The Cat and the Canary
The Cat and The Canary, Elliot Nugents 1939 horror, has a lot more comedy in mind than its silent Paul Leni-directed 1927 original or even the stage origins of John Willards original play. The laughs come mostly from Bob Hope, who stars in his first leading role as Wally Campbell; a golden-hearted feather-weight with a crippling case of cowardice. Its not a stretch for Hope or his classic brand of humour but, with enough good lines to top the bad ones, he proves a charismatic and lovable hero. Nicely, the writers and Hope work a sound amount of critical reasoning into Campbells character, making him a quick-talking deducer with a good knowledge of Mystery tropes. The result is a surprising self-awareness that removes much of the fatty material, the aimless meandering, seen in many Old Dark House films. Paulette Goddard makes a bold horror heroine, striding around the ancestral family manor with suitable aplomb, easily handling herself around a group of shady incestuous second cousins. Her and Hope make a great team, leading the film with a terrific chemistry and keeping the stakes high when each is isolated from the other. Interestingly Elizabeth Patterson, who plays Susan, played the same role in the 1930 adaptation The Cat Creeps, now unfortunately considered a lost film.- Scott Clark
Year: 1939
Genre: Horror Movies, Classic Comedy
Country: USA
Director: Elliott Nugent
Starring: Bob Hope, Gale Sondergaard, Paulette Goddard, George Zucco, Douglass Montgomery, John Beal, Elizabeth Patterson
Duration: 71 Minutes
Rating: PG - Violence
7.3/10
Location in store: Classic Comedy
AVAILABILITY
DVD AVAILABLE NOW!
Permanent Collection
For in-store pickup reservations please call 03 3650 615
ALICE ALSO SUGGESTS:
The Cat and the Canary (1927)
The Cat and the Canary (1978)
The Ghost Breakers (1940)
The Old Dark House (1932)
