Lucy Muir was a different kind of character: The woman reputation is self-computed, principled, and you may, compared with the lady ethereal seafaring love appeal, very, real
The brand new scenes in which Captain Gregg and you may Mrs. Muir write its book together with her are some of the extremely appealing during the the movie: Once the motion picture historian Jeanine Basinger highlights within her publication A good Female’s See: Exactly how Hollywood Talked in order to Women, 1930-1960, Head Gregg may represent a lot of things to help you Lucy – a powerful, able guy just who wouldn’t pass away due to the fact their partner performed, a comforting presence since she 
faces life alone – but mostly, the guy is short for their interest in a world liberty, financial and you will or even. “He is more or less the woman ‘male’ side, or one part of this lady that’s fearless and you will independent, intense and creative,” Basinger writes. “He urges the girl to help you well worth by herself.” No surprise there are not any real males – least of all the scoundrel played by the George Sanders – who measure up to your inside the Lucy’s vision.
Ab muscles younger – and extremely adorable — Natalie Wood along with tends to make a looks throughout the Ghost and you can Mrs. Muir, because the Lucy’s girl, Anna. This was only Wood’s third film, however, she had been a professional, while she try earned to possess an interview having Mankiewicz, she charmed your instantly. As Wood’s biographer Gavin Lambert writes, Mankiewicz questioned their when the she would comprehend “‘the entire script or the area.’ She searched very shocked, after that told him: ‘The entire program.'”
However, probably one of the most gorgeous and you can striking areas of The fresh Ghost and you can Mrs. Muir try Herrmann’s capturing yet surprisingly relaxing score. Herrmann 1 / 2 of-jokingly entitled it their “Maximum Steiner rating,” alluding for some of its a whole lot more melodramatic characteristics. However, predicated on Herrmann student Steven C. Smith, the author considered it “their better flick get: poetic, novel, extremely individual. It includes the newest substance away from his intimate ideology–his fascination with death, close ecstasy, together with gorgeous loneliness from solitude.” All of those cards exist when you look at the Herrmann’s rating, and you can hear another thing in it, too: The latest voice of the water, therefore the hold on a minute is wearing people, one another dead and alive.
Steven C. Smith, A heart in the Fire’s Center: Living and you can Music of Bernard Herrmann, College regarding Ca Drive, 2002
Cast: Gene Tierney (Lucy Muir), Rex Harrison (Daniel Gregg), George Sanders (Kilometers Fairley), Edna Most useful (Martha Huggins), Natalie Timber (Anna Muir as the a kid), Vanessa Brown (Anna Muir given that a grown-up)
Thomas Absolutely nothing
The latest Ghost and Mrs. Muir is a good poignant love story within a ghost facts, a motion picture away from loneliness and wanting also a triumph out-of versatility and you may a celebration regarding Lucy’s dedication so you’re able to, the very first time, real time her own lives unlike you to discussed by the others. Even if Mankiewicz try an effective screenwriter well before he went trailing the fresh new camera, the guy sends of a script compiled by Philip Dunne, several other screenwriting craftsman on twentieth 100 years Fox, and you can brings forth the strength of profile the new underlies the storyline. It is also an impressive piece of Movie industry workmanship, with every element of the film, off set construction and you will perfectly-selected urban centers toward Ca coast so you’re able to twice to have England in order to Charles Lang’s rich picture taking and you can Bernard Herrmann’s sensitive and painful rating, casting an enchantment across the motion picture. Mankiewicz prevents secret picture taking and you may special consequences, that helps turn the initial for example that our ghost much slower dematerializes for the dramatic and you may poignant get off. He transforms it ghost story for the an enchanting dream of impossible love, delivering a mature and you will down-to-environment bittersweet love which have a somber streak. Within just couple of years, however win back-to-right back Oscars getting A page to three Spouses as well as From the Eve , nevertheless the Ghost and you will Mrs. Muir are 1st lasting vintage.
Gene Tierney had already starred an excellent scheming temptress into the Get-off Their so you’re able to Paradise (1945) and her individual ghostly types of a dream girl in Laura (1944). Tierney is stunningly breathtaking right here – every one of these fitting-and-fluted period skirts suit this lady really. And it is always a pleasure to make note of this lady you to definitely marvelous drawback – you to charming overbite! The latest critic toward New york Minutes had written, “Gene Tierney performs Mrs. Muir as to what chances are can be entitled the woman traditional inexpressive build. She actually is a pretty girl, however, does not have any depth of perception because a celebrity.” Generally, he’s right, however, Tierney is among the most those individuals stars whoever really worth cannot be measured with regards to that which we generally telephone call ability: Simply basking within her radiance ‘s the entire section.