They recently said on TCM that while the movies had their share of early horror films, they didn't often have ghost stories, except for ghost stories of the comic sort. Since hearing that I've been trying to think of early ghost story films...and haven't been able to think of many at all.
If you like to be scared by ghost stories, this film will disappoint. It's not a thriller. I think of it more of a mystery set within a ghost story...and then there's a love angle, as well.
You might call this a very gentle, old-fashioned ghost story. But that's not to say it's not well done. It's actually executed quite well for its particular genre.
The relationship between Ray Milland and Ruth Hussey is an interesting one -- not romantic, but brother and sister; I guess it's a British thing (although, despite its setting along the English seaside and the feeling that it is a British production, this was an American film)! ;-) Milland and Hussey do very nicely here...as they almost always did; they were both very dependable actors. The romance here, however, is between Milland and Gail Russell, an actress who eventually died due to alcohol abuse; according to reports, she began her drinking while making this film! She was quite good...perhaps a bit tentative...but I enjoyed her performance.
One of my favorite character actors -- Donald Crisp -- is here, playing the gruff grandfather of Russell's character. It is he that knows the ghostly secret. It's a good role for him. The other interesting supporting actor here is Cornelia Otis Skinner...quite an interesting actress, but one I am not very familiar with since her work was more on the legit stage. Alan Napier plays the local doctor who strikes up a friendship with Milland and Hussey and is involved with the Crisp family as their doctor; he also becomes a mild romantic interest with Hussey here; a good character actor.
I guess ghost stories aren't supposed to be "charming", but that's what this one is. You hardly even see the ghost, except in a very few scenes where you are treated to a wispy white cloud. I enjoyed the film...3 times over several years...but it's not quite good enough to find a place in my DVD collection.
If you like to be scared by ghost stories, this film will disappoint. It's not a thriller. I think of it more of a mystery set within a ghost story...and then there's a love angle, as well.
You might call this a very gentle, old-fashioned ghost story. But that's not to say it's not well done. It's actually executed quite well for its particular genre.
The relationship between Ray Milland and Ruth Hussey is an interesting one -- not romantic, but brother and sister; I guess it's a British thing (although, despite its setting along the English seaside and the feeling that it is a British production, this was an American film)! ;-) Milland and Hussey do very nicely here...as they almost always did; they were both very dependable actors. The romance here, however, is between Milland and Gail Russell, an actress who eventually died due to alcohol abuse; according to reports, she began her drinking while making this film! She was quite good...perhaps a bit tentative...but I enjoyed her performance.
One of my favorite character actors -- Donald Crisp -- is here, playing the gruff grandfather of Russell's character. It is he that knows the ghostly secret. It's a good role for him. The other interesting supporting actor here is Cornelia Otis Skinner...quite an interesting actress, but one I am not very familiar with since her work was more on the legit stage. Alan Napier plays the local doctor who strikes up a friendship with Milland and Hussey and is involved with the Crisp family as their doctor; he also becomes a mild romantic interest with Hussey here; a good character actor.
I guess ghost stories aren't supposed to be "charming", but that's what this one is. You hardly even see the ghost, except in a very few scenes where you are treated to a wispy white cloud. I enjoyed the film...3 times over several years...but it's not quite good enough to find a place in my DVD collection.