A composer and his sister discover that the reason they are able to purchase a beautiful gothic seacoast mansion very cheaply is the house's unsavory past.A composer and his sister discover that the reason they are able to purchase a beautiful gothic seacoast mansion very cheaply is the house's unsavory past.A composer and his sister discover that the reason they are able to purchase a beautiful gothic seacoast mansion very cheaply is the house's unsavory past.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 nomination total
David Clyde
- Ben - Boat Owner
- (uncredited)
Betty Farrington
- Carmel's Ghost
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
Helena Grant
- Servant
- (uncredited)
Lynda Grey
- Ghost of Mary Meredith
- (uncredited)
Holmes Herbert
- Charlie Jessup
- (uncredited)
Leyland Hodgson
- Taxi Driver
- (uncredited)
John Kieran
- Foreword Narrator
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
Queenie Leonard
- Mrs. Taylor
- (uncredited)
Moyna MacGill
- Mrs. Coatsworthy
- (uncredited)
Jessica Newcombe
- Miss Edith Ellis
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWhen Stella enters a trance and speaks in Spanish during the seance, she says, "Listen, listen! It's not her! It's not her! Do not believe anything! Do not listen to her, because she's lying! You thief! Thief of my love!"
- GoofsThe film is set in 1937, but the "going-to-church" sequence features a car with headlights blacked out in the style required due to WWII in the early 1940s.
- Quotes
Pamela Fitzgerald: Well, I must dash back to Lizzie. We're fighting over how much Sherry to put in a tipsy pudding. She wants to make it dead drunk.
- ConnectionsFeatured in 100 Years of Horror: Ghosts (1996)
- SoundtracksTo Stella by Starlight
(uncredited)
Music by Victor Young
Played on piano by Ray Milland (dubbed) and heard as a main theme in the score.
Richard Hayman and his Orchestra performed the music. Richard Hayman also played the harmonica solo in the piece.
Featured review
Old Hollywood may not have had digital, but they sure knew how to fake it. Take this movie. I could swear it was filmed on a rocky British coast. But no. According to IMDb, it looks like production never left the LA area or maybe even the studio lot. In my book, that's quite a technical feat. Besides, the crashing waves and and cliff-side mansion add a ton of atmosphere to a really good ghost story.
Actually, it's as much a mystery movie as it is a haunting. Just who the heck is this sobbing spirit and why is she bugging poor sweet little Stella (Russell). In fact, was there ever a more appealing screen presence in any film than actress Russell is here. She's got a level of innocent appeal that most actresses only dream about, and steals the film with an unforgettable charm.
Speaking of charm, Russell's got a lot of competition from Milland and Hussey who are simply delightful as the urbane brother and sister. Their scenes together amount to little marvels of civilized chemistry. In fact, this may be the most charmingly done story of the occult on record. It's almost like the supernatural happenings are secondary to the array of compelling characters, including the tyrannical Commander (Crisp).
Now, neither the swirling specter nor the ghostly sobbing scared me, but Miss Holloway (Skinner) sure as heck did. Talk about ice-cold intelligence. If you weren't wacko when you entered her Nazi sanitarium, you soon would be. Then there's poor flighty Miss Bird (Stickney). I can see her entering the place as a highly competent librarian, but soon reduced by "therapy" to flapping her arms and collecting rocks. Then too, what's with Holloway's attachment to the deceased Mary Meredith—was this Hollywood maybe pushing the envelope.
Anyhow, the movie is studio (Paramount) craftsmanship at its best, including the enchanting title tune "Stella by Starlight". Whatever old Hollywood's failings, and they had many, the studios could on occasion come up with real winners. Fortunately, this is one of them.
Actually, it's as much a mystery movie as it is a haunting. Just who the heck is this sobbing spirit and why is she bugging poor sweet little Stella (Russell). In fact, was there ever a more appealing screen presence in any film than actress Russell is here. She's got a level of innocent appeal that most actresses only dream about, and steals the film with an unforgettable charm.
Speaking of charm, Russell's got a lot of competition from Milland and Hussey who are simply delightful as the urbane brother and sister. Their scenes together amount to little marvels of civilized chemistry. In fact, this may be the most charmingly done story of the occult on record. It's almost like the supernatural happenings are secondary to the array of compelling characters, including the tyrannical Commander (Crisp).
Now, neither the swirling specter nor the ghostly sobbing scared me, but Miss Holloway (Skinner) sure as heck did. Talk about ice-cold intelligence. If you weren't wacko when you entered her Nazi sanitarium, you soon would be. Then there's poor flighty Miss Bird (Stickney). I can see her entering the place as a highly competent librarian, but soon reduced by "therapy" to flapping her arms and collecting rocks. Then too, what's with Holloway's attachment to the deceased Mary Meredith—was this Hollywood maybe pushing the envelope.
Anyhow, the movie is studio (Paramount) craftsmanship at its best, including the enchanting title tune "Stella by Starlight". Whatever old Hollywood's failings, and they had many, the studios could on occasion come up with real winners. Fortunately, this is one of them.
- dougdoepke
- Aug 7, 2011
- Permalink
Details
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $6
- Runtime1 hour 39 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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