i can not say anything other than the fact that i be highly disappointed . karloff ( usually pretty good ) and lugosi ( could be good ) be never great actor and be basically good at just one thing and look scary ( exaggeration ) . it will therefor be a bad idea to put them in a film that require them to have long dialog and show emotion . their supporting cast be also incredibly weak and at best they try to be theatrical . be do they find these people . luckily for them they can give the excuse that the plot and dialog be rubbish as well . there no real room for character development and it rush over everything . all thought of these people mental state be overlook . lugosi character want to kill karloff but wait and wait and wait even longer . the reason he give at first be that he doesn not want married couple put in danger but even when they be he just play along . a a matter of fact circomstances be the only reason why the wife isn not kill . at numerous point in this film i can not help but ask myself whether they be run out of film . not only be it just an hour long but they rush everything and just jump from set to set . also the movie never take the time to show detail the car crash and guy take one look and say the driver dead and all of them wander up without say or discuss anything . and why doesn not he kill karloff whenever he get the chance . because then the suspense would be over . oh and let mix in a satanic cult and then forget about them completely . oh and the brief comedic duo and give me a break and mildly amuse but hardly worth anything . this be so thin one could cry . and again back to the act represent look at how bela reacts to the cat or how be servant look when he first fall . and just look at the actor face and expression and etc . karloff servant for example . the direction be incredibly mediocre a well and there not too much atmosphere . he do try to play with shadow a little bit but he not too successful . he be also the one who could be blame be blame for the rushing . it like he doesn not want u to get to know anyone . this be clearly not a character drama ( no need for it to be ) and but we should get something . and why in the world call it the black cat . this be base on poe poem . bela see a black cat in two scene and it have a connection to satanism . it pretty clear to me that this be throw together extremely quick and be make only to make a few fast buck .