The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)

[9]

A young, lonely widow gains her independence by moving into a seaside cottage where she begins a supernatural relationship with the ghost of a crusty sea captain. As the two begin to fall in love, a flesh-and-blood suitor rivals for her affection. Time goes by and the woman begins to wonder if the old ghost was just a figment of her imagination.

As far as I’m concerned, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is the high-water mark in the careers of director Joseph L. Mankiewicz, stars Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison, and composer Bernard Herrmann. Mankiewicz integrates the fantastical elements of the story in a very unsophisticated but charming manner. Tierney, lit and photographed as beautifully as any woman has ever been photographed in cinema before or after, radiates with a charming innocence that is matched only my Rex Harrison’s playfully aggressive performance as the sea captain’s ghost. Mankiewicz allows them to carry the movie all on their own for long scenes at a time. The stars keep it prim, proper, elegant, and restrained. You don’t know how much you want them to stay together until the script separates them.

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir also features a wistful, unabashedly romantic score by one of cinema’s greatest composers, Bernard Herrmann. It would be one of the best movie romances ever with just the screenplay and performances, but Herrmann sends the film over the top, into truly magical territory.

Between the premise, the gorgeous seaside setting, the stars, the direction, Charles Lang’s Oscar-nominated cinematography, and Herrmann’s grand score, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir fires on every cinematic cylinder. And that’s before you even get to the ending — one of the most romantic and emotionally satisfying grand finales you’ll ever see.

With George Sanders, Edna Best, and young Natalie Wood.

Oscar Nomination: Best Black & White Cinematography