The Canterville Ghost (1944)

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Fantastic!

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

The aloof Simon de Canterville accepts a challenge to combat for a slight against another noble. When Simon abandons the field to hide, Simon's father has him bricked into the masonry to die and remain and haunt the castle until a family member commits an act of bravery to remove the curse from the family name.Advancing through time, WWII is upon England and Canterville and the Mistress of the Estate is Lady Jessica de Canterville, age seven, who greets a U.S. Army unit garrisoned there to train for a mission. Charmed by her brief visit, the unit tries to get some sleep for a busy next day, but they receive instead the regular nightly visitor. Very much aware of Sir Simon is the young Lady Jessica, who soon meets up with him and talks with him as dearly as any niece and uncle. When learning that one American is a de Canterville, Simon tries to fix it so his kinsman is that saving hero, but trips up each attempt to make it happen. Disgraced and dejected he is about to be shipped out of the unit when danger presents itself in a large unexploded bomb and his unit is in danger. Ready to act, doubts creep in and delays until Lady Jessica arrives and courageously spurs him on!Laughs abound as ghostly and military antics can provide throughout. O'Brien and Laughton are perfect in their roles. The rest has to be seen to be fully enjoyed!

After watching it recently, my reaction to the film is mixed at best. On the plus side are the setting and atmosphere, the cast and acting - primarily of the three main characters Sir Simon - the Ghost, Lady Jessica and Cuffy). On the minus side - and to me it is a big minus, is the total departure from Wilde's original story. Even a film made during war era need not necessarily have soldiers and flag-waving. In the film, the only result of these departures, combined with the artificial ups and downs in Cuffy's behaviour, is to destroy the charm of the original story and convert it into an inane potboiler. However, the atmosphere and the acting do rescue it to some extent and make it possible to enjoy the film - though only after one decides to forget about Wilde.

Okay, I'm the first to admit this movie has almost nothing to do with Wilde's original story, but I can't help loving it. Like most versions of the story, this one is adapted for the time it was made in, so this one revolves around war and bravery. When I was eight years old I forced my entire birthday party to watch this movie and every year after they all always wanted to watch it. It's been a long time since I 've had a birthday party like that, but some of those friends have even gone out and bought the movie since then. We all had a little crush on Robert Young in this. Margaret O'Brian is fabulous sneaking around the Ghost's room and doing her bob of a curtsy. And of course Charles Laughton spitting in at the portraits of his cowardly kinsmen. The comedic timing is wonderful and there are great one liners. Best line: "I believe they call it woogie boogie".

This review is somewhat biased, as I am an avid Robert Young fan, and have yet to see him in a less than stellar performance. Margaret O'Brien is also splendid, and it is hard to believe so much talent projects out of a six year old girl. Charles Laughton is memorable in his fine delivery of both pathos and comedic skills.A highlight of the film for me is the music played by the G.I.s. at a local party. Music is classic 40's 8 to the bar, visually punctuated with awesome jitterbugging by the soldiers. A proper female British spectator comments to an incredulous priest, "I believe they call it woogie boogie." It is unknown what what the song title or who the recording artists may have been, however credits list original music for the film as provided by George Bassman.