Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 9786301586047
Format: Black & White
ISBN: 6301586042
Label: 20th Century Fox
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: 1991-03-21
Running Time: 104
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Theatrical Release Date: 1947-06-26

Joseph Mankiewicz's moody classic is less ghost story than romantic fantasy, a handsome 1947 drama of impossible love set on the picturesque turn-of-the-century New England coast. Independent young widow Lucy Muir (the luminous Gene Tierney), desperate to escape her uptight in-laws, falls in love with a grand seaside house and moves in, only to discover the cantankerous ghost of the hot-tempered Captain Gregg (a histrionically flamboyant performance by Rex Harrison). Lucy refuses to let the bombastic captain frighten her away, earning his respect, his friendship, and later his love. They team up to turn the captain's salty memoirs into a bestseller, but as his affection grows he fades away, leaving Lucy free to undertake a more worldly suitor, notably a charismatic children's author (George Sanders at his smarmy smoothest) with his own guarded secret. Charles Lang's melancholy black-and-white photography and Bernard Herrmann's haunting score set the tone for this sublime adult drama, and Tierney delivers one of her most understated performances as the resolute Mrs. Muir. Mankiewicz turns this ghost story into a refreshingly mature and down-to-earth romance. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Rating:
Summary: Delightful bittersweet romance
Comment: Unfortunately, when people think of THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR it's the insipid late 60s sitcom which starred Hope Lange and Charles Nelson Reilly that comes to mind, rather than this delightful film that inspired it. The movie, under the masterful direction of Joseph Mankiewicz, is a bittersweet romantic comedy, more haunting than actually haunted by the ghost in the title. Rex Harrison plays the ghostly Captain Gregg with the acerbic wit and charm he is noted for, but also with a tenderness that elevates the performance from merely good to great. Gene Tierney, who plays Lucy Muir, gives one of her best efforts (maybe second only to her tortured and torturing wife in LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN). Her remarkable physical beauty is matched by a warm spirit that is independent, yet fragile in it's need for love. Supporting roles by George Sanders as the cad who woos Lucy, and a very young Natalie Wood as her daughter, are all first rate. The moody cinematography and score are additional facets to this gem, and although the last 10 minutes of the film seem a bit rushed, the predictable, bittersweet ending, is perfect, and really tugs at the heart strings.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: My favorite movie of all time
Comment: As a child, then as a young woman, and now a middle-aged one with adult children- I have never enjoyed any movie more than this one. Everything about this movie touches my spirit every time I watch it. I think will continue to love and watch this classic for the rest of my life.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: Haunted? How Perfectly Fascinating...
Comment: And so begins one of the most romantic movies of all time. Certainly, THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR qualifies for a secure spot in the top ten. This tale of an impossible, yet enduring love is timeless, pure, and tender - a movie never to be forgotten, a movie to be watched again and again, especially with those you love.

The story of THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR is well known. A young widow, Lucy Muir, her daughter, and their housekeeper, Martha, move into a spectacular seaside house. The house is haunted by the previous owner, Captain Gregg, a curmudgeonly old sea captain who begrudgingly allows Mrs. Muir and her small family to stay. Eventually, Mrs. Muir and the Captain fall in love. However, Captain Gregg soon realizes that Mrs. Muir belongs in the world of the living, and he fades away, becoming only the memory of a dream. However, true love is immortal and lasts forever...

Gene Tierney is exquisite as Mrs. Muir. Her performance is luminous; she is genuine, stunning, and wholly real. Rex Harrison is wonderful as the grumpy old ghost of a sea captain. The two have real chemistry, and the unfolding romance is sweet and touching. The rest of this small cast, including a weasely George Sanders and a very young Natalie Wood, are all excellent in their respective roles; however, this film is all Tierney and Harrison.

The black and white cinematography is amazing. Robust and luminous, the play of shadow and the contrast of light and dark depict mood and tone in a manner not reproducible in color. The score by Bernard Herrmann, whose music sets the stage for the films of Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Wells, and Ray Harryhausen, is one of his best, perfectly setting the mood for this melancholy romance.

Experience this film with your family. Adults will sigh and hug at the purity of true, unconsummated love, and children will appreciate the ghost story. A treasured classic, THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR is a film for the ages. This is one I wish I could give 10 stars.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: Just okay
Comment: I'm sure that this was a good film at the time of its release. I found it a bit long and I was unimpressed by Rex Harrison--talk about over acting and big close up soliloquies that are syrupy sweet. There was nothing romantic about him. The side story with Mr. Fairley was about as transparent as it could get. The music was good. The last act breezes by at warp speed and it's just a little disconcerting to watch this woman just content to give up on looking for real love and settle for the day that she can truly be with the Captain again. A real Wuthering Heights sort of ending. Decent film but nothing to write home about.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: The Ghost and Mrs Muir
Comment: One of my all time favorites with Gene Tierney. A widow moves into a house and discovers it is haunted by a sea captain. He helps her write a book, then makes her forget him. it is a bit sad, but very entertaining.

---