The Canterville Ghost (1944 film)

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The Canterville Ghost
Directed by	Jules Dassin Norman Z. McLeod (uncredited)
Produced by	Arthur Field
Written by	Edwin Blum Oscar Wilde (story)
Starring	Charles Laughton Robert Young Margaret O'Brien
Running time	95 min.
Language	English
IMDb profile

The Canterville Ghost is a 1944 fantasy/comedy film directed by Jules Dassin. It starred Charles Laughton as a ghost doomed to haunt a castle.

[edit] Plot summary

In the seventeenth century, Sir Simon de Canterville (Laughton) cowers in the family castle to avoid a duel. As punishment, his shamed father has the doorway to his hiding place bricked up and curses his son to find no rest until one of his descendants redeems him with an act of bravery.

The film then moves forward to World War II. American soldiers are billeted in the castle, owned now by a young Lady Jessica de Canterville (Margaret O'Brien). Among the G.I.'s is Cuffy Williams (Robert Young), who by chance is also a Canterville. Together, the two meet and learn the fate of their ghostly ancestor.

When the crucial moment comes, Cuffy seems to be a true Canterville. When an unexploded bomb is found, he runs away. However, Lady Jessica persuades him to return, load the bomb on a jeep and take it away. With this courageous act, Sir Simon is finally freed from his centuries of bondage.

[edit] Remakes

Though never remade theatrically, The Canterville Ghost resurfaced in TV-movie form in 1986 and 1996.