Movie – The ghost and Mrs. Muir

Movie –  The ghost and Mrs. Muir

Score : 10/10  

Year : 1947

Director:  Joseph L. Mankiweicz 

Country: USA

Language: English

Duration: 1h40

Writers: Philip Dunne I (screenplay) ; 

Josephine Leslie (eponymous novel under pseudonyme R.A. Dick) 

1900. Lucy Muir has been a widow for  a year. She needs a change of scenery and get away from her overbearing in-laws. She sets out to the seaside, where she decided to rent a cottage, in spite of her real estate agent's protests, and forms an unusual relationship.

This movie raises several questions which I'll let you discover through this strong, independent women that Gene Tierney portrays beautifully. Lucy is witty, sensitive and independent indeed. She has a lot of spunk that I really liked seeing, especially in an older movie. 

In spite of some evident misogynist characters, there are also many feminist statements made - and I really liked some beautifully written dialogues - poetic gems at times. 

I noted a certain creativity in the direction and pace, as well as a very different way of expressing the passage of time - and no, it's not a clock's movement... I want to let you see them for yourselves, as these scenes are also metaphors and serve great purpose in this movie.  

The casting was great - those who are supposed to be relatives look like they really could be. 

Aging characters was made very nicely, especially for Lucy. 

The costuming was elegant, with the exception of one scene with fur Lucy's in-laws wore. 

Otherwise, Gene Tierney (Lucy) had gorgeous costumes and the lighting showcased her beauty.

Although a character in the movie shouldn't normally have shadows, there was no technology to remove it back in 1947... so it's totally forgivable.  

There are bittersweet elements in this movie, offering a poetic tale and I can interpret some social commentaries through them. 

I also liked the sense of continuity and cycles, in spite of an actual ending to the movie - which sparks some imaginative sequels in my mind. There is a sense of epic repetition.

I can say that I have enjoyed it a lot, especially Lucy's personality and some evolution of characters. 

It also brought some tears to my eyes, as it moved me quite a bit. 

In short, The ghost and Mrs. Muir has sociopolitical feminist statements,  just not in your face. Lucy is a strong, independent woman, yet she is also feminine and I'm glad that she's not treated as a prop or a joke. 
It's bittersweet, it's very different especially for its period. 

I highly recommend! 

Cast[edit]

·        Gene Tierney as Lucy Muir

·        Rex Harrison as Captain Daniel Gregg

·        George Sanders as Miles Fairley

·        Edna Best as Martha Huggins

·        Vanessa Brown as Anna Muir (as an adult)

·        Anna Lee as Mrs. Fairley

·        Natalie Wood as Anna Muir (as a child)

·        Robert Coote as Mr. Coombe

·        Isobel Elsom as Angelica Muir, Lucy's Mother-in-Law

·        Victoria Horne as Eva Muir, Lucy's Sister-in-Law

·        Helen Freeman as Author displaced by Lucy (uncredited)

·        Stuart Holmes as Man ordered out of train compartment by the Captain (uncredited)

·        Whitford Kane as Mr. Sproule, the Publisher (uncredited)^[1]