The Ghost Cat and the Mysterious Shamisen (怪猫　謎の三味線) 85 years old

The Ghost Cat and the Mysterious Shamisen

A quintessential example of the period "ghost cat" (bakeneko or kaibyo) movie, this was one of at least six such titles released by the studio Shinko Kinema between 1937-40 featuring Japan's first scream queen, Sumiko Suzuki. Here she plays Mitsue, the possessive onna-kabuki actress betrothed to apprentice shamisen player Seijiro. When one day Okiyo, a beautiful young girl of samurai class, is led to Seijiro's house by his lost cat Kuro, she becomes besotted with him. Dark jealous passions are invoked in Mitsue, which are intensified when Seijiro gifts Okiyo his precious shamisen. The cat is the first to suffer at the end of Mitsue's hairpin, but returns from the grave to assist Okiyo's younger sister Onui avenge her sister's murder.

Credits

Kinue Utagawa
Kinue Utagawa as Okiyo
Mitsuko Mori
Mitsuko Mori as Onui, younger sister of Okiyo
Junzaburo Ban
Junzaburo Ban as
Shôzô Nanbu
Shôzô Nanbu as
Eigoro Onoe
Eigoro Onoe as
Yôko Umemura
Yôko Umemura as Osen

The Ghost Cat and the Mysterious Shamisen Cast

Name Character
Kinue Utagawa as Okiyo
Mitsuko Mori She was 15, 88 years old when she died as Onui, younger sister of Okiyo
Junzaburo Ban He was 28, 71 years old when he died
Shôzô Nanbu He was 40, now 125 years old
Eigoro Onoe He was 32, 77 years old when he died
Yôko Umemura as Osen
Tokusaburo Arashi

The Ghost Cat and the Mysterious Shamisen Crew

Name Department
The Ghost Cat and the Mysterious Shamisen poster
The Ghost Cat and the Mysterious Shamisen (85 years)

  • Release day: Wednesday, November 02, 1938
  • Runtime: 85 minutes