The Cat o' Nine Tails (Il Gatto a nove code)

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Movie Info & Cast

Director:

Dario Argento

Producer:

Salvatore Argento

Writer:

Luigi Cozzi, Dardano Sacchetti, Bryan Edgar Wallace

Runtime:

1hr 52m

Synopsis

A reporter and a blind puzzle writer investigate a series of murders connected to a pharmaceutical company conducting secret genetic experiments, and find themselves targeted by the killer.

Cast

  • James Franciscus
  • Karl Malden
  • Catherine Spaak
  • Pier Paolo Capponi
  • Horst Frank
  • Rada Rassimov
  • Aldo Reggiani
  • Carlo Alighiero
  • Vittorio Congia
  • Ugo Fangareggi

Letterboxd User Reviews

3.4
41.4K
23.0K
9.5K
RATINGS 24 FANS
3.4
  • Aug 31, 2018

    More discrete than its predecessor, Cat o’ Nine Tails has never been a go to giallo or Argento movie for me... at least that was the case ten years ago or so, and now I adore this movie—definitely my kind of moody euromystery jam... slathered in an odd eugenics plot, tense…

    395 Likes
    Ian West
    Ian West
    Feb 25, 2020

    Not one of Argento’s best, but he’s a god and I feel like if I rate it any lower than three stars, I’ll get struck by lightning, so yeah, don’t hate me my lord.

    331 Likes
    MJsays
    MJsays
    May 18, 2021

    #Giallo Argento keeps amazing me. He is able to mold his style within the tonal trio of crime–giallo–camp, and his combination never once feels off. He takes a more stern turn with The Cat o’ Nine Tails, showcasing that he is able to pull off a shadow-tinged crime…

    225 Likes
    Lara Pop
    Lara Pop
  •
    Oct 25, 2023

    Spooktober IV: Morte all'italiana The biggest achievement of this film, and what I will remember it for, is that it has maybe the best performances in an Argento film. Nothing Oscar-worthy, yet no one sounds wooden or tries too hard to seem convincing. The rest of…

    210 Likes
    Rafael "Mister Movie" Jovine
    Rafael "Mister Movie" Jovine
    Oct 13, 2026

    Despite a couple of gruesome deaths and some boobs, this felt like a PG-rated Argento, which really shouldn't be a thing. 🤔 Having said that, I really enjoyed it. Might even be perfect for a cosy Sunday afternoon watch with a cup of tea. 😁 No.42 In This…

    81 Likes
    Jazz10000
    Jazz10000
    Sep 16, 2021

    As usual with Argento, this is excellent whenever people are being murdered, and agonizingly boring whenever any two characters are talking. Luckily, the latter type of scene comprises a mere 95% of the absolutely satanic 112-minute runtime. Contains a great score by Ennio…

    160 Likes
    Will Sloan
    Will Sloan
  •
    Apr 11, 2023

    "The Cat o’Nine Tails" is an average crime thriller with some excruciating lengths. Typical Giallo elements are also (mostly) missing here, such as really explicit depictions of violence, sexual symbolism or many other genre-typical features.  Not a movie I would recommend,…

    147 Likes
    kat🕷
    kat🕷
    Oct 20, 2017

    Though this has a weird sci-fi plot about chromosomes that is a bit offensive, it's... too pulpy and ridiculous to take seriously, in a way that it's so blatantly obviously fictional that it kinda mitigates that. A little. It's still regressive and ignorant. But the film is…

    147 Likes
    Sally Jane Black
    Sally Jane Black
    Oct 3, 2026

    Such a fun giallo. Really liked the mystery and the whole investigation. The murder scenes were great and the creepy atmosphere worked really well

    93 Likes
    ItsMeShubham
    ItsMeShubham

Queue Community Reviews

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79%
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Top Reviews
  • Devin Traweek
    Devin Traweek liked
    The Cat o' Nine Tails

    Second installment in the “Animal Trilogy” This one’s a bit on the slower side but I still enjoyed it. Some really eerie music in some scenes

    3Y
    Car
    Car liked
    The Cat o' Nine Tails

    What a classic, I love it <3

    2Y

Atom Users Reviews

No one has posted a user review yet.

Metacritic

63
metacritic
Based on 5 Critics
5.7

USER SCORE (7)

Mixed or average reviews based on 7 Reviews
80

Flimsy plot (as usual for Argento) but stunning set pieces and camera work.

Metacritic review by Adam Smith
Adam Smith
Empire
88

Structurally and thematically, Dario Argento’s The Cat O’ Nine Tails is an improvement over The Bird With the Crystal Plumage, even if the film’s non-linear convolutions of plot may purposefully distract. Set against a backdrop of genetic research and espionage, Argento’s formal obsession with allusions to seeing and sightlessness is on fierce display.

Metacritic review by Ed Gonzalez
Ed Gonzalez
Slant Magazine

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is The Cat o' Nine Tails (Il Gatto a nove code)?
The movie is 1hr 52min long.
What's The Cat o' Nine Tails (Il Gatto a nove code) about?
A reporter and a blind puzzle writer investigate a series of murders connected to a pharmaceutical company conducting secret genetic experiments, and find themselves targeted by the killer.
Who's the cast of The Cat o' Nine Tails (Il Gatto a nove code)?
  • James Franciscus as Carlo Giordani
  • Karl Malden as Franco Arnò
  • Catherine Spaak as Anna Terzi
  • Pier Paolo Capponi as Police Supt. Spimi
  • Horst Frank as Dr. Braun
  • Rada Rassimov as Bianca Merusi
  • Aldo Reggiani as Dr. Casoni
  • Carlo Alighiero as Dr. Calabresi
  • Vittorio Congia as Righetto - Cameraman
  • Ugo Fangareggi as Gigi - Loser
Who's the director behind The Cat o' Nine Tails (Il Gatto a nove code)?
Dario Argento directed The Cat o' Nine Tails (Il Gatto a nove code).
Who produced The Cat o' Nine Tails (Il Gatto a nove code)?
Salvatore Argento produced The Cat o' Nine Tails (Il Gatto a nove code).