The Ghost Breakers
Encyclopedia
The Ghost Breakers is a comedy film
directed by George Marshall
and starring Bob Hope
and Paulette Goddard
. The movie was adapted by Walter DeLeon
from the play The Ghost Breaker by Paul Dickey
and Charles W. Goddard
.
The film opens in a Manhattan
radio studio during a broadcast by crime reporter Lawrence Lawrence (Bob Hope
) -- “Larry” to his friends, as well as his enemies, who are many in number among the local underworld
.
Listening in on the broadcast is pretty brunette Mary Carter (Paulette Goddard
), whose high-rise hotel room goes dark as a violent thunderstorm causes a city-wide blackout
. In the near darkness, a knock comes at her door. It is Mr. Parada (Paul Lukas
), a suave, vaguely sinister Cuban solicitor. He delivers the deed to her inherited plantation and mansion, “Castillo Maldito,” on a small island off the coast of Cuba. Despite Parada’s discouragement, she impulsively decides to travel to Cuba by ship to inspect her new property.
During Parada’s visit, Mary receives a telephone call from Mr. Mederes (Anthony Quinn
), an even more sinister gent who warns Mary not to sell the newly inherited property to Parada. Mary agrees to meet Mederes later.
Meanwhile, after Larry Lawrence has finished broadcasting the evening’s exposé
of a local crime boss
, he receives a telephone call from the crime boss, Frenchy Duval (Paul Fix
). Frenchy invites Larry to his hotel to discuss the broadcast so he can "give it" to him straight.
Coincidentally, Frenchy is living in the same hotel where Mary Carter lives. Mederes arrives on the same hotel floor as Larry. However, Mederes is looking for Parada. Mederes confronts Parada and Parada shoots and kills him. Larry hears the shot and fires his gun at random. In a mix-up in the still-darkened building, Larry sees the body and believes he’s killed one of Duval’s henchmen. In the confusion he finds himself in the rooms of Mary Carter, who is already busy packing for her journey. Believing that he is being pursued by Duval’s men, Larry hides in Mary’s large open trunk. Unaware of Larry’s presence, Mary locks the trunk and arranges for its transport to the harbor.
Later at the dock, Larry’s valet
Alex (Willie Best
) searches among the luggage bound for loading and finds Larry among them. Although not in time to prevent the trunk’s transfer to the ship’s hold, Alex manages to get on board, hoping to extricate his employer before the ship sails.
Once in her stateroom, Mary is surprised to unpack Larry along with the rest of her belongings. Larry and Alex decide to remain on board, partly to act as bodyguards to the plucky beauty, but also to keep out of reach of Frenchy Duval and the police.
As Larry and Mary strike up a flirtation, they run into an acquaintance of Mary's, Geoff Montgomery (Richard Carlson), a young professorial type who regales them with tales of the local superstitions of their destination, particularly voodoo, ghosts and zombies.
Upon reaching port in Havana
, Mary, Larry, Alex go to the island. En route they find a shack occupied by an old woman (Virginia Brissac) and her catatonic son (Noble Johnson
), whom they believe is a zombie. The imposing plantation manor proves to be a spooky edifice indeed. They begin to explore the long-abandoned, cobweb-ridden mansion, and discover a large portrait of a woman who is nearly an exact likeness of Mary—most certainly an ancestor.
Soon they are terrorized by the appearance of a ghost, and the reappearance of the zombie. Are these real, or are they a ruse to frighten Mary away from her inheritance?
by Cecil B. DeMille
, with stars H. B. Warner
and Rita Stanwood, and again in 1922
by director
Alfred E. Green, with Wallace Reid
and Lila Lee
starring. Both these silent films are presumed lost
.
George Marshall, director of the 1940 version, remade The Ghost Breakers in 1953
as Scared Stiff, featuring Martin and Lewis
(Dean Martin
and Jerry Lewis
). The remake featured cameos not only from Hope, but also from Bing Crosby
. A year before Scared Stiff, Martin and Lewis appeared in the Crosby/Hope film Road to Bali
.
The film was adapted for radio on Screen Director's Playhouse on April 4, 1949 with Bob Hope re-creating his film role and Shirley Mitchell
as Mary. Hope appeared again on the program for an hour-long version on June 14, 1951.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by George Marshall
George Marshall (director)
George E. Marshall was an American actor, screenwriter, producer, film and television director, active through the first six decades of movie history....
and starring Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
and Paulette Goddard
Paulette Goddard
Paulette Goddard was an American film and theatre actress. A former child fashion model and in several Broadway productions as Ziegfeld Girl, she was a major star of the Paramount Studio in the 1940s. She was married to several notable men, including Charlie Chaplin, Burgess Meredith, and Erich...
. The movie was adapted by Walter DeLeon
Walter DeLeon
Walter DeLeon was an American screenwriter. He wrote for 66 films between 1912 and 1953. He was born in Oakland, California, and died in Los Angeles, California.-Selected filmography:* Scared Stiff...
from the play The Ghost Breaker by Paul Dickey
Paul Dickey
Paul Dickey , was an American playwright and silent screen writer. He wrote 17 films between years 1914 and 1953.He was born in Chicago, Illinois and died in New York, New York, aged 50....
and Charles W. Goddard
Charles W. Goddard
Charles William Goddard was a playwright and screenwriter.Goddard began writing Broadway plays before turning to film, adapting a number of his stage works to film. He wrote the script for the Pathé Freres film The Exploits of Elaine, which has been selected for preservation in the United States...
.
Plot
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
radio studio during a broadcast by crime reporter Lawrence Lawrence (Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
) -- “Larry” to his friends, as well as his enemies, who are many in number among the local underworld
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
.
Listening in on the broadcast is pretty brunette Mary Carter (Paulette Goddard
Paulette Goddard
Paulette Goddard was an American film and theatre actress. A former child fashion model and in several Broadway productions as Ziegfeld Girl, she was a major star of the Paramount Studio in the 1940s. She was married to several notable men, including Charlie Chaplin, Burgess Meredith, and Erich...
), whose high-rise hotel room goes dark as a violent thunderstorm causes a city-wide blackout
Power outage
A power outage is a short- or long-term loss of the electric power to an area.There are many causes of power failures in an electricity network...
. In the near darkness, a knock comes at her door. It is Mr. Parada (Paul Lukas
Paul Lukas
Paul Lukas was an Austrian-Hungarian-born actor.-Biography:Born Pál Lukács in Budapest, he arrived in Hollywood in 1927 after a successful stage and film career in Hungary, Germany and Austria where he worked with Max Reinhardt. He made his stage debut in Budapest in 1916 and his film debut in 1917...
), a suave, vaguely sinister Cuban solicitor. He delivers the deed to her inherited plantation and mansion, “Castillo Maldito,” on a small island off the coast of Cuba. Despite Parada’s discouragement, she impulsively decides to travel to Cuba by ship to inspect her new property.
During Parada’s visit, Mary receives a telephone call from Mr. Mederes (Anthony Quinn
Anthony Quinn
Antonio Rodolfo Quinn-Oaxaca , more commonly known as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican American actor, as well as a painter and writer...
), an even more sinister gent who warns Mary not to sell the newly inherited property to Parada. Mary agrees to meet Mederes later.
Meanwhile, after Larry Lawrence has finished broadcasting the evening’s exposé
Investigative journalism
Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, often involving crime, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report. Investigative journalism...
of a local crime boss
Crime boss
A crime boss or boss is a person in charge of a criminal organization. A boss typically has absolute or near-absolute control over his subordinates, is greatly feared by his subordinates for his ruthlessness and willingness to take lives in order to exert his influence, and profits come from the...
, he receives a telephone call from the crime boss, Frenchy Duval (Paul Fix
Paul Fix
Paul Fix was an American film and television character actor, best known for his work in westerns. Fix appeared in more than a hundred movies and dozens of television shows over a 56-year career spanning from 1925 to 1981...
). Frenchy invites Larry to his hotel to discuss the broadcast so he can "give it" to him straight.
Coincidentally, Frenchy is living in the same hotel where Mary Carter lives. Mederes arrives on the same hotel floor as Larry. However, Mederes is looking for Parada. Mederes confronts Parada and Parada shoots and kills him. Larry hears the shot and fires his gun at random. In a mix-up in the still-darkened building, Larry sees the body and believes he’s killed one of Duval’s henchmen. In the confusion he finds himself in the rooms of Mary Carter, who is already busy packing for her journey. Believing that he is being pursued by Duval’s men, Larry hides in Mary’s large open trunk. Unaware of Larry’s presence, Mary locks the trunk and arranges for its transport to the harbor.
Later at the dock, Larry’s valet
Valet
Valet and varlet are terms for male servants who serve as personal attendants to their employer.- Word origins :In the Middle Ages, the valet de chambre to a ruler was a prestigious appointment for young men...
Alex (Willie Best
Willie Best
William "Willie" Best sometimes known as Sleep n' Eat was an American television and film actor....
) searches among the luggage bound for loading and finds Larry among them. Although not in time to prevent the trunk’s transfer to the ship’s hold, Alex manages to get on board, hoping to extricate his employer before the ship sails.
Once in her stateroom, Mary is surprised to unpack Larry along with the rest of her belongings. Larry and Alex decide to remain on board, partly to act as bodyguards to the plucky beauty, but also to keep out of reach of Frenchy Duval and the police.
As Larry and Mary strike up a flirtation, they run into an acquaintance of Mary's, Geoff Montgomery (Richard Carlson), a young professorial type who regales them with tales of the local superstitions of their destination, particularly voodoo, ghosts and zombies.
Upon reaching port in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Mary, Larry, Alex go to the island. En route they find a shack occupied by an old woman (Virginia Brissac) and her catatonic son (Noble Johnson
Noble Johnson
Noble Johnson was an African American actor and film producer.-Biography:Standing 6'2" at 215 pounds, his impressive physique and handsome features made him in demand as a character actor and bit player...
), whom they believe is a zombie. The imposing plantation manor proves to be a spooky edifice indeed. They begin to explore the long-abandoned, cobweb-ridden mansion, and discover a large portrait of a woman who is nearly an exact likeness of Mary—most certainly an ancestor.
Soon they are terrorized by the appearance of a ghost, and the reappearance of the zombie. Are these real, or are they a ruse to frighten Mary away from her inheritance?
Various versions
The Dickey and Goddard play The Ghost Breaker was filmed twice previously by Paramount. It was first made in 19141914 in film
The year 1914 in film involved some significant events, including the debut of Cecil B. DeMille as a director.-Events:*The 3,300-seat Mark Strand Theatre opens in New York City....
by Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil Blount DeMille was an American film director and Academy Award-winning film producer in both silent and sound films. He was renowned for the flamboyance and showmanship of his movies...
, with stars H. B. Warner
H. B. Warner
H. B. Warner was a British actor.-Early life:He was born Henry Byron Charles Stewart Warner-Lickford in St John's Wood, London, England in 1875...
and Rita Stanwood, and again in 1922
1922 in film
-Events:* June 11 - United States première of Robert J. Flaherty's Nanook of the North, the first commercially successful feature length documentary film....
by director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Alfred E. Green, with Wallace Reid
Wallace Reid
Wallace Reid was an actor in silent film referred to as "the screen's most perfect lover".-Early life:Born William Wallace Reid in St...
and Lila Lee
Lila Lee
Lila Lee was a prominent screen actress of the early silent film era.-Early life:Lila Lee was born Augusta Wilhelmena Fredericka Appel in Union Hill, New Jersey into a middle-class family of German immigrants who relocated to New York City when Lila was quite young...
starring. Both these silent films are presumed lost
Lost film
A lost film is a feature film or short film that is no longer known to exist in studio archives, private collections or public archives such as the Library of Congress, where at least one copy of all American films are deposited and catalogued for copyright reasons...
.
George Marshall, director of the 1940 version, remade The Ghost Breakers in 1953
1953 in film
The year 1953 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*September 16 — The Robe debuts as the first anamorphic, widescreen CinemaScope film.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:A...
as Scared Stiff, featuring Martin and Lewis
Martin and Lewis
Martin and Lewis were an American comedy team, comprising singer Dean Martin and comedian Jerry Lewis as the comedic "foil". The pair first met in 1945; their debut as a duo occurred at Atlantic City's 500 Club on July 24/25, 1946....
(Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
and Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
). The remake featured cameos not only from Hope, but also from Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
. A year before Scared Stiff, Martin and Lewis appeared in the Crosby/Hope film Road to Bali
Road to Bali
Road to Bali is a 1952 comedy film starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. It was released by Paramount Pictures and is the sixth of the seven Road to … movies...
.
The film was adapted for radio on Screen Director's Playhouse on April 4, 1949 with Bob Hope re-creating his film role and Shirley Mitchell
Shirley Mitchell
-Early life:Mitchell was born in Toledo, Ohio and attended the University of Toledo and the University of Michigan.-Career:After moving to Chicago, she appeared in the network broadcast of The First Nighter and played small parts in various soap operas including The Story of Mary Marlin and The...
as Mary. Hope appeared again on the program for an hour-long version on June 14, 1951.
Cast
- Bob HopeBob HopeBob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
as Larry Lawrence - Paulette GoddardPaulette GoddardPaulette Goddard was an American film and theatre actress. A former child fashion model and in several Broadway productions as Ziegfeld Girl, she was a major star of the Paramount Studio in the 1940s. She was married to several notable men, including Charlie Chaplin, Burgess Meredith, and Erich...
as Mary Carter - Richard Carlson as Geoff Montgomery
- Paul LukasPaul LukasPaul Lukas was an Austrian-Hungarian-born actor.-Biography:Born Pál Lukács in Budapest, he arrived in Hollywood in 1927 after a successful stage and film career in Hungary, Germany and Austria where he worked with Max Reinhardt. He made his stage debut in Budapest in 1916 and his film debut in 1917...
as Parada - Willie BestWillie BestWilliam "Willie" Best sometimes known as Sleep n' Eat was an American television and film actor....
as Alex - Pedro de CordobaPedro de CordobaPedro de Cordoba , was an American actor.Pedro de Cordoba, who appeared in his first film, a 1915 version of Carmen, was actually a classically trained theatre actor who confessed he did not enjoy appearing in silent films nearly as much as he liked working on stage...
as Havez (as Pedro De Cordoba) - Virginia BrissacVirginia BrissacVirginia Brissac was an American stage and film actress. With her stern features, she often played schoolteachers and other authority figures....
as Mother Zombie - Noble JohnsonNoble JohnsonNoble Johnson was an African American actor and film producer.-Biography:Standing 6'2" at 215 pounds, his impressive physique and handsome features made him in demand as a character actor and bit player...
as The Zombie - Anthony QuinnAnthony QuinnAntonio Rodolfo Quinn-Oaxaca , more commonly known as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican American actor, as well as a painter and writer...
as Ramon Mederes/Francisco Mederes - Tom Dugan as Raspy Kelly
- Paul FixPaul FixPaul Fix was an American film and television character actor, best known for his work in westerns. Fix appeared in more than a hundred movies and dozens of television shows over a 56-year career spanning from 1925 to 1981...
as Frenchy Duval - Lloyd CorriganLloyd CorriganLloyd Corrigan was an American film actor, producer, screenwriter and director who began working in films in the 1920s...
as Martin
External links
- The Ghost Breakers at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- New York Times review of July 4, 1940 (requires registration) http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9D02E2DA123EE432A25757C0A9619C946193D6CF
- Clip of Bob HopeBob HopeBob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
and Richard Carlson from The Ghost Breakers. - The Ghost Breakers at BlackHorrorMovies.com