The Cat o’ Nine Tails

When a break-in occurs at a secretive genetics institute, blind puzzle maker Franco Arnò (Karl Malden), who overheard an attempt to blackmail one of the institute’s scientists shortly before the robbery, teams up with intrepid reporter Carlo Giordani (James Franciscus) to crack the case. But before long the bodies begin to pile up and the two amateur sleuths find their own lives imperiled in their search for the truth. And worse still, Lori (Cinzia De Carolis), Franco’s young niece, may also be in the killer’s sights. Dario Argento’s sophomore feature—the second entry in his so-called Animal Trilogy—finds the filmmaker further refining his distinctive style and cementing his reputation as the master of the giallo thriller.

Starring James Franciscus, Karl Malden, Catherine Spaak