THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
Starring: Patrick Stewart, Neve Campbell
Original Airdate: 1996
Genre: Drama/Family
Ah, nothing like Halloween coming 'round to make me want to watch a movie with the word "ghost" in the title. I can't say I'd normally go for spooky-sounding flicks, but Halloween is here (okay so it was yesterday... whatever), the moon is... well, half-full, so I guess that means I can be half-crazy... and my friend sent me The Canterville Ghost and said it was good, and since I tend to believe him about these things, I decided to watch it and then write a review chock full of run-on sentences.
Earlier this year, when I reviewed the notorious 1996 Family Film Awards, I noted that this particular version of Canterville won in several categories. Now I see why. Maybe those stupid awards actually got something right. Will wonders never cease?
Canterville is the story of teenager Ginny Otis and her encounter with a bitter old ghost, Sir Simon (Patrick Stewart). Ginny (Neve Campbell) and her family have come to live in Canterville Hall, in England. The townsfolk, who know the place is haunted by Sir Simon, are sure the family won't last the night. But they do, despite Simon's attempts to haunt properly. Try as he might, Sir Simon can't best the Otis kids (Ginny and her younger brothers). The Otis parents, however, can not see Sir Simon at first, and they think their kids are nuts. And liars. Nutty liars. Mr. Otis blames Ginny for all the ghostly deeds (he thinks she's doing them to scare everyone so they'll go back to the US) because she is the oldest and the oldest kids always get blamed. I know this because I was the oldest child, and I had a little brother. When I was bad, I was blamed (naturally). When my brother was bad, I was blamed, because, being so much more mature than he, I should have known what he was about to do and stopped him. When we both were bad, I got blamed because I should have "known better" than to have participated in the badness. Poor, poor Ginny. Mean, mean asshat father.
Things improve for Ginny after she and Sir Simon become friends. Yes, friends! Not only do they perform a scene from Hamlet together, but Sir Simon gives Ginny some much-needed romantic advice after she meets the hottie neighbor, a duke named Frances, and then almost lets that love slip away. Seems Sir Simon had himself a bit of a romantic blunderama many moons ago, and he doesn't want to see it happen to Ginny. Because of this -- and because she feels for the guy in his sad, sorry state -- Ginny decides to help Sir Simon by assisting in fulfilling a prophecy. If they can pull it off, Sir Simon will be able to cross over and join his late wife, and he will haunt Canterville Hall no more. He'd like nothing more than to just get some rest for once, man. But in order do complete the whole prophecy-fulfilling process, Ginny and Sir Simon must enter "The Dark Realm," which is apparently nightmaric. And so they go....
Now Ginny is gone, her parents are like OH NO, WHERE'S OUR KID?!?! and they start an all-out search for their daughter. When Ginny finally returns from the Dark Realm, Ma and Pa learn to appreciate her, and Dad stops being an asshat. Sir Simon joins up with the Missus in the Great Beyond. Ginny and Frances get all coupley and they kiss like in a fairy tale.
And me? Well I get all sniffly because it's all so damn beautiful.
Neve Campbell, while a tad past "teenage" when this movie was made, does a fine job as Ginny, displaying a wide range of emotions when necessary. Patrick Stewart brings humor to his role without being over-the-top about it. I like it when actors can be funny, but not in a "check it out, I'm being funny" way.
Yes. I enjoyed it. Ghosts and all.
11/1/2006
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