The Ghost and Mrs. Muir

The Ghost and Mrs Muir reunited the Dragonwyck lead actress Gene Tierney, and its director Joseph L. Mankiewicz for an even better film. The Ghost and Mrs Muir, while a little pretentious at times, stands out as one of the finest romance films of Hollywood's golden period, and an interesting and entertaining fantasy film to boot. Over four decades before Demi Moore fell in love with a ghost in the sentimental, sappy trash flick 'Ghost'; Gene Tierney was doing it in far better style with this film. As you might expect from a film that features a woman falling in love with a spirit; there's more than a few plot holes on display. However, the film has this great ability to make the audience believe in it - and that is mostly down to the fabulous performances from all concerned. The plot follows a widow who moves into a house by the sea in order to escape her meddling in-laws. She knows that the house is haunted before she moves in, but the idea of living in a haunted house fascinates her; and she's fascinated further when she finds herself falling in love with the ghost of the previous owner.

It has to be said that, with the characters, what you see is pretty much what you get. Gene Tierney, whom I'm becoming a bigger fan of every time I see one of her movies, is the headstrong widow - while Rex Harrison is the cantankerous seaman. The characters mostly bathe in their own traits, but this helps the film immensely as it means that it's their relationship that always takes centre stage, and that is the biggest draw of the film. The film is very romantic, but it never gets dull or sappy. The ending brilliantly shows the film in its best light, as it's as heart-warming and tragic as the film deserves. Aside from romance, there's a strong comedy element in the film - and the best is often made of that, most notably in the hilarious sequence that sees the in-laws visit our heroine's new house. One thing I love about old films is the way that they show how different things are nowadays - this is best shown here by the fact that, in one scene, Rex Harrison is told off for swearing; after saying 'blast'. Overall, this is an excellent and criminally under seen movie that comes with high recommendations!

If I may say so this film is one of the most haunting and lovely romances ever on screen - ghost and all. Once you step back in time into that prim, Victorian world it is hard to turn away. That's what makes for great movies.

Gene Tierney is perfect in her role as Lucy, a young widow, very strong-willed and with a mind of her own. She decides to leave the home and relatives of her late husband to find a new life of independence for herself and her daughter. She is shown "Gull Cottage" by an agent and is determined to rent the seaside cottage although it's known to be haunted by the ghost of a sea captain.

Eventually, once settled into her new surroundings, she is confronted by the apparition of Captain Daniel on a blustery stormy night. Their acquaintance does not get off to an easy start but he decides she can stay and won't trouble her with his houndings which would have ordinary people put to flight and making a hasty retreat. Her amusing exchanges with the captain, played by Rex Harrison, are a delight. I particularly liked her expressions which were corrected by him, such as: (she describes) sheets bellying in the wind, (he, correcting her) sails billowing; (she, in a flurry for him to be gone, asks him to) decompose, (he haughtily retorts) dematerialize, madam!

When she develops an interest in a certain outsider, Miles Fairley, suitably performed by that perennial ladies' man, George Sanders, well the captain becomes very annoyed and tells her, "I said you should see men, not perfumed parlor snakes," which I thought was amusing and a very apt description.

I think the overall tone of the story tends to confirm a universal belief in an afterlife form of existence, a conviction as old as mankind itself. However, in this story the emphasis gradually shifts to supplanting the experience of a ghostly dialogue exchange with that of a dream state as being the source of reality, in effect Lucy dreamed it all, even the writing of the book, which is something I would question but that's another matter.

The exquisite music throughout the film sets the mood beautifully in expressing the many changes varying from haunting, romantic atmosphere to frolicsome (when the captain is up to his pranks), as well as the churning turbulence of the majestic waves along the shore.

I've recently acquired the DVD and appreciate having the subtitles now which brings out more details of the dialogue. This is a very special movie one doesn't easily forget, and so well done, pure artistry on film.

I saw this movie for the first time when I was sixteen, now almost thirty years have passed and I still cry every time I think about the film. . My favorite image is the deteriorating pier with her daughters name carved into it...what a beautiful and sad way to convey the passing of time.I recently watched it again and the lump in my throat has not passed as of yet.So sad, So beautiful!

Lucy Muir, a widow of one year, decides to start life anew, with daughter and faithful housekeeper, in a cottage by the sea, despite the warnings by the real estate salesman that the house is haunted by the ghost of its former owner, a seaman, Capt. Gregg. After Mrs. Muir encounters the ghost, the two strike an eerie, yet deep relationship, which grows even more when Lucy, forced to earn the money for payment of the cottage, writes a book about the captain's sea encounters. When Lucy sells the manuscript, she meets and falls for a fellow writer, a relationship, which does not sit well with the housekeeper, the daughter, and especially the captain. Will Capt. Gregg have to roam again to find eternal happiness? A beautiful film from all standpoints, with brilliant performances by Tierney and Harrison, who play extremely well off each other with tender, humorous, and bickering encounters, and Sanders, who is as usual, his charming self. A touching and romantic ending set this film off as one of the all time great cinematic love stories. Rating, 9 of 10.

Delightful is the best word I can think of to describe The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. It's got everything - drama, comedy, romance, fantasy, good acting, solid direction, interesting cinematography, a beautiful score, atmosphere, nice sets, and a well-written script. It's taken me a while to finally get around to watching The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. From what some friends of mine (whose opinions I am now highly suspicious of) warned me that it was a sappy, sentimental movie and not my kind of thing at all. They couldn't have been more wrong. In short, it's very nearly a prefect movie.

While I could write pages about most every aspect of this film, I'll instead just mention a couple of areas that really stood out to me. First, the acting. Over the past couple of years I've become something of a Gene Tierney fan. I've still got a way to go see all of her films, but I sincerely doubt I'll enjoy her performance in anything as much as I did The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (and that includes Laura). I can't imagine anyone doing a better job of bringing life to Lucy Muir. It was easy to forget I was watching a character on a screen and not peeping into the life of a real person. Well done.

The second area I'll mention is the score. Bernard Herrmann's music fits every frame of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir flawlessly. The music adds immensely to the emotional roller coaster that is the plot. There are very few scores I would rate any higher than this one.