The Canterville Ghost

1944
A
1h 35m

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

3.5K

YOUR RATING

Charles Laughton, Robert Young, and Margaret O'Brien in The Canterville Ghost (1944)

Play trailer1:47

2 Videos

13 Photos

Comedy Family Fantasy

The descendent of a ghost imprisoned for cowardice hopes to free the spirit by displaying courage when under duress.The descendent of a ghost imprisoned for cowardice hopes to free the spirit by displaying courage when under duress.The descendent of a ghost imprisoned for cowardice hopes to free the spirit by displaying courage when under duress.

Directors
- Jules Dassin
- Norman Z. McLeod
Writers
- Oscar Wilde
- Edwin Blum
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

3.5K

YOUR RATING

Directors
- Jules Dassin
- Norman Z. McLeod
Writers
- Oscar Wilde
- Edwin Blum
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win total

User reviews49

Featured review

8/10

An excellent comedy with heart tugging dramatic moments.

This review is somewhat biased, as I am an avid Robert Young fan, and have yet to see him in a less than stellar performance. Margaret O'Brien is also splendid, and it is hard to believe so much talent projects out of a six year old girl. Charles Laughton is memorable in his fine delivery of both pathos and comedic skills.

A highlight of the film for me is the music played by the G.I.s. at a local party. Music is classic 40's 8 to the bar, visually punctuated with awesome jitterbugging by the soldiers. A proper female British spectator comments to an incredulous priest, "I believe they call it woogie boogie." It is unknown what what the song title or who the recording artists may have been, however credits list original music for the film as provided by George Bassman.

timewing
Jul 18, 2005
Permalink

Trivia
The bomb that Cuffy and the ghost want to dispose of was known as a "blockbuster", so-called because it was so powerful it could demolish more than a dozen buildings i.e. a city block.

Goofs
While many German parachute mines with time delay dropped on England during World War II; but they weren't called blockbusters. The blockbuster was a type of bomb devised by the British. At first a blockbuster was a four thousand pound bomb; but later became an 8000 and then a 12000 pound bomb. They achieved these sizes by simply bolting two or three of the 4000 pounders together. They were called Blockbusters because it was calculated that they could destroy a city block.

Quotes
Sir Simon de Canterville: Excuse me, I really must gibber at the oriole window.

Connections
Featured in Cineficción Radio: Lo fantástico (2020)

Soundtracks
Bless 'em All
(uncredited)
Written by Fred Godfrey (1917)
Revised lyrics by Jimmy Hughes and Frank Lake (1940)
Additional lyrics by Al Stillman (1941)
Sung a cappella by the soldiers