As is revealed by Lord Canterville (Sir Simon's descendant) and the servants Mr. His goal is to send the family packing so he begins a ghostly reign of terror. The Castle is haunted by the ghost of a deceased ancestor, Sir Simon de Canterville, doomed to remain on the estate after the death of his wife. Hiram Otis comes to England with his wife, daughter and two sons on a research grant he and his family will live in a castle called Canterville Hall.

This story has been adapted to film and made-for-TV movies several times since the original film of the same name.įilming was done at Knebworth House in Hertfordshire. The mystery, romance, and adventure stars Patrick Stewart and Neve Campbell it is based on an 1887 Oscar Wilde short story of the same title which was serialized in the magazine The Court and Society Review. The Canterville Ghost is a 1996 family film directed by Sydney Macartney. And it's still a fine piece of film making for today's audience.Knebworth House, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England, UK This is a story originally written by Oscar Wilde and nicely updated for World War II moviegoers. Laughton bares the tortured soul of Simon de Canterville for all to see. The comic elements are nicely done, but Laughton also has to project an air of resigned sadness at the fate he's been cursed with. This is a difficult part and only an actor of real talent and skill could carry it off. Robert Young and Margaret O'Brien are fine, but it is the multi-talented Mr. Will he perform the deed that frees Charles Laughton? Watch the film and find out. One in that platoon is a distant cousin from America, Robert Young. Enter a platoon of American rangers quartered at the manor house where the current lady of the manor, Margaret O'Brien is like so many in Great Britain in those years, playing host to American GIs. Breaking that curse is easier said than done because the cowardice was passed down several generations from Stuart England to World War II. Out of shame and embarrassment, his father bricked him up in a room in the manor and pronounced the aforementioned curse upon him.

The first part of the film shows the incident where Sir Simon turns tail and runs from a duel he got involved in. Charles Laughton who made a career of playing tortured and twisted men goes one better here as Sir Simon de Canterville who haunts stately Canterville Manor until another Canterville performs a heroic deed and frees him from being earthbound.

The canterville ghost online