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 193740 featuring Japans first scream queen Sumiko Suzuki Here she plays Mitsue the possessive onnakabuki actress betrothed to apprentice shamisen player Seijiro When one day Okiyo a beautiful young girl of samurai class is led to Seijiros 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 Mitsues hairpin but returns from the grave to assist Okiyos younger sister Onui avenge her sisters murder