 In many of Wise's films, but especially in "Curse of the Cat People", the melodrama used a vulnerable child or childlike character to challenge a dark, adult world.Lewton promoted Wise to his superiors at RKO, beginning a collaboration that produced the notable horror film "The Body Snatcher" (1945), starring Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi.Wise identified the film as a personal favorite and its rave reviews also helped establish his career as a director.