When I was one year old, Joseph L. Mankiewicz directed Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison (and a very young Natalie Wood) starred in a movie about a spirited widow who falls in love with the ghost of a sea captain. Set in the captain’s seaside cottage high on a bluff, it was wonderful – romantic but in a very modern way. His efforts to “haunt” her until she fled failed because she just didn’t scare easily — which made her very attractive to him (of course it didn’t hurt that she was Gene Tierney beautiful) and his gritty honesty and love of life enchanted her.
I can’t remember the first time I saw The Ghost and Mrs. Muir – it’s so much a part of me – and of memories of sitting up in the middle of the night, on the old sofabed in the room where the TV was, watching it with my sisters and a plate of pretzels and mustard — that it seems as much a part of me as they are. This morning at about 6, I woke up and found it just beginning on HBO.
What a joy for a Sunday morning! Fifty-nine years after this film was made, it’s more timely than many of the most modern of today; the woman so determined to be independent, the man who loves her loving her for that very quality. Of course there’s the rest – the almost disatrous marriage, the help the Captain gives her when she runs out of money – but basically they were two remarkable people on different sides of the veil – yet with more in common and more of a respect for one another than many film couples who are both alive.
So find it on HBO before the month is out or get ahold of it some other way. It’s a wonderful journey to a time and sense of place that valued love and respect between men and women (alive OR dead) and a perfect film to watch with someone you love – lover, husband, son or daughter. You’ll both be happy by the end of it — if a little weepy – and you’ll have so very much to talk about!
Tag: Movies
Sorkin and Sunshine (that ought to get your attention!)
Earned myself a media feast yesterday. I’d been waiting for weeks for my husband to go with me to see Little Miss Sunshine and he finally admitted that despite rave reviews from both of our sons he just didn’t want to go. So while he was at class last night I went. By myself. And had popcorn for dinner. Which of course added to the pleasure. But this film didn’t need any help. One of our friends told me she was laughing and crying at the same time; NOT laughing THEN crying and not crying from laughter but feeling both emotions at once. Boy do I get that.
If you live in a family you will love this film. If you’ve had someone you love drive you nuts with a crazy dream you’ll love it. AND if you know that, underneath, most families really do love each other and, when it’s really important – actually come through for each other – well – give it a try. In addition to a lovely story and script it’s so well-acted and directed that it’s effortless. How a couple of music video directors developed such calm, steady use of a camera I’ll never know. At the AFI theater, where I saw the film, the two of them offered an on-camera intro. They’re real grown-ups and pretty no-nonsense and that’s probably part of it.
BUT that’s far from the end of this happy day — last night got even better. If you did not see the debut of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip or get a preview DVD from NetFlix find find find someone who TiVo’d it and watch. Or go here and watch the premiere from the same link. This is going to be AT LEAST as good as the West Wing. Really. The characters are great, the writing is wonderful and the stories don’t go where you think they will. Whitford and Perry are just lovely, Amanda Peet very cool, ( and don’t we love seeing a woman network president? Yup, we do) and Timothy Busfield still playing a sweetheart. Then there’s Steven Weber playing a bad guy. How cool is that? From Wings to villainy?
Anyway it was a great night for popular culture and a real brain-feeder. Try for both. You’ll be glad.