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The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 7, age appropriate for kids over 9; suggested age 9.

  • Is it any good?

    5.0

  • Common Sense says

    Charming family classic is also thought-provoking.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 9 and Up

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Captain Gregg has a good many words to say about the inferiority of women. A married man aggressively woos a vulnerable widow.

  • Violence:

    Not an issue.

  • Sex:

    Not an issue.

  • Language:

    Not an issue.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.

What Parents Need to Know

This review of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) was written by Scott G. Mignola

Parents need to know that Captain Gregg has a good many words to say about the inferiority of women. Also, a married man aggressively woos a vulnerable widow.

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  • Families can talk about what makes a movie a classic. Are all old films classics? Why do you think this film is considered classic? Can you think of other classic films? What makes them stand the test of time? Can you think of recent films that you think will someday be considered classics?
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More on The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)

What’s the Story?

After her husband dies, Lucy Muir (Gene Tierney) heads for the English coast with her daughter (Natalie Wood) to rent a cottage overlooking the ocean. A surly sea captain (Rex Harrison) haunts the place, but once Lucy and the ghost get to know each other, Lucy's initial fear subsides and the two settle into a comfortable friendship. Captain Gregg remains a secret to all in the house but Lucy. Rather than have her leave when her inheritance runs out, the ghost comes forward with a proposition: he'll narrate, and she'll write the story of his seafaring life. The book's success allows her to buy the house, but what about these feelings she's developed for Gregg? Is it ridiculous -- is it even possible -- to love a ghost?
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Is It Any Good?

This classic 1947 romance will charm both adults and children with its notion that spirits, when properly understood, can be helpful, kind, and even lovable. The dead and rather salty sea captain uses typical scare tactics to rid his house of strangers, but only until he finds a tenant that suits him. Lucy finds living with a ghost more quaint than frightening. It's the evolution of this peculiar friendship that makes the movie so endearing, and something that even a skittish youngster can enjoy without suffering from eventual nightmares.

 

Director Joseph L. Mankiewicz steeps the story in atmosphere with the assistance of two Hollywood greats, cinematographer Charles Lang and Hitchcock composer Bernard Herrmann (Vertigo). Darkly romantic, with somber, thought-provoking moments, the movie is a far cry from the TV comedy series it inspired 20 years later.
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Movie Details

Studio: Twentieth Century Fox, Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Run time: 104 minutes
DVD release: 4/1/2003
MPAA Rating: NR

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