The Canterville Ghost

The Canterville Ghost is a 1944 film that is at once a ghost story, a war film, and a comedy, and it doesn't always work. It is held together by a wonderful performance by Charles Laughton in the title role. It is directed by Jules Dassin, who would make much better films like Night And The City and Rififi, and would be exiled to Europe during the Hollywood Blacklist.

Laughton is Sir Simon de Canterville. At the outset of the film, he is called upon to duel for his family's honor. Instead, he flees, and hides in an alcove. His father, ashamed, has it bricked up, and curses him to roam the halls of the castle until a kinsman does a brave deed in his name. For three hundred years he waits, but the Cantervilles are a cowardly lot.

Cut to the present day. The castle is empty, except for the ghost, who is famous as a terror. The heir to the family name is a little girl (Margaret O'Brien), who is afraid of the ghost. The castle is lent to American troops, who see the ghost but humiliate him, revealing that he is more scared of them. 

Among the soldiers is Robert Young, who turns out to be a Canterville. So Laughton hopes he will do him his brave deed and free him from his bonds. Of course he will, but he does struggle with cowardice.

The film is okay, but a little disjointed. To have what is essentially a comedy then depict war scenes is a little jarring (also, the film rewrites history and has German troops on the ground in England). As long as Laughton as on screen it is a joy to watch. He tries to scare people in various situations, such as hanging himself or holding his severed head.

The film is based on a short story by Oscar Wilde, which I have not read. Obviously he did not include American troops.