The Canterville Ghost

There are many versions of The Canterville Ghost¹. I loved having the opportunity to add this version to my list of ones I’ve watched. I was excited to see Jennifer Canterville was being played by Alyssa Milano and Sir Simon de Canterville was played by John Gielgud. I was intrigued to see this version was in fact filmed in England! It was filmed at Eastnor Castle. Of course, if you’ve seen/read more than one version of anything you will see highlights and flaws. I would say that this set location is my favorite! The 1985 version was filmed in Hollywood Hills², and the 1996 version was filmed in England at Knebworth House³. The Eastnor Castle being an actual castle I think tips into the best location winner. It was large, had obvious nooks and crannies, and of course the requisite dungeon. One thing central in all versions of the movie is the prophecy:

“When a gentle girl can win a prayer from out the lips of sin

When a child gives up tears and the baron almond bears

When the silent chapel bell sounds the ghostly sinners knell

Then shall all the house be still, and peace shall come to Canterville⁴.”

In this version, the prophecy is not fully read. They explain there are bits that have been worn away causing them to be unreadable. Mrs. Umney (Lila Kaye) admits, “Oh, I’m sure I don’t know, miss. Must be something to do with the curse I suppose.⁵” I would say this makes this version of Mrs. Umney the least helpful. In the Patrick Stewart and Neve Campbell version (Macartney, 1996), and also in the Richard Kiley and Jenny Beck version (Claxton, 1985), Mrs. Umney was a font of information on Sir Simon and his curse. It is possible since this version of Sir Simon is the most vicious to the servants, in my opinion, that this version of Mrs. Umney never wanted to learn more about the man who tormented her and her husband daily. I will say that the version with Richard Kiley and Jenny Beck is the only one, to my knowledge, where Sir Simon was the one who was supposed to say the prayer (Claxton, 1985). To me the line, “When a gentle girl can win a prayer from out the lips of sin,” is extremely clear. The man who was being punished for his sin was the one who had to feel for a girl child so strongly that he would kneel in prayer for her.

In Bogart’s version Sir Simon is the most devious. He seemingly thrills at chasing his various relatives away. Glorifies driving people insane, or inspiring their deaths⁶. The dinner party scene is a definite turning point, where everyone believes in Sir Simon’s ghost. While Alyssa Milano’s character seems almost gleeful at Sir Simon’s continuous antics, everyone else in the house is left jumping and scurrying away. Milano’s character joining forces with Sir Simon to scare away her stepmother, Lucy, seems to be unique to this version. Campbell’s character joins forces with Sir Simon to get her father to believe in ghosts, not for malicious reasons. And Beck’s character befriends him with the innocence of a child.

Bogart’s telling of the Lady Eleanor’s death, while easily the most tragic, seems to lack a bit of logic in his wife’s cursing him. In this version, Lady Eleanor goes to strike Sir Simon for allowing his estates to be in such disrepair that their own daughter was killed, misses, and falls down the stairs to her death⁷. In Macartney’s telling, the Lady Eleanor cursed Sir Simon for refusing to believe that she wouldn’t cheat on him and locking her in their castle. She used his dagger to take her own life⁸. In Claxton’s version, Sir Simon married someone whom he knew had greed in her heart and while searching their home for his treasure a sword fell and killed her⁹. Bogart’s idea of having a supernaturalist come in and them successfully bringing back the ghost of Lady Eleanor was brilliant. That entire scene shows a merit in Gielgud’s acting that should’ve won him an award for this role!

An interesting thing in the John Gielgud and Alyssa Milano version was that she had to intercede for Sir Simon with the Angel of Death. The journey to The Garden of Death is the most interesting in this version. The way Gielgud delivers the line, “I warn you, you will see dark and dreadful shapes, and fearsome voices will whisper in your ear. Do you dare to come with me?¹⁰” sends chills down my spine. I’ll admit that, having first watched Claxton’s version as a child, it is the one that sticks in my mind the most. In Claxton’s version, they eliminate this entirely from the film. Claxton’s version running an abbreviated 56 minutes and definitely being geared more to children might have something to do with this choice. Bogart’s version of the journey to The Garden of Death with the mist making the dreadful shapes, including one that is angel shaped and likely meant to represent The Angel of Death, does create a spooky and fearful vibe. The raspy noises and music build a tension in these scenes that really helps make this a fantastic scene (series of scenes? It is broken up in the film with people looking for her). I will say that Macartney’s version where the fireplace, which is central to so much in this version, cracking and resealing as the clock strikes midnight is the most dramatic. The lack of any follow through other than Ginny was unable to return until midnight the following night does leave a lot to be desired overall in this version.

Overall, I would say this movie does great justice to the story of Sir Simon De Canterville. Alyssah Milano brought a strength to the role that allowed Sir Simon to lean on her. Gielgud’s portrayal of Sir Simon is fantastic! The story choices for Lady Eleanor’s death and how the prophecy would be fulfilled kept you invested in the story. This will likely be the version I introduce my own children to before any other.

1. Bogart, Paul, Director. The Canterville Ghost. Columbia Pictures, 1986. 1 hr., 35min. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKquweh85c0. ↩︎
2. Claxton, William F., Director. The Canterville Ghost. Questar Entertainment, 1985. 56 min. https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B092RQZN1Y/ref=atv_hm_mys_c_uJQOV1_3_1 ↩︎
3. Macartney, Syd, Director. The Canterville Ghost. Signboard Hill Productions, 1996. 1 hr., 32 min. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWMJSl_ARSA ↩︎
4. The Canterville Ghost, directed by Syd Macartney (Signboard Hill Productions, 1996), 31:00-31:26. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWMJSl_ARSA. ↩︎
5. The Canterville Ghost, directed by Paul Bogart (Columbia Pictures, 1986), 1:26:05-1:26:11. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKquweh85c0. ↩︎
6.  The Canterville Ghost, directed by Paul Bogart (Columbia Pictures, 1986), 24:43-25:31. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKquweh85c0 ↩︎
7. The Canterville Ghost, directed by Paul Bogart (Columbia Pictures, 1986), 1:03:40-1:04:35. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKquweh85c0 ↩︎
8. The Canterville Ghost, directed by Syd Macartney (Signboard Hill Productions, 1996), 1:08:00-1:10:13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWMJSl_ARSA ↩︎
9. The Canterville Ghost, directed by William F. Claxton (Questar Entertainment, 1985), 32:00-33:16, 38:43-40:45. ↩︎
10. The Canterville Ghost, directed by Paul Bogart (Columbia Pictures, 1986), 1:28:37-1:28:49. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKquweh85c0 ↩︎