Public Domain Movies

Public Domain Movies

Classic Movies in the Public Domain

Menu
  • Home
  • Public Domain Movies list
    • Action movies
    • Cartoons
    • Comedy films
    • Drama movies
    • Film Noir movies
    • Horror movies
    • Propaganda films
    • Romantic movies
    • Sci-Fi movies
    • Thriller movies
    • Westerns movies
  • Subscriptions
  • Members
    • Sing up
    • Sign in
Home ∼ The Cat and the Canary, 1927 horror film

The Cat and the Canary, 1927 horror film

Published by PublicDomainMovies on May 19, 2023

The Cat and the Canary is a 1927 American silent horror film adaptation of John Willard’s 1922 black comedy play of the same name. Directed by German Expressionist filmmaker Paul Leni, the film stars Laura La Plante as Annabelle West, Forrest Stanley as Charles “Charlie” Wilder, and Creighton Hale as Paul Jones. The plot revolves around the death of Cyrus West, who is Annabelle, Charlie, and Paul’s uncle, and the reading of his will 20 years later. Annabelle inherits her uncle’s fortune, but when she and her family spend the night in his haunted mansion they are stalked by a mysterious figure. Meanwhile, a lunatic known as “the Cat” escapes from an asylum and hides in the mansion.

The film is part of a genre of comedy horror films inspired by 1920s Broadway stage plays. Paul Leni’s adaptation of Willard’s play blended expressionism with humor, a style Leni was notable for and critics recognized as unique. Leni’s style of directing made The Cat and the Canary influential in the “old dark house” genre of films popular from the 1930s through the 1950s. The film was one of Universal’s early horror productions and is considered “the cornerstone of Universal’s school of horror.” The play has been filmed five other times, with the most notable in 1939 starring comedic actor Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard.


Buy a subscription to watch this movie and hundreds more:

Ready to watch? Click to start your free trial.

Watch anywhere. Cancel anytime. Free trial.

Free trialMonthly SubscriptionYearly Subscription
Free$5/month$50/year

The Cat and the Canary (1927 film)
Posted in Horror movies Tagged 1927, Forrest Stanley, Laura La Plante, Paul Leni, silent movie
← Previous Next →

Public Domain Movies

Classic Old Time Movies in the Public Domain. Best Classic Films - Full Movies.
Ready to watch 400+ full movies? Click HERE to start your FREE trial.

Members

Sign in

Movie genres

  • Action movies (rss) (42)
  • Adult films (rss) (5)
  • Cartoons (rss) (68)
  • Comedy films (rss) (82)
  • Documentary & Animation (rss) (12)
  • Drama movies (rss) (79)
  • Fantasy films (rss) (17)
  • Film Noir movies (rss) (27)
  • Horror movies (rss) (31)
  • Musicals (rss) (22)
  • Propaganda films (rss) (25)
  • Romantic movies (rss) (20)
  • Sci-Fi movies (rss) (27)
  • Thriller movies (rss) (23)
  • Westerns movies (rss) (33)

Search movie database:

Top Movies

The Three Stooges: Sing A Song Of Six Pants, 1947
Cartoon: Superman in Electric Earthquake, 1942
Royal Wedding, 1951 starring Fred Astaire and Jane Powell
She Shoulda Said No!, 1949 exploitation film
The Musketeers of Pig Alley, 1912 first gangster movie
How To Succeed With Brunettes, 1967
Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women, 1968
The Dentist, 1932
Fear and Desire, 1953 - Stanley Kubrick's fist movie
The Wizard of Oz, 1925

Latest Movies

  • Here Comes Tobor, 1956 (serial) Pilot episode
  • The Three Stooges: Sing A Song Of Six Pants, 1947
  • The Dentist, 1932
  • Cartoon: Superman in Electric Earthquake, 1942
  • How To Succeed With Brunettes, 1967
  • Blondes Prefer Gentlemen, 1965
  • The Musketeers of Pig Alley, 1912 first gangster movie
  • Day Dreams, 1922 featuring Buster Keaton
  • A Woman, 1915 film starring Charlie Chaplin
  • Royal Wedding, 1951 starring Fred Astaire and Jane Powell

Follow Us

  • Telegram
  • Reddit
  • Mastodon
  • RSS Feed
  • Patreon
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Mastodon

Search

Secondary Menu

  • Home
  • Public Domain Movies list
    • Action movies
    • Cartoons
    • Comedy films
    • Drama movies
    • Film Noir movies
    • Horror movies
    • Propaganda films
    • Romantic movies
    • Sci-Fi movies
    • Thriller movies
    • Westerns movies
  • Subscriptions
  • Members
    • Sing up
    • Sign in

Copyright © 2023 Public Domain Movies.

Back to Top

  • Contact
  • Best Public Domain Movies
  • All the actors
  • Privacy & Cookies
We use cookies. With “Accept”, you consent to the use of all the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
SettingsAccept
Privacy & Cookies

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT