The Canterville Ghost
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Movie Reviews of The Canterville Ghost
Movie Review: Charming!
Summary: 5 Stars
Patrick Stewart does his usual stellar job of taking what could otherwise be an indifferent film, with really kindof a sappy script, and turning it into pure art. The breadth and depth of his talent amazes me ceaselessly, and in this vehicle he travels easily from the roar you could hear in the nosebleed seats at the back of the theatre, to moments of incredible intensity and intimacy. It's a sweet story, once you get past the almost inevitable Hallmark family interaction formulae; truth be told, I found myself moved nearly to tears more than once, and all because of Patrick Stewart's performance.See this movie if for no other reason; it's reason enough.
Movie Review: Patrick Stewart makes this production.
Summary: 5 Stars
I have seen a couple of other versions of The Canterville Ghost, but neither of the two can TOUCH this version with Patrick Stewart. As one who started in and loves Shakespearean acting, Patrick Stewart lends to the Ghost a sorrow-filled, yet hopeful mood... Choose this one of any version out there. You WON'T be disappointed!Movie Review: Excellent
Summary: 5 Stars
This movie is Wonderful! I love it! I am a huge Neve Campbell fan! She makes a great performance! It is a good film.Movie Review: A classic
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a classic story in true Oscar Wilde wit and flair. It's both hautning and funny. It's a fairy tale for all ages. In this story a young American girl helps to free the tormented spirit that haunts an old English castle. It's very well written and a beautiful tale for all ages.
Let me start by saying I LOVE Oscar Wilde. I LOVE his work. Love it. I've even pre-ordered the British DVD of Dorian Gray with Ben Barnes since it never had a US release and I trained my computer to be able to play region 2 DVDs. I know it's not very faithful to the books but it has to be better than the 2006 version that was badly acted and made Basil a woman and set it in the 1960s.
My two favourite works by Oscar Wilde are The Picture of Dorian Gray and the novella, The Canterville Ghost.
The plot of The Canterville Ghost is pretty straight forward. A very theatrical old ghost haunts a castle in rural England. Turns out he murdered his wife so he was starved to death and cursed. An American family moves into the castle and the story becomes a funny spoof of British propriety and American commercialism as the American family annoys the Hell out of the ghost trying to scare them away.
The ghost ends up befriending the teenage daughter of the family, fifteen-year-old, Virginia Otis. A prophecy is discovered:
'When a gentle girl can win
Prayer from out the lips of sin,
When a child gives up tears
And the barren almond bears,
When the silent chapel bell
Sounds the ghostly sinner's knell
Then shall the house be still
And peace shall come to Canterville.'
And needless to say Virginia helps the ghost, Sir Simon de Canterville, to move on. There's also a sweet little subplot where she ends up with the young duke whom lives near by. This subplot is expanded in the 1996 film adaptation. Many films leave it out all together. It's a simple story and very sweet though I do actually feel Patrick Stewart's version is a lot more sympathetic than his own book counter part whom at points didn't seem to regret killing his wife at all really and was a bit petty too. Though I do still love the book I ust feel Patrick Stewart added something to the character of Sir Simon de Cantervllle that originally wasn't there.
Movie Review: Best of Seven?
Summary: 4 Stars
There are at least seven versions of Oscar Wilde's THE CANTERVILLE GHOST out on DVD as of 2007. Can a slightly-dated, made for TV version really be worth your time and money? Can Patrick Stewart carry the title role as well as or better than Charles Laughton or John Gielgud?
YES!
The role requires the Ghost to be a Shakespearean and Stewart is a natural as the ghost of Sir Simon de Canterville, and Elizabethan Lord caught in limbo, ever regretting the involuntary manslaughter of his beloved.
Of course, the ghost encounters a modern American tenant of his manor. The daughter and her brothers discover that Sir Simon is more bluster than horror and set out to lift the curse.
Good supporting cast overcomes so-so production values. Good on-site locale helps.
A great follow-on to this DVD would be the classic 1930's campy drama 'The Ghost Goes West,' where a US grocery magnate buys a Scottish castle--with ghost, of course.
This version of THE CANTERVILLE GHOST has just the right blend of wit, romance, and pathos. Go for it!
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