IMDb RATING
7.0/10
8.2K
YOUR RATING
A man and his second wife are haunted by the ghost of his first wife.A man and his second wife are haunted by the ghost of his first wife.A man and his second wife are haunted by the ghost of his first wife.
- Won 1 Oscar
- 1 win & 1 nomination total
Jacqueline Clarke
- Edith
- (as Jaqueline Clarke)
Marie Ault
- Cook
- (uncredited)
Noël Coward
- Narrator
- (uncredited)
Johnnie Schofield
- R.A.C. Man Directing Traffic
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWriter and director Sir David Lean and cinematographer Ronald Neame decided not to use double exposure to create Elvira's ghostly appearances. Instead, Lean created an enormous set that allowed Kay Hammond to move freely in each shot. Hammond wore fluorescent green clothes, make-up, and a wig, with bright red lipstick and fingernail polish. Each time she moved, a special light would be directed on her, allowing her figure to glow even in dimly-lit scenes and giving her an otherworldly appearance.
- GoofsAfter the séance, when Elvira first appears, she flops onto the settee by the fire. As her dress billows, it can be seen that the green ghostly makeup ends half-way up her leg, showing normal skin above the makeup line.
- Quotes
Charles Condomine: It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit.
- Crazy creditsThe voice at the end of the credits page that utters, "We are quite, quite WRONG!" is Noël Coward's.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Truly Miss Marple: The Curious Case of Margaret Rutherford (2012)
Featured review
Ectoplasmic!
I taped this from UK Channel 4 on 20th Dec '90 - it has a better soundtrack than the admittedly budget DVD from Carlton. The Technicolor is still sumptuous, clever and thought-provoking however and overall it doesn't need remastering - just turn the volume up! Noel Coward's witty play transferred to the ghastly green screen perfectly, in 1945 it was as wildly old-fashioned as "Brief Encounter" was in 1936 on stage as "Still Life". But same as that film and almost everything Coward did from the '20's to the '40's, it remains eminently watchable and a riveting experience.
Basically Rex Harrison's dead 1st wife is summoned back in a séance to the "real world" much to his and his 2nd wife's consternation. A marvellous cast mainly depicting erudite and splendidly eccentric English so-called "middle-class" - because they had to work for a living hence they were all highly paid working class - an amusing concept Coward would have violently and amusingly disagreed with. Margaret Rutherford takes the prize for the most eccentric performance as ever flailing never failing Madame Arcati the lively spiritualist. The dialogue is urbane, brisk and witty throughout, so a thorough knowledge of English language and English customs up to 1945 is essential to getting the most from this.
That can also mean that although it helps you don't have to be English and live in England to enjoy it. A previous non-blithe commenter with apparently no sense of humour from the UK displayed a complete non-understanding, non-interest and non-acceptance of anything British and must desire complete separation from anything to do with Britain - probably apart from the passport. What would the ghosts of 1945 say if they could come back today and realise that a classic such as this can be dismissed so negatively?
Basically Rex Harrison's dead 1st wife is summoned back in a séance to the "real world" much to his and his 2nd wife's consternation. A marvellous cast mainly depicting erudite and splendidly eccentric English so-called "middle-class" - because they had to work for a living hence they were all highly paid working class - an amusing concept Coward would have violently and amusingly disagreed with. Margaret Rutherford takes the prize for the most eccentric performance as ever flailing never failing Madame Arcati the lively spiritualist. The dialogue is urbane, brisk and witty throughout, so a thorough knowledge of English language and English customs up to 1945 is essential to getting the most from this.
That can also mean that although it helps you don't have to be English and live in England to enjoy it. A previous non-blithe commenter with apparently no sense of humour from the UK displayed a complete non-understanding, non-interest and non-acceptance of anything British and must desire complete separation from anything to do with Britain - probably apart from the passport. What would the ghosts of 1945 say if they could come back today and realise that a classic such as this can be dismissed so negatively?
helpful•5211
- Spondonman
- Jan 14, 2006
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Noel Coward's 'Blithe Spirit'
- Filming locations
- Denham Mount, Blacksmith's Lane, Denham, Uxbridge, Buckinghamshire, England, UK(Condomine House, exteriors)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $169
- Runtime1 hour 36 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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