1927 American silent horror film adaptation of John Willard's 1922 black comedy play

The Norman Studios Silent Film Museum and the Hotel Indigo® Jacksonville will screen the 1927 silent murder mystery The Cat and the Canary at the next Silent Sundays event October 14, 4:00pm.

In a decaying mansion overlooking the Hudson River, millionaire Cyrus West approaches death - All the while driven to insanity by greedy would-be heirs who descend upon him like "cats around a canary”. In an infuriating move, West orders that his last will and testament remain locked in a safe, not to be read until the 20th anniversary of his death. As the appointed time arrives, the hopeful heirs again gather at the mansion, only to learn that a second will has mysteriously appeared. The newly discovered will names an heir, but includes a stipulation that proves all too tempting an opportunity. Questionable sanities, hidden passageways, a diamond necklace and news of an escaped lunatic donning a cat costume collide in this highly satisfying horror with a touch of humor credited with creating the pattern for the "old dark house" genre.

The Cat and the Canary is the film adaptation of John Willard’s 1922 black comedy play of the same name, directed by German-born Paul Leni, who recrafted the story into an expressionist film suited to an American audience. It stars Laura La Plante, a 1923 WAMPAS Baby Star, Irish-born Creighton Hale and popular leading man Forrest Stanley.

Jacksonville University's Tony Steve and the Silver Synchro Sounds will provide live musical accompaniment. Tickets are $5 and available at the door (cash or credit) and online.

Silent Sundays proceeds support efforts of the Norman Studios Silent Film Museum, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing public knowledge of Northeast Florida's early film industry and the preservation and restoration of Jacksonville’s only remaining silent film studio. The Norman Studios was among the nation's first to produce films starring all African American casts. Find out more at normanstudios.org.

Located on the lake in upscale Tapestry Park, the Hotel Indigo® Jacksonville is a boutique-style, lakefront property with interior design elements that recall Jacksonville's film history.