Rex Harrison and Gene Tierney are “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir”

Set in the early 1900s, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, directed by Joseph Mankiewicz, follows Lucy Muir (Gene Tierney), a headstrong young widow determined to escape her overbearing in-laws and forge an independent life. Against the advice of a skeptical real estate agent, she rents Gull Cottage, a secluded seaside home with a reputation for being haunted. Lucy is unfazed by the rumors, seeking the house’s salt-aired solitude to raise her young daughter (Natalie Wood), but she soon discovers that the stories of a restless spirit are very much true.

The cottage is “occupied” by the ghost of its former owner, Captain Daniel Gregg (Rex Harrison), a blustery and foul-mouthed sea captain who supposedly committed suicide. While he initially attempts to scare Lucy away with standard ghostly theatrics, he finds himself begrudgingly impressed by her lack of fear and her stubborn resolve. An unlikely truce forms between the living woman and the spectral sailor, evolving into a profound, intellectual companionship as they collaborate on writing his salty memoirs to save the cottage from financial ruin.

As their bond deepens, the film explores the poignant limitations of their relationship. Lucy must navigate the challenges of the physical world—including a charming but slick “earthly” author (George Sanders)—while the Captain remains a constant, invisible presence in her heart. It is a sophisticated and atmospheric blend of romance and fantasy, trading traditional scares for a melancholic reflection on loneliness, independence, and the idea that a soulmate might not necessarily belong to the world of the living.

Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison

Joseph Mankiewicz (1909 – 1993) was a cerebral and sophisticated force in Hollywood’s Golden Age, celebrated as a “literary” director who prioritized razor-sharp dialogue and complex character psychology over visual spectacle. After a successful tenure as a producer at MGM, he transitioned to directing and achieved the unprecedented feat of winning consecutive Academy Awards for both Screenplay and Direction for A Letter to Three Wives (1949) and All About Eve (1950). His work often explored the intricacies of social status and the art of performance, utilizing intricate flashback structures and witty, cynical narration that became his professional hallmark. Despite the turbulent production of the epic Cleopatra (1963), Mankiewicz’s legacy remains defined by his ability to translate the depth of the theater to the silver screen, cementing his status as one of cinema’s most eloquent storytellers.

Gene Tierney (1920–1991) was a captivating leading lady of the 1940s whose ethereal beauty and refined poise masked a formidable dramatic range. After rising to stardom at 20th Century-Fox, she became an immortal icon of film noir in the title role of Laura (1944) and earned an Academy Award nomination for her chilling portrayal of a possessive socialite in Leave Her to Heaven (1945). Despite her professional success, Tierney’s life was marked by immense personal tragedy, including her daughter’s disability and her own harrowing battle with bipolar disorder. By courageously sharing her experiences with mental illness and shock therapy in her autobiography Self-Portrait, she became a pioneering advocate for mental health awareness, ensuring her legacy was defined by both her cinematic elegance and her profound human resilience.

Natalie Wood and Gene Tierney

Sir Rex Harrison (1908–1990) was an acclaimed English actor of stage and screen, celebrated for his suave delivery and mastery of high comedy. Born Reginald Carey Harrison, he began his career at the Liverpool Playhouse in 1924 and achieved a major breakthrough in the 1936 West End play French Without Tears. Harrison became internationally iconic for his definitive portrayal of Professor Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady, a role that earned him a Tony Award for the 1956 Broadway production and the Academy Award for Best Actor for the 1964 film adaptation. Throughout his six-decade career, he delivered notable performances in films such as The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947), Cleopatra (1963), and Doctor Dolittle (1967), while continuing to perform on stage until just weeks before his death. Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1989, Harrison remains one of the most distinguished figures of the Golden Age of cinema and theater.

Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison between takes on location

George Sanders (1906–1972) was a Russian-born British actor and singer renowned for his smooth, bass voice and his definitive portrayal of sophisticated, cynical, and often villainous characters. Throughout a prolific career spanning over 40 years, he became a fixture of Hollywood’s Golden Age, starring in classics such as Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca (1940) and Foreign Correspondent (1940), and the fantasy-romance The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947). His career reached its pinnacle with his performance as the acid-tongued theater critic Addison DeWitt in All About Eve (1950), a role that won him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Beyond his live-action work, Sanders is fondly remembered by younger generations as the voice of the malevolent tiger Shere Khan in Disney’s The Jungle Book (1967). Known off-screen for his wit and self-described persona as a “professional cad,” Sanders remained a distinguished and in-demand talent until he died in Spain in 1972.

 

Gene Tierney with Natalie Wood and Tierney’s dog

Click HERE to watch the movie.

Click HERE to join the online discussion on February 9, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time.

The Ghost in Mrs. Muir trivia

• Composer Bernard Herrmann considered his work for The Ghost and Mrs. Muir to be his personal favorite. Unlike his later tension-filled scores for Hitchcock (like Psycho), this music was lush and romantic, designed to bridge the gap between the living and the dead. He even reused some of its haunting themes for his only opera, Wuthering Heights.
• Director Joseph L. Mankiewicz famously directed Rex Harrison to play the ghost of Captain Daniel Gregg as if he were actually alive. He instructed Harrison to speak his lines with a booming, physical presence rather than a traditional spectral or whispered voice. This choice emphasized that, to Lucy Muir, the Captain was a very real, vital force in her life.
• The film’s popularity led to a 1960s sitcom of the same name. While the movie is a poignant, bittersweet romance, the TV show (starring Hope Lange and Edward Mulhare) leaned much further into comedy. Despite the tonal shift, the series was a hit and ran for two seasons, keeping the story of Gull Cottage in the public consciousness for a new generation.
• A very young Natalie Wood appears in the film as Lucy Muir’s daughter, Anna. At just eight years old, Wood delivered a remarkably natural performance. It would be another eight years before her breakout role in Rebel Without a Cause (1955), but her work here showed the early promise of the legendary star she would become.

 

Discussion questions

1. Lucy Muir’s move to Gull Cottage is her first act of rebellion against her in-laws. In what ways does her relationship with Captain Gregg help her find her own voice, and in what ways does it keep her tethered? Does she achieve true independence, or has she simply swapped the control of her living family for that of a ghost?
2. The romance between Lucy and Daniel Gregg is entirely non-physical, built on shared secrets, intellectual collaboration, and mutual respect. How does the film use the supernatural to comment on the nature of companionship? Does the film suggest that a “soulmate” is defined by a connection of the mind and spirit rather than a physical presence?
3. Compare the characters of Captain Gregg and Miles Fairley (the “real” suitor). Miles is charming and physically present but ultimately deceptive, while Daniel is gruff and invisible but honest. What is the film saying about the romanticized ideals we hold versus the disappointing realities of the people we encounter in the world?
4. The final act of the film covers several decades of Lucy’s life. How does the passage of time—shown through the aging of Lucy and the growing up of her daughter—affect the audience's perception of the ghost? Is Captain Gregg's decision to “recede” from Lucy’s mind an act of love or a tragic necessity for her to live a human life?

 

Maureen O'Hara and John Payne experience the "Miracle on 34th Street"

Miracle on 34th Street (1947) is a comedy-drama directed by George Seaton and starring Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, and Edmund Gwenn. Others in the cast include Natalie Wood, Gene Lockhart, Porter Hall, Jerome Cowan, William Frawley, Theresa Harris, Jack Albertson, and in her screen debut, Thelma Ritter.

Doris Walker (O’Hara) is an executive with Macy’s Department Store in New York City. She’s also a divorced single mom raising her daughter Susan (Wood). Due to her disappointment with marriage, she’s raised Susan not to believe in fairy tales and Santa Claus.

When Doris hires a man named Kris Kringle to play Santa Claus in the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, things get interesting. Kris doesn’t just play Santa Claus, he believes he is Santa Claus!

Fred Gailey, a lawyer who lives in the same apartment building as Doris and Susan. He befriended Susan in an effort to meet Doris. His plan works and he and Doris begin a relationship. Things get complicated when the two clash on whether or not Susan should be exposed to the “myth” of Santa Claus.

Kris Kringle suspects that Susan doesn’t believe in Santa Claus and he makes it his mission to make her think otherwise.

Wilk Kris be successful? And is there really a Santa Claus and is his name Kris Kringle?

Edmund Gwenn and Natalie Wood

George Seaton (1911 - 1979) was an American director, screenwriter, and producer. Seaton started out as an actor and played the Lone Ranger o the radio. He got a job as a contract writer at M-G-M in 1933. His first credited script was for the Marx Brothers' comedy A Day at the Races (1937). Unhappy with only working on comedies, Seaton moved to Columbia in 1940. In the early 1940s, he went to 20^th Century-Fox where he achieved his greatest success as a writer and director. At Fox, he wrote the scripts for That Night in Rio (1941), Moon Over Miami (1941), and The Song of Bernadette (1943). He made his directorial debut with Diamond Horseshoe (1945) starring Betty Grable. He wrote and directed Junior Miss (1945) starring Peggy Ann Garner. Seaton wrote and directed the classic Miracle on 34^th Street. He won an Academy Award for his screenplay. Other films directed by Seaton include Apartment for Peggy (1948), The Country Girl (1954), Teacher’s Pet (1958), The Counterfeit Traitor (1962), 36 Hours (1964), What’s So Bad About Feeling Good (1968), and Airport (1970), the biggest hit of Seaton’s career.

Maureen O’Hara (1920 - 2015) was an Irish-American actress and singer. In her native Ireland, O’Hara trained with the Abbey Theatre at age 14. She screen-tested for the role of Mary Yellan in Jamaica Inn at age 19. Director Hitchcock wasn't impressed with O’Hara’s test but Laughton persuaded him to cast her. After finishing the film, O’Hara moved to Hollywood where she was signed to a contract at RKO. In 1941 she starred in How Green Was My Valley, her first collaboration with director John Ford. She starred alongside Tyrone Power in The Black Swan (1942), The Spanish Main (1945) with Paul Henreid, and Sinbad the Sailor (1947) with Douglas Fairbanks Jr. That same year she starred in the Christmas classic Miracle on 34th Street with John Payne, Edmund Gwenn, and a young Natalie Wood. Other popular films include The Quiet Man (1952), The Parent Trap (1961), and McLintock! (1963). 

John Payne (1912 – 1989) was an American film actor. He made his film debut in Dodsworth (1936). He had roles are various studios but found stardom at 20^th Century-Fox. At Fox, he had major roles in Tin Pan Ally (1940), Sun Valley Serenade (1941), The Dolly Sisters (1945), The Razor’s Edge (1946), and perhaps his most famous role as Fred Gayley in Miracle on 34^th Street (1947). Payne wasn’t happy with the roles he was being offered at Fox so he broke his contract which had four more years to go. As an independent freelance actor, Payne then specialized in westerns and films noir. During this period, he starred in Kansas City Confidential (1952), 99 River Street (1953), and Santa Fe Passage (1955). From 1957 to 1959, he starred as Vint Bonner in the western TV series, The Restless Gun. Payne’s final role was in an episode of Columbo in 1975.

Edmund Gwenn (1877 – 1959) was an English stage and film actor. He is best remembered for his role as Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34^th Street (1947) for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Gwenn made his Hollywood film debut in Sylvia Scarlett (1935) and went on to have a long career in that town. He was a member of what was known as the British Colony—British ex-pats who were working in Hollywood. So of his other films include Pride and Prejudice (1940), Foreign Correspondent (1940), Lassie Come Home (1943), The Keys of the Kingdom (1944), Undercurrent (1946), Apartment for Peggy (1948), and Mister 880 (1950). The actor Cecil Kellaway was Gwenn’s cousin.

Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, and Edmund Gwenn

Miracle on 34th Street trivia

• The team at Twentieth-Century Fox filmed the actual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1946.
• Edmund Gwenn actually played Santa Claus in that 1946 parade!
• Both Macy's and Gimbel's gave their permission to have their names used in the movie...after they saw the completed film!
• Gwenn gained 30 pounds to play Kris.
• This as Thelma Ritter's film debut; she was soon under contract with Fox and was nominated six times for Best Supporting Actress Oscars. She never won.
• The marketers at Fox didn't promote the film as a Christmas movie and came up with a crazy trailer that doesn't mention Christmas at all. (see trailer below)
• Miracle on 34th Street was released in theaters on June 11, 1947.
• The movie grossed four times its production cost.

To watch the film on YouTube, click the link below.

To join the discussion on December 19, 2022, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time, click here. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation and a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions

1. The film is an acknowledged holiday classic. Is it one of your favorites?
2. Does this film hold up in the 21st century?
3. What did you think of the relationship between Maureen O'Hara and John Payne? Did they have screen chemistry?
4. This movie put a young Natalie Wood on the map. After this performance, every studio in Hollywood wanted her in one of their movies. What did you think of her performance?
5. If you saw Edmund Gwenn, would you believe he was Santa Claus?
6. Do you have a favorite scene or piece of dialogue?

The original trailer for Miracle on 34th Street, featuring several movie stars on the Fox lot

Field Trip: “West Side Story” at AMC River East 21 on the big screen June 24

West Side Story on the big screen
Date: June 24 
Where: AMC River East 21, 322 East Illinois, Chicago, IL 
Time: 2:00 p.m.


This electrifying musical, with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics from Stephen Sondheim, sets the ageless tragedy of Romeo and Juliet in the slums of 1950’s New York. The event will feature exclusive insight from TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz.

You may order tickets in advance by clicking here. Or purchase tickets at the theater.

If you’d like to join the Chicago Film Club Meetup group for this event, I’ll be holding a Meetup sign by the concessions. Depending how everyone feels, we can go to the theater bar for a discussion afterward.

I will be holding this sign by the concessions.

For more information on the Chicago Film Club, click this link.

Tab Hunter Confidential now on DVD and Blu-ray

Tab Hunter (born Arthur Andrew Kelm) was a teen idol during the mid-1950s. Hunter starred in dozens of movies—most of which are forgettable—but his popularity with teenage girls was phenomenal, making him a top box office attraction. He even scored a number 1 hit record—“Young Love”—that knocked Elvis out of the top spot. So popular was Hunter as a singer that Jack Warner at Warner Bros. founded Warner Records specifically to promote their hot property. The documentary Tab Hunter Confidential, based on his autobiography, tells his story.

Hunter was born in New York City to Gertrude Gelien and Charles Kelm. Hunter’s dad was abusive to his mother. His parents eventually divorced with his mother taking her two sons (Hunter had an older brother named Walter) and moving to California.  Even as a teenager, Hunter’s good looks got noticed. He got so much attention from the opposite sex in school that he joined the Coast Guard at 15, lying about his age, to escape. He was eventually discharged when his real age was revealed. Now a California boy, Hunter was signed by agent Henry Wilson in the early 1950s and eventually landed a long-term contract with Warner Bros. Wilson was also the agent of Hollywood heartthrobs Guy Madison, Rock Hudson, and Rory Calhoun. Hunter appeared in several forgettable films but caught the public’s attention as a Marine having an affair with a married woman in the World War II drama Battle Cry (1955), one of the biggest films of that year. He was quickly given male lead status in films like The Burning Hills and The Girl He Left Behind (both 1956 and both co-starring Natalie Wood). During this time, Hunter was appearing on television, performing in the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates (1958) and Meet Me in St. Louis (1959). It’s hard for us to imagine today how popular Hunter was. Not only was he a movie star, but he was a recording artist who sold millions of records. The publicity machine said Hunter was “6" of rugged manhood who stirred the heart of every woman” and he was called “The Sigh Guy” which was based on the reaction of his female fans upon seeing him.

Like many Hollywood idols, Hunter had a secret. He was a homosexual (he recounts that the term gay was never used in his day). Hunter says his homosexuality was the worst kept secret in Hollywood, but the studio publicity machine at Warners kept the rumors at bay by pairing him on dates with young female stars like Debbie Reynolds and Wood. Hunter details his relationships with actor Tony Perkins and champion figure skater Ronnie Roberston (Hunter himself was a competitive figure skater in his teens), as well as with Etchika Choureau, his French costar in Lafayette Escadrille (1958).

The documentary presents Hunter, a naturally shy and modest man, front and center. He details his struggles with his hidden private life. It also features input and commentary on the times by Reynolds, Robert Wagner, Connie Stevens, George Takei, and Clint Eastwood. Also in the mix are film critic Rex Reed, gossip columnist Rona Barrett and many others. These friends and costars help put 1950s Hollywood and the old studio system and the power they waged over their contract players into context. In spite of all these conflicts, Hunter was dedicated to his work and honoring his contract. Unfortunately, he felt that some of his best work was on loan from his home studio. Hunter points to Gunman’s Walk (1958) where he was cast against type as a murderer and That Kind of Woman (1959) opposite Sophia Loren. Hunter disillusioned with the roles Warners was offering him decided to buy out his contract and work as a freelance artist. This was the beginning of the end. Hunter said, “leaving Warner Bros. was career suicide.” Without the backing of a major studio, Hunter found it difficult to obtain lead roles in major Hollywood productions. This and the fact that Hunter’s All-American image was losing its luster with the public. His fall was quick. He went from co-starring with Gary Cooper and Rita Hayworth in They Came to Condura (1959) to flying on a magic carpet in The Golden Arrow (1962), an Italian production that dubbed someone else’s voice for his in English?! He received third billing (under Fabian and Shelley Fabares) in the surfer movie Ride the Wild Surf (1964), and perhaps the worst of this period, The Birds Do It (1966) playing second banana to Soup Sales.

In the late 1960s, Hunter worked steadily in dinner theater. In the 1970s, Hunter guest-starred on television appearing in shows like The Love Boat, Police Woman, Hawaii Five-O, and Charlie’s Angels. His career took a wild turn when John Waters cast him as Todd Tomorrow in Polyester (1981) opposite transvestite drag queen Divine. The attention was short-lived; no major movie roles followed.

Hunter’s last film role was in  Dark Horse (1992), based on his original story about Allison Mills, a girl crippled in an accident with her favorite horse, Jet, also crippled. Allison learns to rise above her disability with the help of Jet who eventually runs again.

The above could be Hunter’s story. Introduced to horses and horseback riding by his older brother, Hunter was most at home caring for and riding horses in competition. He’s now retired and living with his long-time partner, film producer Allan Glaser, in Santa Barbara, California. According to Glaser, Hunter’s main joy in life is taking care of his horse Harlow, grooming her and cleaning her stall every day.

Tab Hunter Confidential is available from Amazon.com in DVD and Blu-ray formats.
Run Time 90 minutes
DVD Released August 23, 2016
Not rated

Chicago Film Club Field Trip: "Miracle on 34th Street" December 20 at AMC East

Where: AMC East 21, 322 East Illinois, Chicago, IL
When: December 20, 2015
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Hosted by Stephen Reginald


Run Time: 1 hour 50 minutes (approximate)

Special Fathom Feature: Enjoy a specially produced introduction from Turner Classic Movies that will give insight into this celebrated holiday classic.

Fathom Events, Turner Classic Movies and Twentieth Century Fox will be bringing holiday cheer to the big screen with Miracle on 34th Street (1947), back in cinemas nationwide on Sunday, December 20.

Miracle on 34th Street is an irresistible fable that has, for many years, become synonymous with celebrating Christmas. The holiday season is in full swing when a cultured gentleman with twinkling eyes, an ample belly, and a snowy beard (Edmund Gwenn) is hired as Macy’s department store Santa. He claims his name is Kris Kringle, and soon fills everyone with Christmas spirit...except for his boss, Doris Walker (Maureen O’Hara), who’s raising her daughter (Natalie Wood) to not believe in Santa. But when Kringle is declared insane, and put on trial, everyone’s faith is put to the test as young and old alike face the age-old question: Do you believe in Santa Claus?

To purchase tickets in advance, click here. Tickets will also be available at the box office on the day of screening.

Edmund Gwenn and Natalie Wood

Join the Chicago Film club; join the discussion
Once a month we screen a classic film and have a brief discussion afterward. For more information, including how to join (it’s free), click here. The Venue 1550 is easily accessible by the CTA. Please visit Transit Chicago for more information on transportation options.

I’ll be holding up a Meetup sign by the concessions on the top, theater, level. Let’s try and meet at 1:45 p.m.

"Miracle on 34th Street" Kicks off the Holiday Movie Season

Natalie Wood and Maureen O'Hara

Does Macy's tell Gimbels?
Miracle on 34th Street, starring Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Edmund Gwenn, and Natalie Wood is a true holiday classic. Released in 1947, the movie boasts some terrific location shots of New York City during the late 1940s, including interior and exteriors of the landmark Macy's department store located near Times Square.

On Location in New York City
Twentieth Century Fox film studios actually filmed the real Macy's Day Parade to lend authenticity to the production. O'Hara and Gwenn are right in the middle of all the action along the parade route which starts at 77th St. and Central Park West to Columbus Circle (59th St.), continues up Broadway to 34th St., turning at Macy's Herald Square, and ending at Seventh Ave. The Macy's Day Parade is a New York tradition that started in 1924.

Prince Charming was a rat!
The story centers around Doris Walker (O'Hara) as a busy Macy's executive and single mother trying to raise her young daughter, Susan (Wood). O'Hara believes in always being truthful with her daughter and considers myths like Santa Claus harmful. She thinks that filling up her daughter's head with a bunch of fairy stories paints an unrealistic portrait of life and leads to disappointment and heartache in adulthood. What Doris doesn't realize is that it's her own bitterness and disappointment that is driving most of her parenting decisions.

John Payne, Wood, and Edmund Gwenn

Enter an eager, young lawyer, Fred Gailey (Payne), who challenges Susan first and then Doris to believe in something bigger than themselves. When Fred finds himself proclaiming a kind, old gentleman (Gwenn) as the one and only Santa Claus in a New York City courtroom, the city and its colorful inhabitants get swept up in the spectacle.

Honored Classic
Winner of three Academy Awards, including one for Best Writing, Screenplay (George Seaton), Best Writing, Original Story (Valentine Davies), and Best Supporting Actor (Gwenn), Miracle on 34th Street is a classic for all seasons.