The great perennial “The Canterville Ghost” based on a serialized 1887 short story by Oscar Wilde is back in the form of a “Downton Abbey”-esque, animated tale of an American family traveling from Boston to England and finding itself in a manor house haunted by a 300-year-old ghost. The film is notable for reuniting Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie of “Jeeves and Wooster” fame. Fry, giving his vocal instrument a Boris Karloff-twist, voices the ghost Sir Simon de Canterville, who was bricked up in a portion of the house and left to die three centuries earlier.
Upon her arrival, Virginia Otis (an excellent Emily Carey of “House of the Dragon”), whose scientist father Hiram (David Harewood) calls her “Pumpkin,” comes across a history of “Canterville Chase” text and digs in. Her father wants to install modern electricity in the old manor. Her mischievous younger brothers Louis and Kent (a delightful Jakey Schiff and Bennett Miller) seek hijinks wherever they can find it. Virginia’s mother Lucretia Otis (Meera Syal) wants very much to fit in with local society and plans a dinner party.
Portraits of terrified previous owners of Canterville Chase adorn the walls in a very Harry Potter sort of way. We hear of a prophecy concerning a massive, dead almond tree. Before long, we meet the spectral Sir Simon in chains and spooking up a storm. Unfortunately, Sir Simon, who likes to quote Shakespeare, does not scare the Otises very much. Virginia almost ignores him. The boys play football (American-style) with his head. Sir Simon, who disappears in puffs of smoke, is decked out in green tights, blue boxers, a gold tunic and a big, ruffled collar. He wants to know why Virginia wears “breeches.” She explains that they are “riding breeches” and promptly rides out to meets her rather hapless love interest Henry Fitz Humphreys, the Duke of Cheshire (a fun Freddie Highmore). Eventually, we learn that Sir Simon was suspected of murdering his beloved wife Eleanor (Elizabeth Sankey). Virginia takes on the task of lifting the curse upon Sir Simon.
Also in the film’s remarkable voice cast are Imelda Staunton as the cook and housekeeper Mrs. Umney, Toby Jones as the local vicar The Reverend Chasuble and Miranda Hart (TV’s “Call the Midwife”) as a inventive, ghost-chasing friend of the Reverend. Laurie has less to do as the voice of Death.
Directed by Kim Burdon (“Fireman Sam”) and Robert Chandler (TV’s “Boy George: One on One”), this “Canterville Ghost” is not the first animated adaptation of Wilde’s story, which has been adapted many times before (there was a 1970 Soviet animated film, believe it or not).
The role of Sir Simon has been previously played by Patrick Stewart and John Gielgud. The most famous adaptation was the 1944 American feature film, starring a wonderful Charles Laughton as Sir Simon, Robert Young as an American WWII soldier, child actor Margaret O’Brien and Una O’Connor. A 1966 ABC TV movie musical of Wilde’s story featured Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Michael Redgrave and music by “Fiddler on the Roof” songwriters Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick. This latest “Canterville Ghost” might not be the best. The computer-generated animation is not exactly inspired. The hit-and-miss screenplay boasts a “ghostbusters” joke. But like Noel Coward’s much adapted “Blithe Spirit,” “The Canterville Ghost” is always welcome.
(“The Canterville Ghost” contains mature themes and swashbuckliing)
“The Canterville Ghost”
Rated PG. At Apple Cinemas. Grade: B+
