La Voluntad del Muerto (lost Spanish-language version of "The Cat Creeps" pre-code mystery film; 1930)
Theatrical poster.
Status: Lost
La Voluntad del Muerto (English: The Will of the Dead) is a lost horror film directed by George Melford, alongside Tovar Ávalos and Jay Marchant and stars Antonio Moreno, Lupita Tovar, Andrés de Segurola, Roberto E. Guzmán, Paul Ellis, Lucio Villegas, Agostino Borgato, Conchita Ballesteros, María Calvo, and Soledad Jiménez.[1][2] The film is 87 minutes long. The screenplay was written by Baltasar Fernández Cué. It was released as La heredera de Mr. West (Mr. West's heiress) when exhibited in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1931.[3]
It was produced by Universal Pictures and it premiered on December 12, 1930 in New York and on November 16, 1930 in Costa Rica. The film was shown at the Empire Theater in Santa Fé, Argentina on June, 1931.[4]
This film is the Spanish-language version of The Cat Creeps, and both of them were shot simultaneously. Both films are presumed to be lost.
The original English speaking film was a talkie remake of the silent film The Cat and the Canary directed by Paul Leni, which in turn was an adaptation of the play by the same name written by John Willard.
It was one of Universal's attempts to reach the international market. Coincidentally, George Melford would direct the Spanish version of Tod Browning's Dracula a year later.[5] Melford's Dracula stars Lupita Tovar, who would play Anita in La Voluntad del Muerto.
Cast
- Antonio Moreno as Pablo
- Lupita Tovar as Anita
- Soledad Jiménez as Mammy
- Andrés de Segurola as Crosby
- Paul Ellis as Carlos
- Roberto Guzmán as Enrique
- Conchita Ballesteros as Cecilia
- María Calvo as Susana
- Lucio Villegas as Doctor
- Agostino Borgato as Hendricks
Gallery
Advertisement for the film made by cinema Las Delicias.
Another theatrical release poster for the film.
See Also
References
- ↑ Mucho más que cine: historia, literatura y arte en el cine en español y en portugués pgs. 67 and 71 Retrieved 20 Oct '22
- ↑ 22 Los Angeles Times newspaper mentioning of the film. Retrieved 20 Oct '22
- ↑ AFI listing of the film. Retrieved 20 Oct '22
- ↑ Santa Fé, Argentina government website mentioning the film's premiere at Empire Theater. Retrieved 20 Oct '22
- ↑ The Guardian article on the film. Retrieved 20 Oct '22