The Ghost and Mrs. Muir

There are few movies that take me to my childhood as quickly as the Ghost and Mrs. Muir, starring Gene Tierney and Sir Rex Harrison (the same Sir Rex Harrison from My Fair Lady and the original Doctor Dolittle), and a very sweet Natalie Wood.

We must have had a total of five VCR tapes, and some of theme way back then were even dubbed copies of films. ahh, the early days of Pirating - for a fun little tangent... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeTybKL1pM4&feature=PlayList&p=492D1325DBF38988&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=2

But back on track....

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir was released in 1947, in lovely black and white, when Rex was at his peak of loveliness. don't believe me that the man who almost whispered the words to "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" could be lovely? Then look no further.

Set in the early 1900s, Gene Tierney plays a young widow, who like all of us I imagine,after her husband's death, determines to no longer be saddled by her in-laws. She takes with her her young daughter Anna, and the maid, and rents a house that no one else wants, because it's reuptation of being haunted.

And indeed it is haunted by its first owner the cantankerous Captain Greg. Cross the salty sea Captain, and the 'Modern' woman with refinement andjust enough gumption, and sparks fly, and romance brews.

This a classic, eloquent love story, where the main characters never kiss. The lack of physical contact does not cut down on the chemistry, tension or romance in the air. Nor does the story suffer in any way.

As I mentioned, this was one of the very first movies we owned. We owned both a dubbed copy, until we could find it legitimately recorded. And we wore both of those copies out. It was a standard at sleep overs, rainy days, and blizzards.

Years later when I saw it in a Borders, I knew it had to come home with me. (It came home with Seven Brides for Seven Brothers -one that shall also get an entry I am sure.) I put it in the next day, slighly fearful that I was remembering it through rose colored glasses, and that it wouldn't be as good as I had remembered. But it stands the test of time. It was still as beautiful, lovely and charming as it had ever been.

And I added Rex Harrison in his Prime to my Hollywood Dreamies List.

Watch it to teach your daughters what a real romance is. Watch it to remind yourself too :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpY7YmtvY_0 - the original trailer.