The Cat and the Canary (1939)

Director:

Elliott Nugent

Writers:

Walter DeLeon (writer)
Lynn Starling (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

10 November 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Who is THE CAT? His movements soundless, his approach unnoticeable, his vengeance swift! Who will feel his horrible, hairy grasp next?

Plot:

When an eccentric family meets in their uncle's remote, decaying mansion on the tenth anniversary of his death for the reading of his will, murder and madness follow.

Plot Keywords:

Night | Murder | Mansion | Cat | Eccentric

Cast

Bob Hope	...	Wally Campbell
Paulette Goddard	...	Joyce Norman
John Beal	...	Fred Blythe
Douglass Montgomery	...	Charles Wilder
Gale Sondergaard	...	Miss Lu
Elizabeth Patterson	...	Aunt Susan
George Zucco	...	Mr. Crosby, lawyer
Nydia Westman	...	Cicily
John Wray	...	Hendricks, guard
George Regas	...	Indian guide
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
William Abbey	...	'The Cat' (uncredited)
Milton Kibbee	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Charles Lane	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Frank Melton	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Nick Thompson	...	Indian Guide (uncredited)
Chief Thundercloud	...	Indian guide (uncredited)

Directed by
Elliott Nugent

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Walter DeLeon		writer
Lynn Starling		writer
John Willard		play

Produced by
Arthur Hornblow Jr.	....	producer

Original Music by
Ernst Toch		(as Dr. Ernst Toch)

Cinematography by
Charles Lang

Film Editing by
Archie Marshek

Art Direction by
Hans Dreier
Robert Usher

Set Decoration by
A.E. Freudeman

Costume Design by
Edith Head

Sound Department
Richard Olson	....	sound recordist
Philip Wisdom	....	sound recordist

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eugene Joseff	....	jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department
Andrea Setaro	....	musical advisor

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1939) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount (1947) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Bob Hope: Thanks for the Memories Collection)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (DVD-R Universal Vault Series)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

72 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Elizabeth Patterson played the role of Susan in both this and the first sound version of the story, The Cat Creeps (1930).

Quotes:

Mr. Crosby, lawyer:[Referring to Miss Lu's talk about spiritualism] Wait, wait! Stop all this, Miss Lu. Do you want to frighten these ladies out of their wits?
Fred Blythe:[Sarcastically referring to Aunt Susan and Cicily] Oh, there's not much danger in that.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Murder by Invitation (1941)

Probably the best version of the story

This tale of greedy relatives out to get a fortune had been filmed at least two times before Bob Hope took a crack at it, and the world is a better place for it.

Though not the perfect haunted house film, this is a very funny movie. One of the reason that this isn't perfect is that the wisecracks get in the way of the mystery, or if not the mystery, the suspense. Such is the danger of comedy thrillers, either its too funny so its not scary, or too suspenseful and the comedy destroys the tension at the wrong time, here its simply too much humor before it turns serious.

Fortunately here funny is good, so even if the suspense gets the short end of the stick, its still an enjoyable time at the movies. What more could you want, especially since it gives Bob Hope ample chance to do what he does best.

See this movie. Its a lot of fun. 8 out of 10.