The Cat and the Canary (1978 film)

The Cat and the Canary
The Cat and the Canary
	Original film poster
Directed by	Radley Metzger
Written by	John Willard (playwright); Radley Metzger (screenwriter)
Produced by	Richard Gordon
Starring	Honor Blackman; Michael Callan; Edward Fox; Wendy Hiller; Olivia Hussey; Wilfred Hyde-White; Beatrix Lehmann; Carol Lynley; Daniel Massey; Peter McEnery
Cinematography	Alex Thomson
Edited by	Roger Harrison
Music by	Steven Cagan
Distributed by	Grenadier Films
Release date	November 1978;
Running time	98 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

The Cat and the Canary is a 1978 British mystery horror comedy film directed by Radley Metzger released in 1978. It is the fourth film adaptation of John Willard's 1922 black comedy play of the same name, following the versions from 1927, 1930 and 1939.

Plot

On the 20th anniversary of his death, the remaining relatives of Cyrus West (Wilfred Hyde-White) are called to his mansion to view the filmed reading of his will. Cyrus lets it be known how much he despised and loathed his kin by setting up a dogfight for the fortune and revealing that Annabelle West (Carol Lynley) is to be the sole beneficiary. However, to claim the inheritance, Annabelle must spend the night in the house with the rest of the family and be deemed sane the next morning.

A doctor from the asylum up the road, Dr Hendricks (Edward Fox), arrives and informs the guests that a homicidal maniac has escaped and is hiding out in the area. With a history of insanity in the family, a mansion replete with secret rooms and corridors, and "The Cat" murderer on the loose, the night becomes a tale of gruesome murders, suspense, and, ultimately, revelations.

Cast

Actor	Role
Honor Blackman	Susan Sillsby
Michael Callan	Paul Jones
Edward Fox	Dr. Hendricks
Wendy Hiller	Allison Crosby
Olivia Hussey	Cicily Young
Beatrix Lehmann	Mrs. Pleasant
Carol Lynley	Annabelle West
Daniel Massey	Harry Blythe
Peter McEnery	Charlie Wilder
Wilfrid Hyde-White	Cyrus West

Notes

According to one film reviewer, Radley Metzger's films, including those made during the Golden Age of Porn (1969–1984), are noted for their "lavish design, witty screenplays, and a penchant for the unusual camera angle".^[1] Another reviewer noted that his films were "highly artistic — and often cerebral ... and often featured gorgeous cinematography".^[2] Film and audio works by Metzger have been added to the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City.^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]

References

^ Gallagher, Steve (August 7, 2014). ""This is Softcore": The History of Radley Metzger". Filmmaker Magazine. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
^ Simpson, Claire (October 2, 2013). "Adults Only: 5 Films By Radley Metzger". WhatCulture.com. Archived from the original on May 24, 2015. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
^ Rist, Ray C. (January 4, 1974). Book - The Pornography Controversy: Changing Moral Standards in American Life. p. 124. Retrieved February 29, 2016. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
^ Lehman, Peter (2006). Book - Pornography: Film and Culture. p. 9. Retrieved February 29, 2016. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
^ Staff (2016). "Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) - DadaBase Search Results - Radley Metzger". Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Retrieved February 29, 2016.
^ Staff (March 4, 2017). "Obituary Of The Righteous - The Porn Of The Fabulous 60s And 70s Loses One Of Its Pioneers And Masters: Radley Metzger - Photographer Of War, The MOMA Presents A Retrospective: His Erotic Films Made History - Video: 'Score', On The Relationships Of Couples Of The 70s, In An Uncensored Version". DagoSpia.com. Retrieved November 12, 2019.

External links

The Cat and the Canary at MUBI (related to The Criterion Collection)
The Cat and the Canary at IMDb
Template:Amg movie
The Cat and the Canary (1979) [complete film (01:30:40)]

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[FM-20140807-1] Gallagher, Steve (August 7, 2014). ""This is Softcore": The History of Radley Metzger". Filmmaker Magazine. Retrieved May 23, 2015.

[WC-20131002-2] Simpson, Claire (October 2, 2013). "Adults Only: 5 Films By Radley Metzger". WhatCulture.com. Archived from the original on May 24, 2015. Retrieved May 23, 2015.

[RCR-19740104-3] Rist, Ray C. (January 4, 1974). Book - The Pornography Controversy: Changing Moral Standards in American Life. p. 124. Retrieved February 29, 2016. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)

[PL-2006-4] Lehman, Peter (2006). Book - Pornography: Film and Culture. p. 9. Retrieved February 29, 2016. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)

[MoMA-2016-5] Staff (2016). "Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) - DadaBase Search Results - Radley Metzger". Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Retrieved February 29, 2016.

[DG-20170304-6] Staff (March 4, 2017). "Obituary Of The Righteous - The Porn Of The Fabulous 60s And 70s Loses One Of Its Pioneers And Masters: Radley Metzger - Photographer Of War, The MOMA Presents A Retrospective: His Erotic Films Made History - Video: 'Score', On The Relationships Of Couples Of The 70s, In An Uncensored Version". DagoSpia.com. Retrieved November 12, 2019.

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v t e John Willard's The Cat and the Canary (1922)
Films	The Cat and the Canary (1927) The Cat Creeps (1930) La Voluntad del muerto (1930) The Cat and the Canary (1939) The Cat and the Canary (1961) The Cat and the Canary (1978)
Related	The Last Warning The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case