The Cat and the Canary

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The Cat and the Canary

1927

1h 15m

Mystery & Thriller

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

48 Reviews

76%

Popcornmeter

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.

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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David Mermelstein

Wall Street Journal

Oct 30, 2025

The film’s comedy won’t appeal to all tastes, but some will welcome the leavening effect it has on the movie’s more frightening aspects.

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Clayton Dillard

Slant Magazine

Oct 27, 2025

Paul Leni translates expressionism into an American register with such verve that The Cat and the Canary still appears visually distinctive today.

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Anton Bitel

Little White Lies

Apr 11, 2024

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.

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Kathy Fennessy

Video Librarian Magazine

Jun 29, 2025

4/4

Eminently enjoyable, wildly influential picture that marked the start of [Paul Leni's] brief, but brilliant English-language career.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Apr 28, 2024

3.5/4

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

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Martin Unsworth

Starburst

Apr 22, 2024

5/5

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

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Robert P

@Superbad Oct 4, 2026

The Cat and the Canary is a *4* star Movie!

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Zachary V

@RT80629691 Jan 24, 2023

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

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andy f

@RT81936104 Dec 29, 2020

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!

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Oct 26, 2019

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

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Thomas M

@TMProofreader Jan 27, 2019

The best thrilling movie ever made!

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Richard S

@IneffableJoy Oct 30, 2018

Creaky but adorable.

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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

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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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