The Cat and the Canary

"The mystery thriller of the stage filmed with new effects!"

1927 1h 24m EN

👍

6.9

SOLID

★6.9TMDB · 89

ComedyHorrorMystery

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A group of potential heirs gather in a forbidding old house to learn which of them will inherit a fortune. Later, they learn that a flesh-rending maniac is loose.

“The mystery thriller of the stage filmed with new effects!”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

MGM+ Amazon ChannelSubscription

MGM Plus Roku Premium ChannelSubscription

Screambox Amazon ChannelSubscription

ArtiflixSubscription

Amazon VideoRent

Amazon VideoBuy

Cast

Laura La Plante
Annabelle West
Creighton Hale
Paul Jones
Forrest Stanley
Charles Wilder
Tully Marshall
Roger Crosby
Gertrude Astor
Cecily
Flora Finch
Susan
Arthur Edmund Carewe
Harry
Martha Mattox
Mammy Pleasant

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Paul Leni
Writers: Walter Anthony, Robert F. Hill, Alfred A. Cohn
Languages: No Language
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

84 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

99 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Paul Leni, shot by Gilbert Warrenton. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Hugo Riesenfeld. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Martin G. Cohn shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Laura La Plante and Creighton Hale and Forrest Stanley carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The mystery thriller of the stage filmed with new effects!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Paul Leni directs. Gilbert Warrenton behind the camera. Hugo Riesenfeld scores. Martin G. Cohn cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in No Language.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

184 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
299 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Paul Leni, shot by Gilbert Warrenton. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Hugo Riesenfeld. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Martin G. Cohn shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Laura La Plante and Creighton Hale and Forrest Stanley carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "The mystery thriller of the stage filmed with new effects!".
9IMDB entry: tt0017739 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 89 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
11Classified under 8 themes, including "haunted house", "based on play or musical", "last will and testament", "black and white".