The Cat and the Canary

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Classic Horror Special

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We're finally into something altogether unfamiliar to me, which I didn't realize at first is one of the first horror comedies in existence. 'Abott and Costello Meet Frankenstein' (to be featured later this month) is often credited as the first commercially successful, but here we have one from the silent film era, and it holds up surprisingly well!

A rich, old man by the name of Cyrus West is shown being warn down by his prying relatives, comparing them to a bunch of cats surrounding a nearly defenseless canary, hence the title of the film. His relatives await his death so that they can grab some inheritance. However, he stipulates that his will waits 20 years to be read.

The 20 years pass, and his relatives arrive at his large, eyesore of a creepy looking mansion. The will is read, and Annabelle West (Laura La Plante) is the only family member to inherit anything, since she's the only one left carrying the family name. That is, if she is deemed sane. 

​If not, the money goes to someone else, along with some diamonds. The name of that someone is sealed within an envelope, which is picked up by a lawyer named Roger Crosby (Tully Marshall), but before it can be read, Mr. Crosby disappears. This begins to unravel a series of events that point to Annabelle being on the more unstable side of her sanity.

I actually quite enjoyed this one, and would happily add it to my list of recommendations that lie somewhere under the radar. I found with this one, you get a little bit of that "meeting at the mansion" cliche, used in movies like 'Clue' or 'And Then There Were None'. But it combines with a sort of haunted mansion vibe, as the ghost of Cyrus West is still known to be haunting his house.

This is actually a great title for horror comedy fans to take a look back on, to sort of see where things began. It adds a lighthearted creepiness to things, while up until this point, what I've seen has been pretty dramatic overall. It's not what you'd call a knee-slapper or anything, but the point is, it still plays with the concept much more than anything on my list I've watched so far.

It's one of the best titles on my list yet, and it's not even what you'd call a big name as far as these classics go. You may have heard of it before, but it's not on par with anything quite like 'Nosferatu' or 'Hunchback'. The music is enjoyable at atmospheric, and the acting is well done, using so many emotional expressions. I can also appreciate the way the title cards are done. When someone's in fear, it'll change to some kind of horror font, but while things are reasonably calm, it's pretty normal. I think it's the first time I've really seen font add to the mood of things. All in all, it's a fun time, and far too under the radar. Hopefully this review helps get it out there a bit more.

5/5

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