The Cat and the Canary (1927)
“The will is read at midnight... and the terror begins!”
Streamed free from the Internet Archive · no signup, no cost — this film is in the public domain.
Synopsis
On the night the late Cyrus West's fortune is finally bequeathed, his nervous relatives assemble in his cobwebbed old house, where the timid Annabelle is named sole heir — provided she is sane by morning. As secret panels slide open and a clawed hand reaches from the walls, paranoia and a possible maniac threaten her life. The cornerstone of the haunted-house horror-comedy.
Cast
About the Director
Paul Leni — German émigré Paul Leni brought full Expressionist technique to Universal, filling the mansion with crawling shadows, billowing curtains, and prowling subjective camera moves. His visual wit defined the "old dark house" template that horror and comedy would mine for decades.
Why It’s Free: The Public-Domain Story
Public domain in the United States by copyright expiration. A 1927 Universal Pictures production; all US films published before 1929 are in the public domain, and John Willard's underlying 1922 stage play has likewise passed into the public domain.
Behind the Scenes
Released by Universal in 1927 and adapted from John Willard's hit 1922 Broadway play, the film launched the studio's haunted-house cycle and is often called a cornerstone of Universal horror. It was remade several times, most famously as a 1939 Bob Hope vehicle.
Did You Know?
- Director Paul Leni's prowling camera and sliding panels established the entire "old dark house" subgenre.
- It is based on John Willard's 1922 Broadway hit, later remade with Bob Hope in 1939.
- Universal mounted the production as a prestige picture, years before its sound-era Dracula and Frankenstein.
Reception & Legacy
Regarded as a silent classic, the film is praised for Leni's dazzling visual style and its perfect fusion of chills and humor. Critics credit it as one of the most influential American horror films of the 1920s.
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