IMDb > The Cat o' Nine Tails (1971)
Il gatto a nove code
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany credits
Awards & Reviews
user reviewsexternal reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guidemessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsmemorable quotes
Did You Know?
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
box office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

The Cat o' Nine Tails (1971) More at IMDbPro »Il gatto a nove code (original title)

Photos (See all 14 | slideshow)

Overview

User Rating:
6.6/10   4,427 votes »
Your Rating:
Saving vote...
Deleting vote...
/10   (delete | history)
Sorry, there was a problem
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 19% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Dario Argento
Writers:
Dario Argento (story) &
Luigi Collo (story) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Cat o' Nine Tails on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
21 May 1971 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Mystery | Thriller See more »
Tagline:
It's nine times more suspenseful! See more »
Plot:
A newspaper reporter and a retired, blind journalist try to solve a series of killings connected to a pharmaceutical company's experimental, top-secret research projects and in so doing, both become targets of the killer. Full summary » | Full synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
See more »
NewsDesk:
(11 articles)
Blu-ray Review: 'The Cat O' Nine Tails' (rerelease)
 (From CineVue. 1 April 2013, 4:32 PM, PDT)
Forgotten Gialli: It's A Poor Sort of Memory That Only Works Backwards
 (From MUBI. 5 September 2012, 1:04 PM, PDT)
New Images and an Update on Federico Zampaglione's Tulpa
 (From Dread Central. 24 February 2012, 4:23 PM, PST)
User Reviews:
A solid murder mystery. See more (58 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

James Franciscus ... Carlo Giordani

Karl Malden ... Franco Arno
Catherine Spaak ... Anna Terzi
Pier Paolo Capponi ... Police Supt. Spini
Horst Frank ... Dr. Braun
Rada Rassimov ... Bianca Merusi
Aldo Reggiani ... Dr. Casoni
Carlo Alighiero ... Dr. Calabresi
Vittorio Congia ... Righetto (cameraman)
Ugo Fangareggi ... Gigi the Loser
Tom Felleghy ... Dr. Esson
Emilio Marchesini ... Dr. Mombelli
Fulvio Mingozzi ... Spimi's man
Corrado Olmi ... Morsella
Pino Patti ... Barber
Umberto Raho ... Manuel's ex-lover
Jacques Stany ... Prof. Manera
Stefano Oppedisano ... Taxi driver
Ada Pometti ... Telephone operator
Walter Pinelli
Sascha Helwin (as Sacha Helwin)
Marie Louise Sinclair ... Film starlet (as Marie Luise Zetha)
Martial Boschero
Cinzia De Carolis ... Lori
Werner Pochath ... Manuel
Tino Carraro ... Prof. Fulvio Terzi
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Aristide Caporale ... Smoker in the Billiard Hall (uncredited)
Giovanni Di Benedetto ... Chief of Police Salmi (uncredited)
Margherita Horowitz ... Lori's Babysitter (uncredited)
Giuseppe Marrocco ... Man at Table in the Saint Peter's Club (uncredited)
Gennarino Pappagalli ... Man in the Terzi's Institute (uncredited)
Aldo Parenti ... (uncredited)
Franco Ukmar ... Policeman - Speaks with Morsella About Food (uncredited)
Create a character page for: ?

Directed by
Dario Argento 
 
Writing credits
Dario Argento (story) &
Luigi Collo (story) and
Dardano Sacchetti (story)

Dario Argento (screenplay)

Bryan Edgar Wallace  uncredited

Produced by
Salvatore Argento .... producer
 
Original Music by
Ennio Morricone 
 
Cinematography by
Erico Menczer 
 
Film Editing by
Franco Fraticelli 
 
Production Design by
Carlo Leva 
 
Costume Design by
Carlo Leva 
Luca Sabatelli 
 
Makeup Department
Giuseppe Ferranti .... makeup artist
Vincenzo Marchetti .... assistant makeup artist
Piero Mecacci .... makeup artist
Maura Turchi .... hair stylist
 
Production Management
Angelo Iacono .... production manager
Giuseppe Mangogna .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Roberto Pariante .... assistant director
 
Art Department
Romeo Costantini .... assistant set decorator
Franco Pedacchia .... assistant production designer
Lamberto Verdenelli .... property master
 
Sound Department
Luciano Anzellotti .... sound effects
Eugenio Fiori .... boom operator
Romano Pampaloni .... sound recordist
Mario Ronchetti .... sound
Massimo Anzellotti .... sound effects editor (uncredited)
 
Visual Effects by
Luciano Vittori .... titles & optical effects
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Roberto Bertozzi .... electrician
Roberto Brega .... camera operator
Arturo de Castelterlango .... first assistant camera
Rodolfo Flibotti .... gaffer
Giuseppe Gabrielli .... grip
Maurizio La Monica .... second assistant camera
Alberico Loreti .... best boy electric
Renato Mascagno .... first assistant camera
Ettore Migalizzi .... grip
Giovanni Migalizzi .... grip
Maurizio Migalizzi .... key grip
Firmino Palmieri .... still photographer
Franco Rachini .... electrician
Carlo Vinciguerra .... electrician
 
Editorial Department
Cesarina Casini .... first assistant editor
Sergio Fraticelli .... second assistant editor
 
Music Department
Bruno Nicolai .... conductor
 
Other crew
Carlo Du Bois .... administrator
Roberta Leoni .... production secretary
Bruno Ukmar .... gunsmith
Luciano Vittori .... title designer
 
Crew believed to be complete


Production CompaniesDistributors
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
"Il gatto a nove code" - Italy (original title)
"Cat o' Nine Tails" - UK (imdb display title), USA (dubbed version)
See more »
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
Spain:110 min | USA:112 min | Argentina:115 min | USA:90 min (cut version) | West Germany:32 min (Super 8-version in 2 parts) | Austria:114 min (Limited Uncut Integral-Version)
Country:
Italy | France | West Germany
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Italy:VM14 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video re-rating) (2005) | UK:18 (video rating) (1987) | UK:AA (original rating) | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG | Netherlands:16 | Finland:K-15 (2005) (uncut) | Finland:K-16 (1972) (cut) | Norway:16 (1972) | West Germany:18 (nf) | Germany:16 (re-rating) (2006) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | USA:Unrated (uncut) | Hong Kong:IIB
Filming Locations:
Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, ItalySee more »
Company:
Labrador FilmsSee more »

Did You Know?

Trivia:
Although it's one of his most successful films, this is the least favorite of Dario Argento among his pictures.See more »
Goofs:
Continuity: Early in the graveyard scene, as they are walking, the position of the actors changes between shots. In the side angle Malden has his left arm raised with his hand on Franciscus' right shoulder, in the angle showing them from the front, Malden has his arm down and Franciscus is gripping his shoulder.See more »
Quotes:
Carlo Giordani:Do you know how many people are together right now making love this very second?
Anna Terzi:No.
Carlo Giordani:780 on the average. Really.
[pause]
Carlo Giordani:I don't know if you're aware of it or not, but that was an invitation.
See more »
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Grindhouse (2007)See more »

FAQ

What are the differences between the old British VHS and the Uncensored Version?
See more »

User Reviews

   (Review this title)
8 out of 10 people found the following review useful.
A solid murder mystery., 11 May 2006
Author: AngryChair from Brentwood, USA

The second film from the great Dario Argento, following his excellent depute film Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970), is a lengthy but enjoyable thriller.

Reporter joins with a blind old man (and former-reporter) to solve the mystery of why someone is killing people involved with genetic research.

While granted Cat O' Nine Tails doesn't rank with Argento's earlier film (or his later ones for that matter) it is still an atmospheric and well-made giallo thriller that is worth a look. The mystery is a well-mounted one with some nice twists to be had. The roof-top climax and shocking conclusion is quite worth the wait as well! The direction is sleek and the music score of Ennio Morricone is beautiful.

Cast-wise the film is good as well, James Franciscus and Karl Malden steal the show though as an unlikely pair of investigators.

Most people don't rate this film as one of Argento's best, even Argento himself declares it his least favorite film, but Cat O' Nine Tails still deserves to be seen - if only by Argento fans.

*** out of ****

Was the above review useful to you?
See more (58 total) »

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Cat o' Nine Tails (1971)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
one of the most unusual bits of editing ever westsalemcongress
Most awkward lovemaking scene ever cozmogrl1-1
what the hell? splattaflix
anyone else think the fleeing from the police car chase scene... westsalemcongress
One of Argento's best plots? jbjorns
I heard Argento does not even like this film... is that true? NewJeruPoet
See more »

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage The Case of the Scorpion's Tail Black Belly of the Tarantula Giornata nera per l'ariete Torso
IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Mystery section IMDb Italy section

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Edit page' button will take you through a step-by-step process.