The Ghost and Mrs. Muir

1947 romantic drama

Rating: 12/20

Plot: Mrs. Muir, a widow, moves into a pretty house on the shore despite the pleas of her befuddled in-laws. The former owner and soul currently residing in the house, the ghost of a saucy seaman, visits frequently to boss her around and growl saucy nothings into her ear. There's more sauciness (piles and piles of sauciness!) as she ghost writes an autobiographical novel. Then a real flesh 'n' blood jackass who, like L.L. Cool J. and Sir Mix Alot likes his women with big ole butts, comes along and steals Mrs. Muir's heart. The ensuing nutty love triangle is something that neither the Fat Boys or Salt 'n' Peppa would be able to adequately explain.

Melodramatism and 1940's acting got in the way here although this was certainly a pretty film--very crisp photography with some nice shadows and birds and landscape. The storytelling was clunky where it should have been soft, and too much artificial and soapy dialogue distracted from the poetic visuals. The repeated use of a golden phallic symbol (a telescope) offended me.

Here I am, as corporeal as I get: