhagen (La Bête / Avenant / Ardent / The port official, singing voice), John Kuether (The Father / The usurer, singing voice)
Screenplay: Jean Cocteau
Cinematography: Henri Alekan
Production: DisCina
Language: French
Duration: 96 min
Color: Black and White

Synopsis: Returning home late one night after finding out that he is destitute, a merchant takes shelter in a castle. As he leaves the next morning, he plucks a single rose from the garden, and at that very moment the master appears, a hideous creature that is half man and half beast. The Beast tells the merchant that he has a choice: to die or to send over one of his three daughters to live in the castle as his companion. Of the three girls, Belle alone offers herself in exchange for her father’s life in spite of his objections. Beast assures her that she will come to no harm. They meet daily at seven in the evening, only to dine together. Every day Beast asks Belle to marry him and she politely refuses. When her father falls ill, Beast grants her leave to go home. When she returns a few days later than promised, she finds Beast dying of a broken heart. The love that has grown between them leads to a magical resolution.

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
Les parapluies de Cherbourg
Jacques Demy
France – 1964 Cast: Catherine Deneuve (Geneviève Emery), Nino Castelnuovo (Guy Foucher), Anne Vernon (Madame Emery), Marc Michel (Roland Cassard), Ellen Farner (Madeleine)
Screenplay: Jacques Demy
Cinematography: Jean Rabier
Production: Parc Film Madeleine Films Beta Film
Language: French
Duration: 91 min
Color: Color

Synopsis: Act 1: in November 1957 sixteen year old Geneviève, who works in her widowed mother’s umbrella shop called “Les parapluies de Cherbourg”, and twenty year old Guy, a gas station mechanic, are madly in love and dream of getting married. Geneviève fears her mother will object, and besides, she probably already has someone with better prospects in mind; Guy worries about abandoning his ailing aunt. Act 2: in February 1958 Guy has been drafted to fight in Algeria and is expected to be gone for at least two years. Geneviève is pregnant, and rarely hears from him. Her mother urges her to accept a match with Roland Cassard, a diamond merchant who travels often but who is devoted to her whenever he is in Cherbourg. Geneviève still loves Guy but he is far away and Roland’s proposal may not last indefinitely. Act 3: in March 1959 wounded Guy is discharged and returns to Cherbourg. Wartime adversity has changed him, and he has to figure out what comes next. Geneviève has already married and moved away. He struggles with depression and anger, but eventually falls in love with Madeleine, a young woman who had been caring for his now-deceased aunt Élise. With his aunt’s inheritance, Guy fulfills his dream of opening a service station. Act 4: in December 1963, the story reveals what has become of our protagonists. Some years later, the conspicuously wealthy Geneviève, travelling with her daughter, Guy’s child, happens to stop at his service station. While the two have only a brief chat, there is much unspoken fondness and regret.