Rating: 3.5/5
Pre-Hollywood blacklist Jules Dassin makes an unexpectedly charming comedy about restoring the honor of disgraced ghost Sir Simon de Canterville — Charles Laughton — by his descendant, the six-year-old heiress Lady Jessica de Canterville — Margaret O’Brien — and fellow Canterville, Cuffy Williams of the US Army Rangers — Robert Young
The US Army Rangers being at the castle seems like a Downton Abbey season 2 scenario. Much of the humor derived from working class American men trying to navigate British bourgeoise and customs. That and the dude from Hoboken just saying
It all adds up to American propaganda in the end — it takes the bravery of an American relative to save a cowardly family — but what do you expect from 1944 Hollywood?
Stray Thoughts;
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Starting your movie with a book of famous ghosts is going to get my attention immediately
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Charles Laughton riding up on a horse, the most hilarious mustache and shit-eating grin, being told he has to duel on behalf of his brother… his delivery of “what?!” made me laugh pretty hard
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Excellent use of “popinjay”, we don’t use that word enough
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The elder father — Reginald Owen — looks like god, his white beard falling down his face like a painting, the bags under his eyes yawning as though they’ve worked part-time for Atlas at holding up the earth
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They bricked Sir Simon in like a dang old Cask of Amontillado! And by his own father, no less. Brutal
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When the ghost first shows up, they boo him and tell him to scram, it’s pretty funny
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TIL “blue blood” once referred to being of British origin
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Sir Simon riding a bomb, what is this, Dr Strangelove?
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