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The Ghost and Mrs Muir (1947)

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3 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

Apprentice work, comparatively speaking, not scripted by Mankiewicz himself (although he contributed), but still astonishingly characteristic in its airy philosophical speculations about the imagination and its role as a refuge when the salty ghost of a sea captain (Harrison) befriends a beautiful widow (Tierney) and intervenes to save her from the cad she is thinking of marrying. Leaning too heavily towards light comedy, Mankiewicz doesn't get the balance quite right, so that the tale of a romance tenuously bridging two worlds isn't quite as moving as it should be when reality ultimately reasserts its claims. A hugely charming film, nevertheless, beautifully shot (by Charles Lang), superlby acted, and with a haunting score by Bernard Herrmann.

Author: TM

Time Out Film Guide

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User reviews of this film

Donna said...

Posted on Jan 05 2010 18:26 A very "moving" film, comparable to "Withering Heights", only with one of my favorite leading men, Rex Harrison! The scenery was exceptional and Gene Tierney was certainly "up to form"...you must check out, "Leave Her to Heaven", esp. if you're a Tierney fan..what a performance!!!!

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David Fowler said...

Posted on May 18 2008 18:33 One of the most exquisite love stories ever made. Beautiful in all respects especially the cinematography by Charles Lang and most especially the gorgeous score by Bernard Herrman. The ending is one of the most profoundly lovely and moving in the history of the screen. Marred only by some occasionally clunky dialogue, which is virtually negliglble, this is yet another in the gallery of Joseph L. Mankiewicz' masterpieces. An almost perfect film. Truly magnificent in it's execution and emotion.

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JGG said...

Posted on Nov 25 2007 05:03 Charming romance. Rex Harrison has never been better,Gene Tierney is outstanding. The two together make one of the most incredible Hollywood romances. Wish they had made more movies together.

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