Classic Cinema Spotlight: The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)



The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) starring Gene Tierney as Lucy and Rex Harrison  as Captain Daniel Gregg was based on the 1945 novel written by Josephine Leslie under the pseudonym of R. A. Dick. It is defined at a romantic fantasy film as the lead characters are a widow and ghost who happen to fall in love with each other.

Lucy along with her young daughter Anna, moves into seaside home that is supposed to be haunted by its original owner. Lucy forges on and creates a life for herself and her daughter and then something happens. Lucy encounters the brash and arrogant ghost of Captain Daniel Gregg and instead of being spooked by him she confronts him and from then on they forge a strong bond and friendship.


I love this portrait of the Captain. If you ever wanted to know more about it you can read an interesting article I found HERE.

A very young Natalie Wood costars as Anna and  Edna Best as Martha Huggins, Lucy's maid and confidant. And lastly, the ever so fabulous George Sanders plays the the role of a  dashing writer named Miles Fairley who is married but tries to pursue Lucy anyway. Daniel tries to help Lucy in every way he can. He encourages her to write down the stories of his life and get them published in order to help her provide for Anna and keep her independent.

Towards the end of the film Daniel reaches out to Lucy while she is dreaming and tells her that he was never real. He does this out of love for her and in knowing that life is meant for the living.Years pass on and Anna is grown and Lucy is a grandmother. One day as she is passing on, Daniel comes and lifts her younger self from its body and off they go arm and arm to another life beyond.

This film is endearing and romantic as well as funny and unique. I say unique because the concept of a woman falling in love with a ghost can be portrayed and filmed in many unflattering ways but the cast and those behind the making of this film made it tasteful. In the 1960's there was show created by the same name. It is also available on dvd.

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4 comments :

  1. Oh I saw this film one gloomy day last winter when I wasn't feeling great, it cheered me right up! Tierney is always fabulous to watch. P x

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  2. I love this movie! It's one of those ones that sticks with you long after you've watched it and in the best way possible.

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  3. That would be my precise reaction, too "Haunted. How perfectly fascinating"). I've always loved a bit of mystery and the prospect of something supernatural occurring.

    ♥ Jessica

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