Rent The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)
3.9 of 5 from 107 ratings
1h 39min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
Determined to make a life for herself and her daughter, Lucy Muir (Gene Tierney), a young widow, moves into a cottage overlooking the windswept English coast. She soon learns that it's haunted by the ghost of its former owner, a salty sea captain (Rex Harrison). But the Captain's effort to scare off his new tenant soon develops into a most unlikely love affair. When Lucy runs out of money, the Captain "ghost writes" a book for her based on his life story. Their publishing success, however, brings her the amorous attentions of a man who's still very much alive (George Sanders). Soon Lucy must decide between the pleasures of the spirit and those of the flesh, and the Captain must choose a course that may haunt him forever. - Actors:
- Gene Tierney, Rex Harrison, George Sanders, Edna Best, Vanessa Brown, Anna Lee, Robert Coote, Natalie Wood, Isobel Elsom, Victoria Horne, Helen Freeman, Stuart Holmes, Whitford Kane, Buster Slaven, Will Stanton, William Stelling, Houseley Stevenson, David Thursby, Heather Wilde
- Directors:
- Joseph L. Mankiewicz
- Producers:
- Fred Kohlmar
- Writers:
- Philip Dunne, R.A. Dick, Jacques Monteux, H.J. Peripo
- Others:
- Charles Lang Jr.
- Aka:
- The Ghost & Mrs. Muir
- Studio:
- 20th Century Fox
- Genres:
- Classics, Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Thrillers
- Collections:
- 10 Films to Watch If You Like: Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Films to Watch If You Like..., Top 10 British Actresses of the 1940s, Top 10 Films Turned Into TV Series, Top 100 AFI Passions, Top Films
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- Unknown
- Run Time:
- 147 minutes
- Languages:
- English DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 Mono, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
- Subtitles:
- English Hard of Hearing
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Full Screen 1.33:1 / 4:3
- Colour:
- B & W
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- (0) All
- Bonus:
- Commentaries by Greg Kimble and Christopher Husted
- Commentaries by Jeanine Basinger and Kenneth Geist
- Original Theatrical Trailer
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Reviews (1) of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
Gothic Fantasy (spoiler). - The Ghost and Mrs. Muir review by Steve
This is the kind of romantic supernatural fantasy which was popular just after WWII. It's set at the start of the twentieth century in England, Hollywood. Gene Tierney is a recent widow, and moves to a picturesque seaside town in order to find herself and escape her oppressive in-laws. There, Mrs. Muir meets the ghost of a sea captain (Rex Harrison) who narrates to her a best selling tale of the oceans.
Maybe in the years after the war, it was likely there would be an audience for a story about a bereaved woman who falls in love with a man who (probably) only exists in her thoughts. And about a widow who must find the strength to go on alone. There are many interesting themes on the subjects of loss, and also the creative process.
But mostly the film is a charming comedy-romance. Rex Harrison is engaging as the salty, barnacled sea-dog. The beautiful Tierney is extremely sympathetic as a woman searching for a second chance in life, which is sadly unfulfilled. When she seeks to re-engage with the world through George Sanders' decadent rake, she is badly let down.
Joe Mankiewicz creates a rich period atmosphere from his studio sets and the shadowy, expressionist photography. And there's a superb score from Bernard Herrmann. Sure, it's a sentimental tearjerker, but there is intelligence and craft too. The stars are wonderful together; they elevate the whole film and make you care, which makes the magical ending a real heartbreaker.
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.