A group of GIs stationed in England set up camp in an old castle; it is haunted by the ghost of a nobleman who was killed 300 years ago for being a coward. Oscar Wildeās story has been updated to WWII; the filmmakers aimed to amuse family audiences rather than fans of the original tale. Young Margaret OāBrien brings the sugar as the little Lady; Charles Laughton couldnāt scare anyone as the ghost, but heās fairly amusing. The American GIs are a fun-loving bunch who get to fight Nazis in the end; still, this is a bit too silly and tame to become a classic.
1944-U.S. 96 min. B/W. Directed byĀ Jules Dassin. Short Story: Oscar Wilde. Cast: Charles Laughton (Sir Simon de Canterville), Robert Young (Cuffy Williams), Margaret OāBrien (Lady Jessica de Canterville), William Gargan, Reginald Owen, āRagsā Ragland… Una OāConnor, Peter Lawford.
Trivia:Ā Dassin replaced Norman Z. McLeod as director.