The Uninvited (1944)

THE UNINVITED is one of the most well-regarded ghost stories of the 1940s, although seen today it's a rather genteel effort and certainly not frightening, unlike towering movies of the genre such as THE HAUNTING. This one sees a jovial Ray Milland moving into a beachfront property, only to discover that it's already occupied. It's a sedate and subtle affair, with the supernatural horror limited to just a couple of mildly effective SFX scenes, but it does have plenty of atmosphere and an intriguing murder mystery back story to keep it going. Milland proves a warm and kindly presence this early on in his career (as opposed to his turns a decade later in the likes of DIAL M FOR MURDER) but the emphasis is very much on the female presence, both real and (is it?) imaginated. Silent film star Donald Crisp plays an imposing role in support, and there are some nice indoor visuals here which reminded me of those in THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE.

I'm a big fan of classic supernatural movies, and The Uninvited is an enjoyable ghost story that takes the subject seriously, but it does have a few flaws. Set in Cornwall, it tells a simple story in which Ray Milland and Ruth Hussey play the new owners of a large house on the coast. They discover that is is haunted. Rather than flee, they endure the frightening situation and try to put the spirit to rest. The photography and art direction are great. The house looks elegant at yet slightly sinister but not overtly "spooked-up" . The acting is good, although somewhat dated in delivery and style when viewed today. And the story follows an interesting flow of turns and revelations, with a satisfying conclusion. The scares in the film are well handled. When there are strange noises at night, or when Milland is exploring in the dark, the sense of unease is handled well. One of my favourite scenes is when all the characters are in a room and some large double doors open. In the first second we don't register this, but when the doors are fully open and nobody is there. it's suddenly frightening. Same thing when Milland and Hussey hear noises at night and look down the stairs. Somehow, the inky blackness of the lower hallway looks horrific. The director should be given credit for being able to turn the mundane into the unsettling, and he does it on several occasions.However I said the film has flaws, and I do think it falls down in certain areas. There are scenes of humour inserted all over the place which really dilute the tension. Cute dogs and squirrels running about with Disney-esque music, Ray Milland saying he's feeling brave but performing almost goofy facial expressions to "portray" that he is not come to mind. The "salt-of-the-earth" Irish housekeeper is a complete cliché. To be honest the central premise is also slightly off-kilter by having Milland and Hussey as brother and sister rather than a married couple. This robs the film of having any real emotional heart as there is no visible emotional investment between the pair. Instead, they both find romance with other characters: Milland sets his cap at a 20 year old girl which is excruciating to watch as he is far too old for her, and Hussey gets stuck with a doctor as he's the first and only eligible male she meets in the movie. Ah, romance!One more thing that didn't sit well with me is how disappointing the climactic revelation is. It really only hit me on my second watch of the move, but the way the film wraps up the proceedings once the truth behind the haunting is revealed is botched. I think it's the way the revelation is handled by the actors who quickly blurt out some expository dialogue and that's that. The film doesn't do drama via close ups or pauses, and the way that the character of Stella almost tosses off what could be a life-changing revelation with a few seconds of script reading is very poor. And now I realise what troubles me about the movie as a whole - none of the characters has any emotional depth. Milland and Hussey are as dull and dry as cardboard. Stella is blank and gauche, and everyone else is even more lifeless. In writing this I have just realised I how much have heavily criticised a movie which I am actually quite fond of, and that I recommend as a good treatment of the supernatural in serious vintage cinema. I still think it is, but I'm not going to shy away from saying that it has faults. Ghostly atmosphere and unease it definitely has, but passion or believable emotion seems to be lacking.

Sign me up for anything Ray Milland did. I enjoy his execution of every role I've seen him in. For my money, thew's not a lot separating him from some of the leading actors of his generation.The Uninvited is a first-rate production. As my review title suggests, it's stylish without being pretentious. The characters are credible and engaging. It has a Gothic feel due to the large, often dark house which ironically is set on a seaside cliff in the most beautiful setting. Elements of noir interject themselves as we try to unravel the mystery. One significant and one lesser romance find themselves budding juxtapose to the haunting, eerie mystery. In fact, much of the movie is a study in these contracts of darkness and light, of love and tragedy, and I found these contrasts compelling.This is somewhat of a prototype of the leading films of this era, films like Rebecca and other Hitchockian efforts that comprise a golden age of Hollywood. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it will be a film I will watch again.About my reviews: I do not offer a synopsis of the film -- you can get that anywhere and that does not constitute a meaningful review -- but rather my thoughts and feelings on the film that hopefully will be informative to you in deciding whether to invest 90-180 minutes of your life on it.My scale: 1-5 decreasing degrees of "terrible", with 5 being "mediocre" 6- OK. Generally held my interest OR had reasonable cast and/or cinematography, might watch it again 7 - Good. My default rating for a movie I liked enough to watch again, but didn't rise to the upper echelons 8- Very Good. Would watch again and recommend to others 9- Outstanding. Would watch over and over; top 10% of my ratings 10 - A Classic. (Less than 2% receive this rating)

As a brother and sister move into their dream house at the top of a West Country cliff, they find the grand-daughter of the local man who sold them the house has a fatal attraction linked to ghostly goings on at the place.Well produced melodrama that dulls its spookiness through whimsical music and touches of ooo-err humour by the lead actor. Made in 1944, so I guess true terror was out of the question, but the lack of tension does drag the pace back.The performances are all solid, but the lack of involvement of the brother and sister (apart from the obligatory romance) makes it more a detective story in the Scooby Doo mould, as our untouchable heroes sniff out the dark secret at the heart of the story. The reveal is unexpected if not surprising. And the final line wraps it up nice and warm.Photography and editing are good, although endless shots of surf soaked rockery (on the California coast) along with the swooping violin music really take us back to Rebecca.Overall - enjoyable if a bit long, and it really backs away from any complication that could have deepened the mystery.