The Cat and the Canary (1978)

What would you do for a fortune?, 3 July 2005

A will is read in a big, old, dark house. The beneficiary can only claim the inheritance if she survives the night. Otherwise, the fortune goes to a secondary beneficiary who will only be named should the first beneficiary die. Anyone could be that secondary beneficiary - and someone is willing to kill to find out who it is.

The house is wonderful - lots of rooms and secret passages. I love a house with a sliding bookcase and that's exactly what you get here. The house creates a perfect setting for a murder mystery. Surprisingly, there is some pretty good atmosphere.

Much of the movie is meant to be a comedy and that's where The Cat and the Canary falters. Had it been played straight, it might have been more enjoyable.

The movie was directed by Radley Metzger. The fact that a porn director was able assemble a cast including Edward Fox, Olivia Hussey, Honor Blackman, and the wonderful Wendy Hiller is amazing. The fact that he was able to pull the whole thing off as well as he did is a miracle.

6/10