For publicity at a nightclub, Kiki's manager Jerry Manning gets his hands on a tame black leopard for her performance. But it gets scared, and manages to escape into the small New Mexico town. The town becomes incredibly frightened, when one dead body is replaced with another each night and the evidence is pointing towards the leopard. Although Jerry doesn't believe it is the leopard doing the brutal killings, but someone using it to their advantage.<br /><br />"The Leopard Man" is another from the Val Lewton staple and it's probably his most unique one too. After directing the minor classics "The Cat People" and "I Walk with a Zombie", Jacques Tourneur returns with another successful stint in the power of suggestion with slick finesse and creepy atmosphere to boot. Tourneur's masterful direction carries the disjointed and fairly unconvincing screenplay by Adrel Wray. The interlocking structure that shifts back and forth between major and minor characters is an interesting (if ambitious) experiment for its time. While being well paced (since it just clocks over the hour mark), it plays more like separate little stories or set pieces to the bigger picture. This gave it an unpredictable pattern on who's going to get it next. This was achieved by the way chance-like camera-work sweeping across the screen onto different characters. Strangely enough the minor stories are far more interesting than the major one of Kiki and Jerry. The problem was I didn't particularly feel any sympathy for any of the characters (well, only the first victim) and the film's final revelation is rather flimsy and truly unfulfilling. Tourner likes to focus on the individually cold-hearted deaths with great skill and subdued intentions. The intensity he brings to the screen with great use of the camera, lighting, sound effects and the music score only added to the dramatic effect of each scene. This was enhanced by the hauntingly bone-rattling edge and eerily shadowy sets. He sure demonstrates some compelling patches that truly are blood curdling without the need of showering the viewer with too much detail. The first death scene is a perfect example. The performances are mostly fine from a fancy cast, if little underdone by Jean Brooks and Dennis O'Keefe. The problem is that they feel to glitzy than being down-to-earth folks. A zippy Margo definitely shines in her flamenco dancer role. Also floating by are sound turns from Ben Ward, Abner Biberman, Isabel Jewell, James Bell and Keefe Brasselle.<br /><br />What mostly keeps you involved with "The Leopard Man", is Tourneur's memorable touches and Margo's colourfully etched performance.