--- title: "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" year: 1947 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-ghost-and-mrs-muir" fi1m_id: "the-ghost-and-mrs-muir" imdb_id: "tt0039420" tmdb_id: 22292 wikidata_id: "Q1304578" fi1m_score: 84 critics_score: 72 critics_reviews: 5 published: "2026-09-25T04:12:04.358694+00:00" updated: "2026-09-25T04:12:04.694271+00:00" region: "MX" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz · 1h 45m · Romance, Fantasy, Drama ## Identity The Ghost and Mrs. Muir - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-ghost-and-mrs-muir - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** the-ghost-and-mrs-muir - **IMDb ID:** tt0039420 - **TMDB ID:** 22292 - **Wikidata ID:** Q1304578 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039420/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/22292, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1304578 **Fi1m score: 84** · Critics 72 (early) from 5 reviews *In a sentence:* Being dead does surprisingly little damage to Rex Harrison’s romantic prospects > Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison make this ghostly romance tender and persuasive, with Charles Lang’s close-ups and Bernard Herrmann’s music doing much of the work. Its leisurely pace needs patience, but the feeling earns it. ## Synopsis Lucy Muir (Gene Tierney) encounters Capt. Daniel Gregg (Rex Harrison), a ghost whose presence brings the possibility of romance into her life. Their conversations draw her towards a relationship with someone who belongs to the dead. Alongside them are Martha Huggins (Edna Best) and the young Anna Muir (Natalie Wood). As Lucy and Gregg get to know each other, their attachment raises questions about what a future together could mean. There is also the possibility that the companion Lucy finds is a creation of her own imagination. ## Review Joseph L. Mankiewicz takes an improbable romance seriously, and *The Ghost and Mrs. Muir* rewards that faith. This is a tender, persuasive film with a pace that sometimes tests our patience. The supernatural premise gives it something more interesting to consider than the mechanics of haunting: what Lucy Muir needs from the companion she finds. It gives the couple room to talk, and expects us to care about what passes between them. Gene Tierney keeps Lucy at the centre even when Rex Harrison’s Capt. Daniel Gregg commands our attention. Her performance makes the human side of the relationship engaging enough that the ghost’s existence need not become a puzzle to be solved. Harrison brings authority to Gregg without making the romantic pairing feel overwhelmed by it. We believe that these two people find one another interesting, which is the first thing a romance has to establish and surprisingly often neglects. Philip Dunne’s screenplay gives their conversations room for more than one reading. Gregg can be accepted as a ghost, or understood as an expression of Lucy’s imagination, without either possibility cancelling the pleasure of their company. That uncertainty makes us pay closer attention to her investment in the exchanges. The dialogue is worth listening to, though the film sometimes seems more confident than we are that another stretch of conversation will deepen the attachment. Charles Lang’s photography is especially persuasive in the close-ups of the leads. We were moved by those faces: the attention given to them makes the longing in this unlikely relationship easy to recognise. The camera grants Lucy as much importance as the man with the supernatural advantage, so the romance never depends entirely on our fascination with him. The beauty of the images helps, but their usefulness lies in keeping us attentive to the performers. Bernard Herrmann’s music gives the romance a warmth that the supernatural premise alone could never supply. The score allows more feeling into the film than the dialogue alone could carry, and its generosity suits the close attention to the actors. Dorothy Spencer’s editing leaves ample space for the performances, although the leisurely rhythm can become too comfortable. Some passages need a firmer move onwards, particularly when we have already understood the attraction and are waiting for the film to develop it. As a romantic fantasy, the film is unusually willing to let conversation do the work. There is a risk that the whole affair will seem precious, especially if the central pairing fails to win us over. We found enough warmth and curiosity in the performances to stay with it, even when the pace slackened. Anyone looking for a brisk ghost story should make another choice; this one asks for the time to watch two people become important to each other. *Fi1m score 84, published 25 September 2026.* ## Straight answers **Is The Ghost and Mrs. Muir worth watching?** *The Ghost and Mrs. Muir* is worth watching for its tender, persuasive romance, and we score it 84 out of 100. Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison make the unlikely attachment believable, helped by expressive close-ups and Bernard Herrmann’s warm music, though we recommend it to patient romantics rather than anyone seeking a brisk ghost story. **How long is The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, and what is it rated?** *The Ghost and Mrs. Muir* runs 1h 45m. It is a romance and fantasy film. **Where can I watch The Ghost and Mrs. Muir in Mexico?** *The Ghost and Mrs. Muir* is not on any streaming or rental service in Mexico at the moment. It is available in 31 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily. **How does The Ghost and Mrs. Muir compare to A Matter of Life and Death?** *The Ghost and Mrs. Muir* is the quieter, more conversation-led romantic fantasy; we consider [*A Matter of Life and Death*](https://film.one/film/a-matter-of-life-and-death) the stronger recommendation for a broad audience. Both ask the next world to accommodate human feelings, but the latter offers humour and expressive colour, while Lucy and Gregg’s leisurely exchanges suit those happiest watching a relationship develop. **Is The Ghost and Mrs. Muir based on a true story or a book?** *The Ghost and Mrs. Muir* is adapted from a novel by R.A. Dick, rather than based on a true story. No familiarity with the book is needed: we find the film’s appeal in Lucy’s conversations with her ghostly companion, which leave room to understand him either as a supernatural presence or as a creation of her imagination. **What should I watch after The Ghost and Mrs. Muir?** After *The Ghost and Mrs. Muir*, try [*A Matter of Life and Death*](https://film.one/film/a-matter-of-life-and-death) (1946, Fi1m 92): Another romance that asks the next world to accommodate inconvenient human feelings. Then [*Wings of Desire*](https://film.one/film/wings-of-desire) (1987, Fi1m 88): For the ache of watching human life from just beyond its reach; and [*Truly Madly Deeply*](https://film.one/film/truly-madly-deeply) (1990, Fi1m 80): A sharper domestic companion, with grief and affection sharing the same rooms. ### Reviews we read (5) - **Empire**, Kim Newman (85/100, inferred): Newman finds the film a deeply affecting supernatural romance that builds toward a tearjerking finale. He particularly praises its evocative score, luminous cinematography, and beautifully composed close-ups of Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/ghost-mrs-muir-review/) - **Variety**, Variety Staff (78/100, inferred): Variety finds the romance warmly human and engaging. It singles out Gene Tierney’s performance and Rex Harrison’s commanding turn as the ghost. [Read](https://variety.com/1946/film/reviews/the-ghost-and-mrs-muir-1200414980/) - **The AV Club**, Noel Murray (70/100, inferred): Murray finds the film a slowly paced but rewarding romantic ghost story with more nuance on repeat viewings. He praises the layered conversations and the ambiguity around whether the ghost exists or represents Mrs. Muir’s fantasy. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/the-ghost-and-mrs-muir-dvd-1798198460) - **Time Out** (65/100, inferred): The review is positive overall despite dismissing the story as supernatural nonsense. It praises the film’s beautiful photography and the match between Rex Harrison and Gene Tierney. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/newyork/film/the-ghost-and-mrs-muir) - **The New Yorker**, John McCarten (64/100, inferred): The issue lists this film within John McCarten’s multi-film Current Cinema review, but the review’s verdict is not visible. No specific praise or criticism of the film can be established from the available page. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1947/07/05) ## Details - **Director:** Joseph L. Mankiewicz - **Director:** Joseph L. Mankiewicz - **Screenplay:** Philip Dunne - **Novel:** R.A. Dick - **Cinematography:** Charles Lang - **Editor:** Dorothy Spencer - **Music:** Bernard Herrmann - **Costume design:** Oleg Cassini, Eleanor Behm - **Producer:** Fred Kohlmar - **Cast:** Gene Tierney as Lucy Muir; Rex Harrison as Capt. Daniel Gregg; George Sanders as Miles Fairley; Edna Best as Martha Huggins; Vanessa Brown as Anna Muir as an Adult; Anna Lee as Mrs. Fairley; Robert Coote as Mr. Coombe; Natalie Wood as Anna Muir as a Child - **Runtime:** 1h 45m - **First release (the UK):** 25 May 1947 - **Genres:** Romance, Fantasy, Drama ## Where to watch in Mexico Not streaming, renting or buying in Mexico at the last check. Also available in: AE, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HU, IE, IL, IT, JP, LT, NL, NO, NZ, PL, PT, SE, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 1948: Best Cinematography, Black-and-White (nominated) ## If you liked this - *A Matter of Life and Death* (1946), Fi1m 92: Another romance that asks the next world to accommodate inconvenient human feelings. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-matter-of-life-and-death.md) - *Portrait of Jennie* (1948): For another patient romance whose supernatural premise rests on the lovers’ conviction. - *After Life* (1998): A quieter encounter with the dead, attentive to memory and ordinary happiness. - *Wings of Desire* (1987), Fi1m 88: For the ache of watching human life from just beyond its reach. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/wings-of-desire.md) - *Truly Madly Deeply* (1990), Fi1m 80: A sharper domestic companion, with grief and affection sharing the same rooms. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/truly-madly-deeply.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-ghost-and-mrs-muir