A Ghost in Monte Carlo

A handsome, well-staged production, set in 1875 Monte Carlo, with some beautiful vistas and some lovely women, but a bit on the dull side. A good cast is not used to its full capabilities. A murder and a couple of sword fights cannot disguise the fact that this is really a chick flick at heart. My first experience with a Barbara Cartland adaptation, and it's probably enough to realize that it's not for me. **1/2 out of 4.

Okay. Am a bit biased on this movie as like Marcus Gilbert. First saw him in Hazard of Hearts and liked him so much and the movie wasn't bad either that bought the book. Really surprising Marcus Gilbert has not been in more movies. The ones he has been in have been horror ones, so bit disappointed in that. In fact this movie has four characters from Hazard of Hearts. (Christopher Plummer, Marcus Gilbert!, Fiona Fullerton and Gareth Hunt) so I think they were just recycling the actors. Okay. This movie could of been a little better. I didn't like Lysette Anthony playing the main girl character Mistral or Madam Phantom. I think she was wrongly picked. She didn't have any quality that I could see every man attracted and drawing to her. Not only did she look plain and ordinary, as well as having flaws, there was nothing appealing about her including her character in the story. Lord Stanford, on the other hand. (Marcus Gilbert) was superb in my books. His voice and looks (woah!) He is up there with Colin Firth in my books.

The story itself. Again not as good as Hazard of Hearts despite having some other great actors in it like Oliver Reed and Joanna Lumley but okay to watch if you like period pieces.

It's an adaptation of a Barbara Cartland novel, so you can't expect this to be good. It is watchable, but that's about all. You can figure out most of the story in the first few minutes and then you just wait to watch it enfold, exactly as expected.

Sarah Miles is cold and calculating as the manipulative Countess who takes her innocent niece from a convent and sends her into the world in Monte Carlo, throwing her into the arms of the Crown Prince. Typical romantic junk so far, extremely formulaic, and Lysette Anthony plays the pouting niece to perfection.

Other decent actors sleepwalk through this rubbish - Christopher Plummer, Oliver Reed, Samantha Eggar, Gareth Hunt, Fiona Fullerton - but not much can be done to redeem it. It is watchable enough to divert for its 90 minutes running time, but it is hardly a classic of 1990s television!

"A Ghost in Monte Carlo" has an excellent cast. The storyline is superb and succeeds in drawing the viewer quickly into the story. The setting and costumes add to the richness of the storyline. This fine story, based on the novels of Barbara Cartland, is neatly interwoven with romance, secrets from the past, and suspense with regard to the various storylines linked to the main character of Mistral. This movie is definitely for all "romantics-at-heart!"

Well, what can you say about a Barbara Cartland adaptation?

There are some amazing actors in this (Oliver Reed, Sarah Miles, Christopher Plummer) but they clearly are clocking up the money.

Lysette Anthony and Marcus Gilbert have appeared in two other Cartland epics - Anthony with Hugh Grant (who looks suitably embarrassed) and Gilbert with Helena Bonham Carter.

If you really want to see a "watchable" adaptation of Cartland, the Bonham Carter one is the one to go for ("A Hazard of Hearts" - what a title!!). Gilbert is the weak link in that, but Bonham Carter is suitably beautiful and of course can actually act, and the rest of the cast play it to the hilt with tongues firmly in cheek (Edward Fox & Diana Rigg)