The Cat and the Canary, Inheritance and Insanity

Today we have an Agatha Christie-type story.  This one even has a tinge (maybe, more of a tinge) of eroticism.  Brutal murder, comic wit, and love.  Even more important is a great cheese factor. Picture Carol Lynley, clad in a slinky negligee, in great peril. Picture Honor Blackman and Olivia Hussey as lovers. In a film in which everyone is a suspect, maniacal drama and bloody homicide rule the day.  Our film today is 1978's "The Cat and the Canary," directed by Radley Metzger.

Old geyser tycoon, Cyrus West (Wilfrid Hyde-White) dies...20 years ago. Pursuant to his will, his potential heirs are summoned for the reading of the will. He filmed himself reading the will. In the film, he announces who gets his fortune. There is a caveat.  His heir must not be insane...and must survive for the next 24 hours. The summoned cast features the lovely Annabelle (Lynley). No spoiler here...she's the rightful heir, if she can convince everyone she's not insane...and survives the night. Susan (Blackman) is a big game hunter and brings her sex toy, Cecily (Hussey) along with her to the mansion. Paul (Michael Callan) is the American who wants to be kissing cousins with Annabelle. Charlie (Peter McEnery) is the war hero. There are some more...not all will survive.

Surprise! Hendricks (Edward Fox) arrives. He is the head psychologist at an asylum for the criminally insane. He announces one of his patients, who thinks he is a cat, has escaped and is probably hiding in the mansion.  Annabelle immediately puts on a slinky nightgown and holds off the advances of Paul and Henry (Daniel Massey).  Then the executor is grabbed and horribly mangled by the escaped lunatic.  Uh oh...a secret passageway will allow the killer to enter Annabelle's bedchambers as she sleeps.  As a raging thunder and lightning storm rages, Susan and Cecily share passion, and the evil being makes a move for Annabelle.

Is Annabelle sane?  If she is, will she remain alive to collect her fortune?  Does either Paul or Henry have a shot at her?  Will a negligee clad Annabelle see to it to get into a catfight with either Susan or Cecily...or both?  Okay, that third question was gratuitous and in bad taste. For a bloody and erotic good time, with some very erotic fashion statements by Carol Lynley, see "The Cat and the Canary."