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Comedy Movies/Looking for an Old Black and White Comedy movie title.

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Expert: - 11/21/2007


Question
Well this is a hard one I cant remember the title or the actors names ( I thought Cary Grant may have been in it, but not 100% ) and I am a bit unsure on the story.

I watched this film over 30 years ago and this is what I remember about it.

The film had 3 main characters, 1 man and 2 ladies ( lets call them Mrs A and Mrs B.
From what I can remember the man was married to Mrs A and she died / killed in car crash ?. So the Man marries Mrs B. Then the first wife ( Mrs A ) returns as a ghost to cause all sorts of problems.

I remember the end where i belive there was a car crash and all 3 end up as ghosts sitting on a fence.

This was a black and white film, maybe from the 30's / 40's.

I would really love to see this movie again but because i have so little info, finding it really hard to find it, can you help ?

thanks

Chris

Answer
Chris, the film you describe is "Blithe Spirit," based on a Noel Coward play.  It was made into a film in 1945, and there were several subsequent TV versions.  

The film starred Rex Harrison and was quite popular when released.  The Internet Movie Data Base notes, however, that it was filmed in color, not black-and-white (although that may have been how you saw it, or recall it).

It is available on DVD--I suggest trying Amazon.com or one of the other movie outlets.  I hope this is, indeed, the film you are looking for and that you are able to enjoy it again.

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Barbara L. Baker

Expertise

I am a professor of communication at a midwest university, who has expertise on subjects related to film. I can answer general questions on U.S. film comedy (especially satires of the 1960s and 1970s) and comic theory. I also could answer questions related to specific comic genres, such as comedian comedies, screwball comedies, "stupid" comedies, and so forth. The more specific you can make your question, the better (e.g. main plot details, main characters, possible character names, possible actors, how you viewed the show, etc.). I also need to have a release date (or range of dates, or at least the year you viewed the film). Please do not just provide a set of links to someplace else (e.g. imdb discussion threads). I am less able to answer questions about comedies from other countries, made-for-TV movies, and recent comic films and actors (although I would do my best to find out). I cannot answer questions about specific TV shows or series, "Our Gang" episodes, anime/magna or about film collectables. I generally cannot provide movie recommendations, since what I find funny others may not. Nor will I answer obvious homework (although I will point you to resources to help answer the question, if asked). I also can't help you find movie stars, or where to buy movie memorabilia, or tell you how to break into the business.

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Course work in comedy films along with teaching about comedy films for several years; I've also conducted research into comedy films.

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Ph.D. in Communication, emphasis in film and rhetoric

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A dissertation award from a national organization plus various paper awards

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My students

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