La Voluntad del Muerto (lost Spanish-language version of "The Cat Creeps" pre-code mystery film; 1930)

Theatrical release poster

Status: Lost

La Voluntad del Muerto (in 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. 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.

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 Theatre in Santa Fé, Argentina on July, 1931.

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 (1931) a year later. 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 being shown at a cinema called Las Delicias

[[File:Voluntadmuertoposter.jpg|thumb|A release poster for the film