apart from it classic murder sequence ( particularly the first with it bloody pay off ) and this one have an original and audacious structure ( criticize at the time because it be not understood ) with the narrative following minor character every once in a while and veer off into seemingly unrelated subplots a half century prior to tarantino would be seminal pulp fiction ( 1994 ) and but also luis bunuel the phantom of liberty ( 1974 ) . dennis okeefe be a wonderful lead a the sleuth figure while in fact and the film be actually more of a thriller since the murder do not have a basis in the supernatural ( a be the case with the previous two lewton or tourneur collaboration ) . though jean brook be ostensibly the heroine and margo be give more screen time and her role be a lot more interesting represent her performance a the doomed artiste frequently resort to her fortune teller friend isabel jewell and who unfailing turn up the death card . be quite move . james bell underplays his pivotal role a the museum curator or animal expert ( which be similar to the brief doctor part he essay in i walk with a zombie [ 1943 ] ) while also fine be abner biberman a the owner of the escaped leopard and who black out during his frequent drinking binge and think he may be the murderer . the small town atmosphere be brilliantly capture on a studio set ( mar only by some corny element in the script intend to accentuate the local color and such a the over use of margo castanets to the point where they even become a motif or the birthday song deliver to the second victim of the titular creature and # 8230 while but and especially and the infuriatingly stupid mother of the little girl who bully her innocent and fearful daughter to an early grave . ) while the outdoor climax and then and be give an added touch of strangeness by take place in the midst of a procession head by a group of caped villager . curiously and both the leslie halliwell and leonard maltin film guide give the running time a a mere 59 minute while however and the two time i have watch the film and it always be by way of the full length 66 minute version . william friedkin audio commentary be a good listen and despite his tendency to describe the on screen action ( though almost always accentuate by his own interpretation of event ) while this be his favorite among the lewton horror and and in fact and it very much underrate among fan but and personally and i love it immediately .