The Ghost and the Guest

About the only unusual and interesting thing about "The Ghost and the Guest" is that it was written by the comedian Morey Amsterdam. Apart from that, it's all a very standard film--with the usual cliches and a typical performance by James Dunn. In other words, it has B-movie written all over it...albeit a pleasant enough one to watch.

A couple (James Dunn and Florence Rice) just got married and arrived at a house they inherited. Unfortunately, it comes with a problem...a body. However, when the police arrive, the body has disappeared! They know who the dead man probably was...he was a man who recently was executed. But where is the body and why would it move?!

The film is very typical of the era, when many B haunted house and mystery movies were being made. Nothing offensive or awful here...just a typical higher quality PRC production.

"A newlywed couple decides to spend their honeymoon at their new home, an old country cottage. The couple, along with their chauffeur, find themselves in the middle of a mystery when they are beset upon by a series of guests. A former executioner, a coffin, a gang of jewel thieves, and the police make for an interesting honeymoon for our newlyweds," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.

Long before he worked on "The Alan Brady Show" (as documented on "The Dick Van Dyke Show") comedy writer Morey Amsterdam aka "Buddy Sorrell" scripted a few comedy movies. "The Ghost and the Guest" is a good example, albeit done dirt cheap. The tired "spooky old house" formula provides a sampling of the writer's one-liners, which sounded better elsewhere. Watch out for colliding actors.

*** The Ghost and the Guest (4/19/43) William Nigh ~ James Dunn, Florence Rice, Sam McDaniel

William Nigh directs this early 40's madcap comedy. Morey Amsterdam's screenplay is cleverly funny and somewhat witty. The 56 minute film is fast paced with hardly a scene wasted. Newlyweds Webster(James Dunn)and 'Jackie'(Florence Rice)spend their honeymoon in an old country home. Along with a nervous chauffeur(Sam McDaniel)the couple meets the town's executioner who has a fixation with nooses. Even before getting to settle in; a coffin arrives carrying the former owner and the spooked couple call the police. When the Police Chief(Jim Toney)arrives it is discovered the coffin is now empty. Before this situation can be dealt with along comes the believed "deceased's" next of kin and a gang of jewel thieves trying to find a fortune in diamonds hidden in the house. This all becomes fodder for Police Chief Bagwell's attempts at writing pulp fiction. Dunn's stupidity is somewhat funny; but McDaniel(the chauffeur)steals the show. Also in the cast are: Robert Bice, Eddy Chandler, Robert Dudley and Tony Ward.

Even though listed (when you can find it) in reference books as a "horror/comedy", the shiver quotient is woefully absent. This is essentially a screwball comedy with a highly capable cast, in the typical "scare-the-newlyweds-out-of-the-abandoned-house-to-get-the-treasure" movie mold.

Though dated by today's standards, most of the witty dialog (supplied by Dick Van Dyke's "Buddy Sorrell" Morey Amsterdam)brings a smile, with nary a straight man present. Florence Rice as bride Jackie seems to have a character that prefigures Lucy Ricardo, and husband Webster (James Dunn) attacks the role like Jack Haley. Chauffeur Harmony Jones (played by Sam McDaniel)seems the only sensible one in the bunch, wanting to return to New York where the only people wandering the streets are alive!

The pace is quick, with nary a moment to think of the ludicrous plot machinations (a police chief who has time on duty to write pulp fiction) and illogic (the newlyweds move into the wrong house which is not questioned until the end of the movie). A bit of macabre humor is added with the inclusion of a retired county executioner who constantly wants Harmony to try on a noose for size ("You have the perfect neck for hangin'!"); the racial subtext is not lost on the modern audience.

In all, a harmless and painless way to spend an hour.

Although 'The Ghost and the Guest' is mistakenly described as a comedy/ horror movie, this film still has a lot going for it. I would say it is more a comedy/mystery movie. The setting is an old spooky house but there is never anything even remotely resembling terror. It's not hard to remember the date of this film. The terms used in the dialogue are from the 30s and 40s and I'm sure some of it will be lost with today's audience but much of it still brings a laugh. The film quality is not the greatest, and that does detract from the film. This movie does manage to keep your interest though and the comedy still comes through. The acting wasn't bad at all, and the strange assortment of characters was interesting. The plot is not believable but this is forgiven in the interest of comedy. It's a short, fast moving comedy that should be taken lightly and enjoyed for what it is.