The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
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Movie Reviews of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
Movie Review: A Cinematic Dream
Summary: 5 Stars
Dreams are poetry wrote a French anthropologist. Cinema is that medium in which we can view dreams while awake. "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" is the rarest of films, one which reveals that while our deepest human aspirations may be spun from the same stuff that dreams are made of, such dreams are what give us our depth, our dignity, and our truest reality as individuals."The Ghost and Mrs. Muir," like all true art, is a perfect fusion of fantasy and reality. Lucy Muir, as portrayed by the luminous Gene Tierney, is one of cinemas' most enchanting characters. Ordinary in manner she radiates an exotic beauty at once ethereal and down to earth. An independent spirit who longs to transcend the stifling conventions of Victorian England, Mrs. Muir never quite manages to find what she is looking for within the confines of her social milieu. Her relationship with her daughter and her maid are enduring, but true love eludes her. Only with the spirit of a seaman named captain Greg who haunts her cottage does Lucy find true companionship. In the person of Rex Harrison, captain Greg is at once blustery and tender. Harrison's performance embodies virile masculinity, humor, and compassion. He is, in short, Lucy's ideal man. Too bad he is only a ghost, a figment of her imagination, a dream. But he helps her write her book, he sustains her spirit, and encourages her growth in ways no one else can. He is, of course, a jealous ghost, and when Lucy finds a flesh and blood man in the person of Miles Fairley as played by George Sanders, he departs. Sanders, with his mellifluous baritone and smarmy charm is tailor made to play the debonair cad that sweeps Lucy off her feet only to leave her in the lurch.
The entire cast is superlative, but the chemistry between Tierney and Harrison is something even a notch above that. Every aspect of this film is satisfying from Charles Lang's breathtaking cinematography (Oscar nominated) to Bernard Herman's haunting score. Fox has included a wealth of bonus materials that make this DVD an even better way to experience this wonderful movie. There are two informative film commentaries, six theatrical trailers (which include the trailer for "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir), a forty-five minute documentary of the life of Rex Harrison, and numerous production stills, photos, lobby cards, and posters. The film print itself is pristine and nearly flawless, displaying superb contrast in rich detail. Fox provides two soundtracks: a Dolby stereo mix which brings out the depth and detail of Herman's beautiful score, or the original mono soundtrack.
Nearly every one of the cast and principal filmmakers who brought this film to life have passed on (with the exception of the beautiful Anna Lee). But the art they created transcends them. This is a film about love's power to survive death. Perhaps only in Hollywood could such dreams come true. But to watch this magnificent film is to see a dream come true.
Movie Review: Love Can Transcend Death
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a gloriously charming romantic comedy/fantasy, that should be shared with everyone.
Gene Tierney gives a tender performance as the widow, Lucy Muir, who decides to leave the home of her stifling, controlling in-laws to make a new life for herself and her young daughter Anna (Natalie Wood). She chooses a seaside cottage, although she is warned not to take it, and when she visits the residence she finds out why she has been cautioned - the place is haunted by a grumpy sea captain, Daniel Gregg (Rex Harrison), who very much wants things his own way. Despite her delicate femininity, Lucy refuses to let Gregg intimidate her, and moves in. Their relationship, at first a bickering one, becomes one of mutual interest and it blossoms as Lucy (whom Gregg christens Luchia) finds that she is bankrupt and can't afford the house, so helps her write a novel based on his seafaring adventures. As they fall in love, it becomes very complicated, as he is a ghost and she is among the living, and when George Sanders' untrustworthy rake comes into Lucy's life, Gregg makes the painful decision to leave and tells Lucy as she slumbers that it was all a dream - she wrote the book, she dreamed him up, although there is regret as he takes one last longing look at her. Lucy resumes her life, having completely forgotten about Daniel, only to discover that her flesh and blood suitor has a wife and children, and Anna Lee shines brightly in her small role of Sanders' long-suffering but understanding wife.
As time passes, Lucy every now and then has a tinge of remembrance, but it's not until her now grown daughter (played by Vanessa Brown) comes home for a visit and talks of a handsome sea captain who engaged her in conversation when she was a little girl . . . . . . . .
Although she again dismisses it as a dream, Lucy appears to be serenely at peace, and time passes and she becomes elderly, she dies in her sleep in her favorite chair, only to be greeted by Daniel, who extends his hand to her, and her young and vibrant spirit exits the cottage with him . . . . .
I can't think of a lovelier ending for this movie, or a better revelation that young Anna also made Gregg's acquaintance. Bernard Herrman's score, somewhat echoing some of his work for Hitchcock, fits the story beautifully. You can't help but love Daniel's references to his monkey puzzle tree, and the sense of humor when he advises Lucy to tell her in-laws to "shove off!". Everything in the film echoes the influence of the ocean and its romantic associations - even the surname of "Muir" is symbolic, since translated from Gaelic it means the sea. I don't think that was a coincidence, and the fact that Gene Tierney was of Irish descent makes this film all the more perfect . . . . . . . . .
Into the sea of love divine, where it is no longer a dream . . . . . .
Movie Review: A Very Pleasant Ghost From the Past
Summary: 5 Stars
It is one thing to know that you are about to sit down and view something truly entertaining like "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir," but the right atmosphere helps, and the rain-pelted windows and storm-swept maples outside the window provided just that.
Gene Tierney shares the title role as Mrs. Muir who is recently widowed from her (not so) beloved Edwin (naturally) who has been living with her daughter under the prying eyes and domineering nature of her mother-in-law and sister-in-law. She decides it is time to leave and find a house by the sea, where she will take her houselady, Martha, and raise her daughter, Anna, played by Natalie Wood. They will live on the stipend her husband left her from a modest investment.
The realtor, Mr. Coombe, shows her listings while skipping over one. Mrs. Muir decides to read it, and insists on seeing the house against Mr. Coombe's persistent objections. The house is perfect even though, it turns out, it is haunted. "How perfectly fascinating" she tells Mr. Coombe.
Undaunted and unhaunted, Lucy Muir confronts the materialized sea Captain Greg, who quickly develops a fondness for her. When her mother-in-law and sister-in-law reappear (remember they're still alive) it is to inform her that her source of income has disappeared. (Sorry). They will take her, her daughter, and house lady back to London with them. The impatient captain, whom Lucy now calls Daniel and only visible to the one he fondly calls Lucia, quickly ushers the two women out. Not to worry, he says, she will write his story of life at sea, and that will keep her financial affairs from drifting on the rocks of pauperism.
The publisher is not the only one she meets in London. The other is a handsome smoothie played by George Sanders who captures Lucy's attention and very soon after, her affections to the dismay of her daughter, housemaid, and the sea captain who sees right through the man's character.
The captain visits Mrs. Muir one last time in her dreams to tell her that he will not interfere with her love. When she awakens, he assures a dreaming Lucia, she will not remember anything about him--ever.
It is years later, and her grown daughter visits with her fiance. Over tea they discuss the past. Did mum ever dream about Captain Greg as she had, she asks? She tells her mother how she remembers dreaming about him and falling in love with him. The look on Lucy's face tells her daughter that she knew the Captain in her dreams too. Lucy dismisses the notion. "How could we both have the same dreams," Anna asks. Lucy Muir tries, but cannot quite remember.
The rest would be telling you the end, but I guarantee you that you will never forget this story as long as you live.
Perhaps you will remember it even after that.
Movie Review: A favourite film
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Ghost and Mrs Muir" is the magical story of a widow, Lucy Muir, who rents a house by the sea and falls in love with the ghost of the former owner, a sea captain. The widow is played by Gene Tierney in possibly her best performance. For so much of her career, she was badly miscast but this is one film where her ladylike reserve is perfectly matched to the character she portrays. She is tender and haunting and particularly good as the middle aged Lucy Muir. Rex Harrison creates a robust, blustering and romantic Captain Gregg so they make a wonderful team. The house, the sea and above all, the memorable score, contribute to the magic. The theme of unrequited love resonates.
The film has generated much analysis over the years as a prototype of successful studio film making and an early example of the skill of its director. The DVD contains 2 commentaries with 2 commentators sharing duties on each track. The first is excellent focusing on the superb Bernard Hermann score and the technical aspects of the film. The second is more controversial. Janine Basinger falls into her usual trap of telling us what is happening on the screen as we watch. She states the obvious far too often. She shares duties with the obnoxious Kenneth Geist, author of, among others, a book on the director Joseph Mankiewicz. Geist clearly does not like the film. He notes that Mankiewicz fought with the screenwriter Philip Dunne who wrote the film as a timely romance with comic overtones. Mankiewicz wanted to make a Lubitsch like comedy and the matter was brought to Darryl Zanuck who backed Dunne. The fact that the film succeeds so admirably as a romance and has stood the test of time seems irrelevant to Geist! Geist is condescending about Tierney and ironically likes best the scenes with George Sanders, scenes in which Mankiewicz apparantly rewrote the dialogue. These are the scenes without Rex Harrison so Geist is in isolation because it is the relationship between Harrison and Tierney which gives the film its unique and timeless quality and not the much more conventional scenes with Sanders playing his tyepcast cad. Geist also suggests that the presence of Natalie Wood as Mrs Muir's daughter serves only to mark the passage of time in the film. He completely misses the point that Mrs Muir is a mother as well as a widow; hence her role as a responsible woman and not a frivolous flirt, particularly relevant in her relationship with Sanders.
The DVD print is good but not perfect which is surprising given the status of the film. There is an episode of Biography, always an interesting program, on Rex Harrison, stills from the sets and other promotional material. All in all, this is a comprehensive package of a classic film.
Movie Review: A Little Gem
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a fabulous film. The gorgeous Gene Tierney was born to play the widowed Lucy Muir--a young woman seeking personal fulfillment, as well as financial independence from her loathsome in-laws for herself and her young daughter, Anna (Natalie Wood). While house hunting, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to a seaside dwelling considered uninhabitable by its agent and, after taking up residence, falls in love with the spectral former owner, Daniel Gregg (Rex Harrison), a full-of-himself sea captain who hasn't quite come to terms with his accidentally having taken his own life. After helping Lucy to acquire financial security, Gregg unselfishly opts to make the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of his soulmate: concerned that she feels divided between his world and that of the living, he suggests to her while she sleeps that her recollection of their association, if any, is a dream and so it is until the film's climax. This tender, perfectly-cast love story is presented without the slightest trace of mawkishness under Joseph L. Mankewicz' direction and the performances are all stellar--George Sanders as Lucy's caddish suitor is particularly entertaining. Bernard Herrmann's appropriately haunting soundtrack is justifiably famous--one can detect the direction he'll take in his future work--and is available on CD from Amazon. It's entertaining on its own and definitely worth having.
The DVD is mastered from a good print and has nice, crisp contrast; the audio is fine, too. I haven't watched the film with the commentary, but the extras are nice and include an A&E Biography segment of the life of Rex Harrison, a theatrical trailer, and a collection of stills. Viewers are offered a choice of Spanish or French dubbing, as well as Spanish or English subtitles, and the menus are easily navigable. This film spawned a short-lived, late-60's TV show starring Edward Mulhare and Hope Lange in the title roles, as well as a condensed, made-for-TV production on Fox's Hour of Stars in the late 50's that has only recently resurfaced--it stars Michael Wilding and Joan Fontaine.
Kudos to Fox for staying competitive with the likes of heavyweights such as Criterion and Kino in their treatment of the classics in their catalogue. They provide quality (including nice keep cases as opposed to Warner's crummy cardboard "snappers") at very attractive prices and are clearly attuned to the public's expectations unlike, for instance, Universal. Fox has made it very easy on the wallet to own some of the finest movies ever made. [...]