The Cat and the Canary

Released Sep 9, 1927

1h 15m

Mystery & Thriller

Comedy

List

93%

Tomatometer

45 Reviews

75%

Audience Score

1,000+ Ratings

The relatives of Cyrus West gather at his estate on the 20th anniversary of his death to hear the reading of his will. Annabelle West (Laura La Plante) is named the heir to Cyrus' fortune, under the condition that she is declared sane by a doctor (Lucien Littlefield). Later in the evening, the family is informed that a dangerously insane man known at "the Cat" is on the loose in the area. When Cyrus' lawyer (Tully Marshall) is found dead, Annabelle fears she is the next target.

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Critics Consensus

Bringing its sturdy setup thrillingly to life, The Cat and the Canary proves Paul Leni a director with a deft hand for suspenseful stories and expertly assembled ensembles.

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Anton Bitel

Little White Lies

With plenty of trickery and treachery on screen to match the inventive artifice of the film itself, this is a stylised succession saga of murder and madness, and a romantic melodrama with claws.

Apr 11, 2024

Full Review

Mordaunt Hall

New York Times

It is not only in actual cinematic effects that Mr. Leni's work is telling; there are sequences in the story which reveal his absolute command of the players.

Sep 29, 2022

Full Review

Mae Tinee

Chicago Tribune

Has chills, thrills, and excitement a-plenty to offer.

Sep 28, 2022

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Director Paul Leni does everything in his power to make the story pop, from the shot selections to the title cards.

Rated: 3.5/4

Apr 28, 2024

Full Review

Martin Unsworth

Starburst

Despite the familiarity of the story, this version still surprises and has some genuinely creepy moments.

Rated: 5/5

Apr 22, 2024

Full Review

Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

A riot of playful visual invention.

Jul 18, 2023

Full Review

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Zachary V

A campy, fun horror film that certainly doesn't take itself too seriously - think Scoobie Doo done as a silent picture.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

Full Review

andy f

After a dazzling opening few minutes, this fades into a rather tedious whodunit (or who's going to do it). There are far better silent movies from this period. Just a few years later The Old Dark House would show exactly how to do it!

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Boneyard L

This silent film is a pretty straightforward eccentric inheritance mystery whose main point of interest in the modern era is as a historical piece. The plot is straightforward and the ending is banal, but it uses some advanced film techniques for the time to accomplish a few visual special effects that work surprisingly well. Fans of the silent era will get much more mileage out of this one than general audiences. Closest comparison: It's like One Body Too Many (1944) by way of Frankenstein (1910). Setting: Mystery Plot: Inheritance Tone: Suspense

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/11/20

Full Review

Audience Member

Great acting and an interesting plot twist. The hidden figure's outreached hand is terrifying in this silent feature

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The best thrilling movie ever made!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Creaky but adorable.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

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Paul Leni

Director

Laura La Plante

Annabelle West

Creighton Hale

Paul Jones

Forrest Stanley

Charles Wilder

Tully Marshall

Roger Crosby

Flora Finch

Susan

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Synopsis

The relatives of Cyrus West gather at his estate on the 20th anniversary of his death to hear the reading of his will. Annabelle West (Laura La Plante) is named the heir to Cyrus' fortune, under the condition that she is declared sane by a doctor (Lucien Littlefield). Later in the evening, the family is informed that a dangerously insane man known at "the Cat" is on the loose in the area. When Cyrus' lawyer (Tully Marshall) is found dead, Annabelle fears she is the next target.

Director: Paul Leni
Production Co: Universal Pictures
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Comedy
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 9, 1927, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 8, 2017
Runtime: 1h 15m

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