Making a Horror Film Out of “The Reading of the Will”

        “The Cat and the Canary”, initially done as a silent film in 1927 and then remade as a “talkie” in 1978, brings the subject of estate planning squarely into the horror film genre.   On a dark and stormy night, several relatives gather in an old mansion to hear the reading of the Will of Cyrus West, their very wealthy ancestor.  When the Will is read by his attorney, the old man reveals how much he despised his worthless next of kin.  As a result, his Will is structured in such a way as to inspire conflict among his potential heirs to see who will collect his fortune.  The heirs are locked into the mansion for the night during which strange, creepy people are roaming the halls.  Stay in your rooms and lock the doors!!

            For most people, the purpose of proper estate planning is to avoid conflict among your loved ones.  If Cyrus West came to me and said that his primary estate planning goal was to incite his heirs to plot to kill each other, I would politely send him on his way.  However, it does make for an entertaining, if unrealistic, movie.