The Ghost and Mrs. Muir

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir

The first thing that I found enchanting about this film is it's score. I have seen this film several times and never realized the Bernard Herrmann was behind this masterpiece of music. Herrmann was the music behind many Hitchcock films. In an interview Herrmann said that Mrs. Muir was his finest score. I disagree only a little, I feel his Vertigo score was mesmerizing. 

1947 The Ghost and Mrs. Muir hit the silver screen. Nominated for it's sole Best Cinematography Academy Award. Rex Harrison (My Fair Lady, Doctor Dolittle, Cleopatra) and Gene Tierney (Laura, Leave Her To Heaven, Heaven Can Wait) share a haunted love story set by the sea. A newly widowed (Tierney) decides to find a home by the sea. On a budget, she decides to move into a home that is haunted by it's prior owner, a dead sea captain (Harrison). 

Captain Gregg tries to play tricks on Lucy to get her to move out, after all a sea captain needs solitude. Lucy unshaken by the forceful gestures of the Captain, she comes to pursue a bargain with him. 

Lucy decides to write the memoirs of the Captain. 

In London Lucy visits a publisher that takes more interest in her than the Captain cares to entertain. 

The playful banter and chemistry is fun between the two. 

A ghostly love story of two people who seemingly met at the wrong time. Gene Tierney is exquisite, and Rex Harrison was deserving of a nomination for Best Actor. One of my favorite things is to watch Harrison's slow subtle way of falling in love with Lucy. The monologue he delivers at the end is spectacular. 

In 1990 20th Century Fox was close to remaking the film with Sean Connery and Michelle Pfeiffer. Poor box-office results of The Russia House led to it's demise. 

Some fun trivia is that this is one of the few films that doesn't intro with the famous trumpets and 20th Century Fox image. Instead we are introduced to our film through Bernard Herrmann's magical score. 

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is an old timeless romance film. 

I highly recommend if you haven't seen it, you need to. 

-Jason Traylor

-Editor@SS77