Le fantôme de Canterville

My childhood was dominated by the returns to the stories by Oscar Wilde. So, not exactly familiarity with his texts but a kind of comfort defines my relation with his writings.

This version of The Canterville Ghost is new remind about this connection. The story of poor ghost and his problems in the efforts to convince the American family is , I suppose, silly to ridicoulous, unrealistic at whole for contemporary readers. This is not the best version.

But, it is David Niven, few pretty nice scenes and it is enough for see it be not a waste of time. Sure, the question if Sir David Niven was the most inspired option for the role of Simon of Canterville remains. But real matters it ?

Because it is funny, full of shadows of nostalgia and , in essence, correct try to a fair job with a text not real comfortable. And david Niven is himself, offering to the character the charme, irony and vulnerability in wise doses for seduce maybe only Oscar Wilde admirers . But they are the important ones , in final.

This is a classic story in true Oscar Wilde wit and flair. It's both haunting and funny. It's a fairy tale for all ages. In this story a young American girl helps to free the tormented spirit that haunts an old English castle. It's very well written and a beautiful tale for all ages. It's too bad this wasn't the best adaptation.

The best adaptation of The Canterville ghost, in my opinion, has to be the version with Patrick Stewart as the ghost, it was made for television in 1996. Though set in the 1990s it's very true to the book. The worst adaptation of the Canterville ghost, in my opinion, is the version set in 1944. It had been turned into blatant war propaganda and was almost unrecognizable, it's plot having nearly nothing at all to do with the original story by Oscar Wilde, which is a true classic.

I thought I was going nuts! I knew David Niven was in a version of the Canterville Ghost, but no one would believe me! I loved Niven is this film and have been looking for it for many years now. My favorite line is "Machine Oil, Pillows, I've never been so insulted in all my death"! I enjoy most of the versions of this movie that are out there, but his is my favorite. David Niven is one of my all time favorite actors (along with Vincent Price) I also loved him in the Pink Panther and Death on the Nile. I collect old movies and would love to own the version of The Canterville Ghost with him in it. I don't remember too much about the film, except the line above and that I really enjoyed it. They should make more films like this. Today's movies are too gory and pointless.

I remember this thing coming on back when I was in the third grade. It was a stagey setting, like a soap opera. I thought it was Vincent Price who played the ghost. I guess I was thinking of Price on the Brady Bunch Hawaii episodes.

This was hilarious, with the ghost trying to scare the family and the young boys putting a bucket of water over the door and it dumps on the hapless ghost.

The ghost kept putting the blood spot back and the new lady of the house kept cleaning it up where the ghost had died, and finally he puts an emerald green spot on the floor.

In the end, the teen aged daughter finds the ghost sitting in a room, alone, very tired. He asks for her help to enable him to have eternal rest. She agrees. When we see her next, standing atop the stairs, looking shellshocked and ragged, she merely states to her startled family "I have been with the Canterville ghost". Apparently she had to go to the devil and back to help the ghost out. In her hands is her reward for assisting him; a box of precious, rich jewels and emeralds and diamonds.

David Niven was the ghost and always superb. I am surprised to see Audra Lindley, Maurice Evans and James Whitmore were in this, as I recall none of their faces. This was a wonderful program I would love to see again.

One of my sci-fi/horror/fantasy reviews written 50 years ago: Directed by Walter C. Miller; Produced by Timothy Burrill and Joseph Cates for HTV/Buricia Productions; Telecast in America by NBC-TV. Screenplay by Robin Miller, based on Oscar Wilde's story; Music by Carl Davis. Starring: David Niven, James Whitmore, Lynne Frederick, Flora Robson, Audra Lindley, Maurice Evans, Christopher Morris, Nicholas Jones, Elizabeth Tyrrell and Isla Blair.

Incredibly poor, watered-down, shot on videotape TV version aimed at the most infantile of audiences. Virtually unwatchable, contains hammy, theatrical thesping by Niven. Embarrassing attempt at midwest USA accents by Frederick and Audley and not a single laugh intact under Walter C. Miller's stiff direction: