The Gorilla premiered in Cleveland and Toledo, Ohio and in St. Louis, Missouri on November 5, 1927. It later opened in Los Angeles on November 17, 1927 and in New York on November 21, 1927. The film was remade as a sound film by First National in 1930 as The Gorilla (1930) with only Walter Pidgeon re-appearing in the film as a different character. The 1930 one is reportedly more close to the play than the original story. The story was adapted again by 20th Century Fox in 1939 again as The Gorilla by Allan Dwan and starring The Ritz Brothers . In the 1940s, there were discussions of a fourth version of the film, but nothing came of the project. The original 1927 version of the film is considered a lost film. Reception From contemporary reviews, the authors of American Silent Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Feature Films, 1913-1929 noted that "most critics felt The Gorilla, in addition to delivering a few scares, largely captured the zaniness of the play." The Chicago Tribune stated that the film had splendid acting and direction. The Harrison's Reports reviewer noted that scenes involving the gorilla on the roof would "take one breath away" while "the scenes that show the heroine coming face to face with the gorilla and swooning, being taken by the gorilla in her arms, are other scenes that will stop one's breath completely." Variety commented "Except in a few serious instances, the story is done in broad comedy. Sets are highly atmospheric. Effective direction by Santell." The New York Times opined "Excitement and amusement are linked in [the film] [...] but here are there, this film slumps into horseplay and silly stunts. Very much as if Mack Sennett had turned to Edgar Allan Poe's Murders in the Rue Morgue and decided to adapt it to the screen." Some reviewers, such as the Los Angeles Times noted the film's basic premise of an old man killed in a house full of his prospective heirs was not unlike that of The Cat and the Canary, with the newspapers specifically noting that the film was stylistically similar as well, declaring tha "there are some seemingly similar tricks of having the shadows over the building, the play of lights in the windows and odd camera angles." References Sources External links 1927 films 1927 mystery films American silent feature films American black-and-white films American