Ghost Story *** (1981, Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, John Houseman, Craig Wasson, Patricia Neal, Alice Krige) – Classic Movie Review 8493

Director John Irvin’s 1981 chiller Ghost Story tells an atmospheric horror tale that unfortunately does not add up to a sum of its individual fascinating parts: Peter Straub’s intriguing bestseller novel and a quartet of distinguished elderly actors – Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, John Houseman and, in his final role, Fred Astaire.

They play four elderly friends, Ricky Hawthorne, John Jaffrey, Edward Wanderley and Sears James (Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, John Houseman) , members of the Chowder Society, who meet regularly to swap ghost stories. But one evening the quartet find that their 50-year-old sinister secret returns to haunt them in the winter of their lives as the icy grip of the past exerts its hold over them and their children.

Ghost Story is too mannered and slow moving to be scary, but the veterans keep it interesting and it does manage its main task of being more than a little creepy. Tim Choate, Mark Chamberlin, Kurt Johnson and Ken Olin play the young versions of Ricky Hawthorne, John Jaffrey, Edward Wanderley and Sears James.

Also in the cast are Craig Wasson, Patricia Neal, Alice Krige, Jacqueline Brookes, Miguel Fernandes, Lance Holcombe, and Brad Sullivan.

Ghost Story is directed by John Irvin, runs 103 minutes, is made by Universal Pictures, released by Universal Pictures, is written by Lawrence D Cohen, is shot in Technicolor by Jack Cardiff, is produced by Ronald G Smith and is scored by Philippe Sarde.

Straub’s novel was on the bestseller list for five months before the film rights were sold.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8493

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