Harry (Ted Wass), an American, his daughter Jennifer (Alyssa Milano), and his new wife Lucy (Andrea Marcovicci), move to his ancestral castle in Briton, which is haunted by a ghost (John Gielgud) who doesnāt like visitors.Ā But they arenāt leaving until they can sell it, and Jennifer finds she likes the ghost.
OK, this doesnāt belong on a page of horror ghost films, but it needs to go somewhere, so here it is.
For one of the most famous ghost stories in English literature, Oscar Wildeās āThe Canterville Ghostā hasnāt been treated well on film.Ā In this case, little is kept beyond the title, the existence of a ghost (no longer a murderer), and some Americans (though quite different ones from the story).Ā So itās different; does that mean itās without merit?Ā Yup.Ā Iām perfectly happy to have stories altered when adapted for the screen, but one messes with Wildeās words at oneās peril, and the multiple screenwriters here donāt have the skill for such meddling.Ā They couldnāt even manage mindless family entertainment (something the massively altered 1944 version pulled off).
John Gielgud may have been one of the great actors of the stage, but his film choices were not always sterling.Ā In The Canterville Ghost, he does not play Sir Simon, but rather John Gielgud.Ā There is no sign of a long dead nobleman, just an English actor on break.Ā That puts him worlds above Ted Wass, who uses the same skills he brought to sitcoms (thatās not a complement).Ā A pre-sexpot Alyssa Milano is only asked to be cute as the sympathetic daughter, and thatās something she manages without difficulty.
Instead of a hint of social commentary and the abuse of the ghost, the focus here is on Jennifer missing her mother and wanting to be rid of her stepmother.Ā However, we learn nothing of the mother (besides sheās dead) and little more of the stepmother.Ā We do get some chit-chat and a few ghostly gags before the inevitable climax.