Friday, October 8, 2010

Thrillers and Chillers - THE UNINVITED (1944)



A brother and sister (Ray Milland, Ruth Hussey) move into an old seaside house they find abandoned for many years on the English coast. Their original enchantment with the house diminishes as they hear stories of the previous owners and meet their daughter (Gail Russell, now a young woman) who now lives as a neighbor with her grandfather. Also heard are unexplained sounds during the night. It becomes obvious that the house is haunted. The reasons for the haunting and how they relate to the daughter whom the brother is falling in love with, prove to be a complex mystery. As they are compelled to solve it, the supernatural activity at the house increases to a frightening level.


Solid ghost thriller that ranks right up there with The Innocents and The Haunting.


Facts and trivia:
 
The beautiful song "Stella By Starlight" was written specifically for this movie and is featured several times. In the movie Roderick Fitzgerald "writes" it for Stella Meredith.


Gail Russell co-stars with author Cornelia Otis Skinner who portrayed "Miss Holloway". That same year (1944), Gail Russell portrayed Cornelia Otis Skinner in "Our Hearts Were Young and Gay", a film based on the real-life memoirs of Miss Skinner.
 

Some of the interior sets of Windwood Manor, such as the main staircase and parlor, were re-dressed sets from the 1942 film I Married a Witch (1942).


Helen Walker and Veronica Lake were tested for the lead roles.

5 comments:

  1. LOVE this film! I burned it when it was on TCM! It is one of those great movies that crosses over genres -- it was a supernatural tale but also a mystery and romance! Excellent performances from the 3 leads esepcially Hussey who was very underrated! Plus, Hussey's love interest in none other than Alan Napier who became more famous as Alfred in ABC's Batman series. Nice to see Napier as a young man!

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  2. Thanks for another interesting post Dawn.
    I was'nt aware of the origins of the song "Stella By Starlight" till I read this.
    I'm looking forward to the rest of this month because I learn something mew everytime I visit Noir And Chick Flicks :)

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  3. Monty, What a ghostly movie review! Ghosts, romance, what more could you want from a Halloween movie pick. I can not wait to see it.

    Gilby, I'm sorry I missed it when it was on TCM. I will keep an eye out for it.

    Hey Paul, Monty... is the author behind this wonderful review. I can see why you thought it was my review. Monty and I have similar taste in films.

    I also learn something new every day when it comes to classic movies. Thank you for taking the journey with us :)

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  4. Oops, sorry Monty !!
    I forgot you had guest authors Dawn, I think it's a good idea and it's something I might introduce to my blog !

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  5. Monty, this is in my top 10 scary movie favorites! It just has everything a classic scary movie should have. And I must admit, I have always had a crush on Ray Milland! I don't want to say it here in case someone who hasn't seen it reads these comments, but I think the very last line of this movie is one of the funniest ever! Great post!

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