The Canterville Ghost
Seen it?1997 | 90 min | Fantasy, Comedy, Romance
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It was a box office smash, though it had little lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- One for people who like the lights on afterwards and romantics. The scares come from the creaks and shadows as much as the jumps. Sits nicely alongside Field of Dreams or Bell, Book and Candle.
- The mood
- Light and funny, romantic.
- The pace
- Light on its feet, at 1 hr 30 min. Short enough for a weeknight.
- What might put you off
- Skip it if you like your stories firmly grounded in the real world.
'The Canterville Ghost' is one of the most popular choice for making a film in Oscar Wilde's works, and the original short story deserves the popularity. It is a witty spoof about a ghost and the 'haunted' mansion where a rich American family start to live. In this story, the family are not annoyed by the presence of the ghost; no, it is the ghost who is annoyed by the family who just refuse to be terrified. After all, why should we be scared by an old man wearing rusty coat of mail, whose best trick is to walk in the middle of night making big noises?
How it earned its rating
- CriticsNot counted
Not enough reviews on record yet
- AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerVery strong
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 31K people sought it out in the past year, and interest is climbing
More like this
Just Like Heaven
Weeknight WatchAnother supernatural romantic comedy, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Heart and Souls Weeknight WatchAnother supernatural fantasy film, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Ghostbusters II Sunday Safe BetAnother supernatural comedy, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
Field of Dreams
Saturday SpecialAnother supernatural fantasy film, and a Saturday Special.
Bell, Book and Candle Saturday SpecialAnother romantic comedy that's easy to miss.
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by Crispin Reece
- Sarah-Jane PottsVirginia Otis
- Ian RichardsonSimon de Canterville
- Celia ImrieLucy Otis
- Rolf SaxonHiram Otis
- James D'ArcyLord Cheshire
- Edna DoréMrs. Umney
- Donald SindenLord Dumbleton
- Pauline QuirkeMadame Murielle
- Ian McNeiceProfessor Davenport
- Rik MayallReverend Dampier