XoWizIama Excellent adaptation.

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Humbersi The first must-see film of the year.

Hayden Kane There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Spikeopath The Cat and the Canary is directed by Radley Metzger who also adapts the screenplay from the play written by John Willard. It stars Honor Blackman, Michael Callan, Edward Fox, Wendy Hiller, Olivia Hussey, Wilfred Hyde-White, Carol Lynley, Beatrix Lehmann, Daniel Massey and Peter McEnery. Music is by Steven Cagan and cinematography by Alex Thomson.Ah the dark house murder mystery, sadly seeming now like a relic of our cinematic pasts. There are many to choose from for those of us who choose to go back in time and cosy up by a warm fire, with drink in hand, to involve ourselves in the standard plot formula of various folk getting bumped off by a scheming murderer during a short time period and under one roof. John Willard's The Cat and the Canary is a well mined source for such fun and fearful frolics, as of the time of writing, this 1979 version stands as the last attempt to transfer the play to the screen.There is nothing unduly bad about Metzger's movie, it's just that it is rarely inspiring either. The cast is well assembled, with one or two creaky performances aside, the mystery element holds strong, and period flavours are tasteful. But the mansion it's set in is too bright and un-threatening, it's overtly talky as a good hour is used to set up characters and plot dynamics, while there's a distinct lack of acidity in the script. Still, it's never less than fun, and for the innovative reading of the will segment alone this version is worth seeking out by those who decry the demise of the old dark house set mystery thriller. 6/10

BaronBl00d Boy! It took me quite some time to track down a copy of this film that I remembered seeing on HBO in the early 80's. I saw it then and remembered I rather liked the film as a small(OK not so small) young man. The film is obviously a remake of a film that has been done by the same title at least twice - really three times. Paul Leni's silent masterpiece from 1927. The Bob Hope version that is easily the most fun. Those two used the same title but John Willard's play was also used in 1930's The Cat Creeps. Let us not be naive; however, that this is it. The Willard ply has been the basis for any and all haunted house pictures since the 1927 version(The Old Dark House and James Whale owe it immensely). Creaky doors. Hidden panels. Masked killers. A will reading at night. A hand from a hidden panel. Eyes moving in pictures. All these and many more are due to the many versions of this wonderful play. Now, I digress with a brief history of the play to say that I do not agree with those that this film, the 1978 version, was unnecessary and trivial. Having just watched it again, I found it withstands the test of time rather well. Is it as good as the silent film or the Hope film? Probably not(definitely not the silent), but it is an enjoyable film nonetheless. The plot has been changed a bit here, but the general spirit is basically the same. What I do think is that this film clearly has the best acting. We get a nice array of British acting stalwarts: Dame Wendy Hiller as the lawyer Allison Crosby(Is it just me or did anyone else find her quite alluring in that well-tailored business suit?) I love Hiller's vocal intonations and think she is a might good actress and, even though she is an Oscar-winner, a generally forgotten actress. Anyway, she is in top form here. Then there is Daniel Massey playing what he plays best: irritating, gruffy, huffy-puffy men. Lovely, and I mean just lovely Carol Lynley. She looks like an angel in this film. She is an adequate actress as well and does a pretty good job with the comedic by-play she has with Michael Callan as the Bob Hope funny person. Callan desperately tries to be funny but mostly misfires. He is not horrible though. Honor Blackman and lovely Olivia Hussey(somewhat wasted I thought) play a "couple" in every sense of that word. Strangely I do not remember that at all in the 1927 or 1939 film versions. Spooky Beatrix Lehmann looks like she just walked out of her sarcophagus. She definitely has an air about her. Then we get Edward Fox chewing up the scenery in his small role as only he can, and Wilfred Hyde-White stealing the show, so to speak, as the deceased who talks to his relatives contemptuously through a film. He is always wonderful. The director Radley Metzger does a good job working with his cast(it is actually his screenplay being used here). Metzger uses his own vision for many things in the play - I mean he changes things quite a bit but the general spirit of the Willard play remains intact. There are some very creepy scenes from Hiller's body being found to the closing one with Fox, Lynley, and Peter McEnery. There is also a plethora of wonderful images from the icy vault that kept the secret films in tact for twenty years to the set pieces, costumes, etc... Producer Richard Gordon obviously used what financial resources he had well as this film looks very stylish. It is a stylish, fun film. Really its only real flaw was when it came out. Audiences were really not looking for stylish film in 1978. After all it was the dawn of the 1980's - what for me is the least stylish decade in all film history.

gridoon If drawing-room-type murder mysteries with a comic touch are your cup of tea, then you can't go wrong with this one. It's not as good as, say, "Murder by Death" or the best Agatha Christie adaptations, and there are some overly talky sequences that exist mainly to showcase the actors and lead nowhere. But it holds your interest, and has some very good acting, especially by Wilfrid Hyde-White in a most unusual cameo. (**1/2)

heedarmy This old theatrical warhorse gets another outing in what is (to date) the only colour version of a classic play.There are some pleasantly swish performances from a good cast and neat direction from Metzger. Film takes a while to get going but the last reel packs in the action.Wilfred Hyde-White's appearance on film is a nice touch and he even gets to "host" the end credits. But the best moment is Edward Fox's spectacular entrance and his scene-stealing thereafter : a moment to treasure, especially his delivery of the line "We're just up the road"! (It'll make sense when you watch it).