Gildersleeve's Ghost (1944)

Memorable, crazy movie

Good concept, poorly executed.

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Producer: Herman Schlom. Copyright 26 May 1944 by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. No recorded New York opening. U.S. release: no official release date. The movie was block booked. Australian release: 12 October 1944. 5,831 feet. 64 minutes. SYNOPSIS: Gildersleeve doesn't actually tangle with the ghosts (there are two of them), but he does dance a merry jive with both a now-you-see-her, now-you-don't showgirl and a not-so-tame but definitely dysfunctional gorilla. NOTES: Fourth and last of the Gildersleeve movie series. COMMENT: It's almost inevitable that every series character will meet a ghost at some time or other in their film careers. This of course is the Gildersleeve entry and a riot of fun this clever little spoof is too. Oddly, however, most of the amusement is not delivered by Gildersleeve. True, he's in the movie, in triplicate in fact, but he's only tolerably diverting. (He also looks different too. Less presentable, less debonair. Same director as before, so it must be the photographer's less indulgent lighting). Oddly, all the best bits of business are handed to Marion Martin, and all the funniest comebacks are delivered by Nick Stewart. Now I'm certainly not complaining. I love Marion Martin. She's a real dish, and here, for once, she has a major role. As for Nick Stewart, he is one of the most adept (yet unappreciated) comedians in the business. Not that the movie is lacking in expert farceurs: Richard LeGrand, Emory Parnell, Lillian Randolph, Marie Blake, for instance. (Reicher is great too. The way he keeps a straight face in the midst of all this gorilla-swapping and visible-in/visible-out bedlam is amazing). But Stewart easily tops them all. The Forrester kids have less footage in this movie. Margie Stewart makes an extremely indifferent Marjorie anyway. Before I conclude, I must mention Amelita Ward. She's a knock-out! I must also pay tribute to Vernon L. Walker' marvelous special effects. I'm amazed this entertaining entry received such bad reviews. Robert E. Kent's risible script takes the mickey out of several horror sub- genres, including the invisible woman, the mad scientist, the haunted house, plus real and fake gorillas on the rampage. My only complaint is that it all ends somewhat abruptly. But that's life!

Gildersleeve's Ghost (1944) *** (out of 4) Gildersleeve (Harold Peary) is in the middle of a heated election but soon gets caught up with a mad scientist, a mean gorilla and an invisible woman. Here's yet another horror comedy that takes place in a spooky house with a killer gorilla running around. This has been the plot for countless movies but I found this film to be one of the best of the genre with non-stop laughs and some pretty good special effects. I'd call this film better than any of Universal's "Invisible" films of the 40s and it also ranks as one of the better horror comedies of the era. The supporting cast is full of terrific comic actors who really add a lot of laughs to the film. Marion Martin, Richard LeGrand, Emory Parnell and Frank Reicher all do nice work in support of Peary. Black actor Nick Stewart gets a terrific role here and gets to show off his comic talent, which is very rare for a black actor in a Hollywood film from this period.

Unfortunately, the above quoted line is the best line in the film and comes early on when the plot involves two ghosts of Gildersleeve's ancestors rising from the grave and deciding to help him become police commissioner. Mad scientists with a potion that makes a girl (MARION MARTIN) invisible and an ape on the loose are the ingredients that add to the plot's ill advised mixture of laughs and fright.RICHAD LeGRAND gets to say his famous line a little too often ("Well, I wouldn't say that"), and the scatterbrained cast includes AMELITA WARD, MARIE BLAKE and FREDDIE MERCER, all badly needing better material.The ectoplasm is indeed strained to the utmost and the result is a flat comedy in search of a good script. What might potentially have seemed like fun material for Gildersleeve is turned into a forgettable sophomoric mess.Not recommended, even for fans of the Gildersleeve radio comedy series.

I wanted to like it, I really did. As an old-time radio buff, I have a soft spot for movies like this one, and The Great Gildersleeve is one of my favorite characters. But there's no saving this turkey. It's a dreadful outing; the plot is a ridiculous farrago about the ghosts of Gildy's ancestors rising from the grave to help him thwart the machinations of a mad scientist with an invisibility potion. The movie starts out with a lame premise and flubs along to keep it afloat, making for very tedious viewing. A certain amount of contrivance is to be expected for any sitcom extended to feature length, but this movie takes it too far to be successful. All that needs to be said about 'Gildersleeve's Ghost' to get the idea of what viewers are in for is that much attempted hilarity is derived from confusion between a gorilla on the loose and various characters disguised in a gorilla costume. Final analysis: Almost unwatchable.