The Cat O'Nine Tails

IL GATTO A NOVE CODE

THE CAT O'NINE TAILS

D: Dario Argento

P: Salvatore Argento for Seda Spettacoli, Terra Filmkunst & Labrador Film//St & Sc: Dardano Sacchetti, Luigi Cozzi & Dario Argento//DP: Erico Menczer//E: Franco Fraticelli//M: Ennio Morricone//Art D: Carlo Leva

Cast: James Franciscus, Catherine Spaak, Karl Malden, Pier Paolo Capponi, Horst Frank, Tino Carraro, Aldo Reggiani, Rada Rassimov, Carlo Alighiero, Vittorio Congia, Ugo Fangareggi, Tom Felleghy, Fulvio Mingozzi, Umberto Raho, Werner Pochat, Cinzia De Carolis

A robbery takes place at the Terzi Institute. The next day one of the scientists confides to his girlfriend, that he knows who the thief is and what he stole. Blind, ex-reporter Franco Arno visits Carlo Giordani and asks him to look into the "accidental" death of the scientist who knew too much. When Giordani discovers the photographer, who took a photo at the scene of the accident, is murdered, he and Franco realize a killer is on the loose and he's most likely one of the scientist at the Institute. More deaths occur before they discover who the killer is and what his motives were.

Most critics feel Argento's second film was a step in the wrong direction. They sight the needlessly complicated plot, his passion for bullshit scientific theory, and the poor chemistry between Franciscus and Spaak. I'm not a big fan of the film, but even luke warm Argento still puts 90% of the other directors toiling in Giallo field to shame. One of the film's greatest strengths is Argento's use of camera movement. He probes every corner of the set and you can definitely tell he was headed in a direction that culminated in the photographic artistry of DEEP RED. The genetics subplot is more timely today than when the film was made thanks to the overwhelming number of CSI crap on TV these days. And while I agree that Franciscus and Spaak generate  no heat in their scenes together, the growing friendship and concern dispayed by Franciscus and Malden is definitely a high point for an Argento film when it comes to his work with actors ( Finally, a rare use of comedy by Argento occurs when he lets a blindman be the lookout when two characters are rummaging around a crypt.). Even little Cinzia De Carolis (who matures into a sexy Lolita character seducing John Saxon in CANNIBAL APOCALYPSE) develops a very warm and touching relationship with Karl Malden's character.