The White Cockatoo

Great who done it movie. Didn’t expect the twists and ending of movie. Really enjoyed it and wish there were a million other movies like this one. Highly recommend! It definitely keeps your attention.

Except for one brief scene filmed atop a cliff overlooking the Pacific, "The White Cockatoo" was filmed in black and white entirely on Warner Bros. soundstages in 1934 giving it a claustrophobic feeling. However, this works perfectly to maintain that moody mysterious atmosphere in the famous film noirs of the 30s and 40s. Ricardo Cortez checks into a coastal French hotel run by a strange married couple. There he witnesses strange goings on in the hotel courtyard involving a white cockatoo, a stranger who is claimed was never there but is later murdered outside Cortez's room balcony, and Cortez chases the killer into the hotel lobby, where the owners swear no one came. Later Cortez meets Jean Muir who has been a hotel resident for a year since her mother died. She awaits her brother whom she hasn't seen since she was a toddler. Both have half a secret quotation to share to claim big bucks - if they survive to collect it. The title bird unmasks the killer making the entire cockatoo cocktail a delicious mystery that should satisfy fans of the genre and is based on a novel by the late great author Mignon G. Eberhart.

I personally find that black and white movies made are much more interesting since producers like Hitchcock could really set moods and bring you to understand thru shadows gloom or doom. It is certainly a fun movie and I'd rather watch film like these rather than those movies made today without character or subject that captivates your attention from the beginning.

One of the best murder mysteries I've ever seen.and one of the best movie purchases I've ever made !

This is a movie that has had little attention. There are so many villains it is hard to keep track. The good guy gets the girl, but this movie has so many twists and turns are fun to keep track of. And the cockatoo has a role to play, but a weak link in the story.

Fun little dark-house whodunit with a clever plot and a great cast of supporting players. Leading man Ricardo Cortez is excellent as usual, and the all-but-forgotten Jean Muir, who bears a striking resemblance to Gloria Stewart, does a nice turn as a damsel in distress. This one is way above average for a second feature.

Interesting suspense film starring Ricardo Cortez. He's worth watching the movie. True to the time there are obvious villains, mysterious weird types and fair and honorable damsels in distress.

I did like the film. The acting was good and the sets were atmospheric enough. Like many of the 1930s mystery films ("The Thin Man" films, for example), "The White Cockatoo" is convoluted and can be confusing if you're not paying close attention. You may have to watch it twice or backtrack to certain scenes in order for the film to make sense. Worth it though, if 1930s mysteries are something you enjoy.