The Cat o' Nine Tails

I expected the worst from 'The Cat O'Nine Tales' because of its generally poor critical standing, but was pleasantly surprised by this intriguing and effective murder mystery. I must point out that I watched the uncut, undubbed original Italian version. I think this might be a factor in my reaction to it. I'm assuming that the American version is botched and that is the version most people have seen.

This movie isn't as flamboyant and eccentric as most of Argento's later work. The plot, though convoluted at times, actually makes sense, and there is a bit more character development that you normally expect. As much as I enjoy Argento's later surrealism he sometimes just goes too far e.g. the messy and downright silly 'Phenomena'. This movie is more controlled and conventional but still features some spectacular murders and has enough Argento touches to make it an above average giallo thriller. A very good, suspenseful mystery that holds the interest until the last (very memorable) sequence. Argento fans shouldn't overlook this one!

I just can't understand the editors of the "Maltin Movie and Video Guide" sometimes. How could they possibly give their lowest "Bomb" rating to 1971's "The Cat O'Nine Tails," for example, citing its "graphic gore and sex" and "bad dubbing"? The uncut DVD that I just viewed had hardly any gore at all, one very brief topless scene and was excellently dubbed (indeed, the main characters look to be speaking English). This is actually a very fine mystery thriller that should have received 3 stars from this often-dubious guide. In the film, a blind ex-reporter played by Karl Malden teams up with journalist James Franciscus to investigate a string of murders that takes place following a break-in at a genetics lab. The two make a fine and believable team, especially when joined by Malden's cute little niece (Cinzia de Carolis); I could have easily seen the pair continuing on to a crime-busting TV series of their own. Speaking of TV, this film often reminded me of old "Avengers" episodes, what with a crazed killer doing away with folks around a scientific institution while our heroes scramble to track him/her down. Of course, though, this is a Dario Argento giallo--his least favorite of all his films, he tells us in one of the DVD's many extras, but a very entertaining one from where I sit. The picture has a complex plot that takes many unexpected turns, involving genetic anomalies, garrotings, a visit to a gay bar, a double poisoned-milk tribute to Hitchcock's "Suspicion," kidnapping, blackmail, an insult contest, a very-high-speed car chase, grave robbing, death by locomotive and elevator shaft, and on and on. Ennio Morricone here delivers yet another superb score, alternating between a creepy childish lullaby of sorts and discordant, pulsating, arrhythmic jazz. The film also features some excellent dialogue and handsome production values. A bomb? Hardly!

Dario Argento has gone on record as saying that The Cat o' Nine Tails is his least favourite of all his own work. I was a bit surprised to hear that, although I must agree it's a flawed film. It's worth noting that, while it's generally regarded as something of a minor early work among his filmography, in his native Italy it remains his most popular video rental.

The Cat o' Nine Tails is a murder mystery thriller that strays far closer to classic Hitchcock and Agatha Christie than to Argento's own later works which focused heavily on extreme violence and/or the supernatural. While the "Ten Little Indians"-style whodunit plot has some clever, interesting twists and turns to keep you guessing, I did feel that Argento got rather bogged down in the mechanics of his plot at times. Also, at 112 minutes it's one of the only Argento films that slightly outstays its welcome.

Karl Malden is excellent as Arno, the blind crossword puzzle designer. I enjoyed his charming interaction with both his little niece Lori and sleazy investigative journalist James Franco. There's one strikingly tense set piece where Franco is trapped in a dark crypt. The film also has an amiably jaunty comic tone in places. Perhaps my favourite feature of the whole movie was the excellent musical score of Ennio Morricone. A jazzy prog-rock soundtrack that mixes bass, percussion and trumpets, it's probably the coolest, grooviest music in any Argento film before he began collaborating with soundtrack maestros Goblin.

All in all, The Cat o' Nine Tails is for me not quite as lively, memorable or inspired as Argento's strongest work, but it's still an entertaining and clever thriller that's well worth a look.

Okay, most critics even Argento lovers give this film poor reviews. I admit this is not his best work, but it's not a bad mystery Giallo film and I enjoyed it a lot. From the intricate plotting, to the impressive Argento style camera-work, and those trendy (circa 1971) sets this film is a winner. I saw this at the theater when it was released, as a teenager coming off seeing Bird W/ The Crystal Plumage 2 years before so I expected at least another stylish horror film. I got it black patent leather gloves and all. Argento himself said this is his most disappointing film. I disagree it delivered the goods in a well made, suspenseful, well plotted, never boring and good looking package. His worst film by far is the atrocious Phantom of The Opera (1998). Avoid that one. Although Cat O' Nine tails is no Suspiria or Deep Red, it still is a worthy addition to any Argento or Giallo horror film collection. I give it 8/10.

The former journalist Franco Arno (Karl Malden) is a retired blind man that likes crosswords and lives with his orphan niece Lori (Cinzia De Carolis) nearby the Terzi Institute. While walking with Lori on the street, he overhears a strange conversation of two men in a car parked in front of the institute and he asks Lori to watch their faces. In the same night, there is a break in the institute with an attempt of heist. On the next morning, the researcher Dr. Calabresi (Carlo Alighiero) dies in the train station and the police believe that it was an accident. However, Lori recognizes the picture of the scientist in the newspaper as one of the men in the car. Franco contacts the snoopy reporter Carlo Giordano (James Franciscus) and asks him to blow up the picture and examine the details. The photographer discovers that Dr. Calabresi was pushed off from the platform but he is also killed and the photograph vanishes. After their preliminary investigation, they find that the scientists are researching a revolutionary drug and a genetic experiment of XYY chromosomes associated to delinquency for the government and they conclude that there are nine leads to be followed: each of the five assistants of the institute (Dr. Calabresi; Dr. Esson; Dr. Mobelli; Dr. Casoni; and the gay Dr. Braun); the stepdaughter of Prof. Fulvio Terzi, Anna Terzi; the fiancée of Dr. Calabresi, Bianca Merusi; the missing photograph; and the robbery of the institute.

The suspenseful "Il Gatto a Nove Code" is the second film in the career of the director Dario Argento and despite the flaws, it is an entertaining conventional thriller. The association of Giordano with Arno is implausible; the unethical way that Giordano works, breaking in the residences is unacceptable for an experienced reporter; the one night stand of Giordano and Anna has no chemistry or eroticism; the car race of Anna is pointless; the edition of the accident of Dr. Calabresi is poor. But there are good moments, like the angles of camera in the stairways, or when Giordano brings two glasses of milk toward Anna. The deduction of Arno that Bianca has hiding the note in the watch in the necklace is unconvincing. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil) "O Gato de Nove Caudas" ("The Cat of Nine Tails")

Note: On 12 March 2016 I saw this film again.