The Bat is a three-act play by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood that was first produced by Lincoln Wagenhals and Collin Kemper in 1920. The story combines elements of mystery and comedy as Cornelia Van Gorder and guests spend a stormy night at her rented summer home, searching for stolen money they believe is hidden in the house, while they are stalked by a masked criminal known as "the Bat". The Bat's identity is revealed at the end of the final act. The play originated as an adaptation of Rinehart's 1908 mystery novel The Circular Staircase. Rinehart and Hopwood altered the story to prepare it for Broadway, including adding the titular antagonist.
Adaptations (2)
The Bat has been adapted into 2 films, from 1926 to 1959.
The Bat1926 · film · 86 min · dir. Roland West · IMDb ↗IMDb6.5A masked criminal who dresses like a giant bat terrorizes the guests at an old house rented by a mystery writer.
The Bat1959 · film · 80 min · dir. Crane Wilbur · IMDb ↗IMDb6.017%Mystery writer Cornelia Van Gorder has rented a country house called "The Oaks", which not long ago was the scene of some murders committed by a strange and violent criminal known as "The Bat". Meanwhile, the house's owner, bank president John Fleming, has recently embezzled one million dollars in securities and has hidden the proceeds in the house, but is killed before he can retrieve it.
