Ghost

This film among others helped me as a kid to understand that dramatic films can be entertaining. The story of "Ghost" captivated me in my youth with its suspense and humor. As I grew up, I also began to see how well the romance worked. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards but was released the same year as "Dances with Wolves" unfortunately. The Oscars that "Ghost" did win represent its best qualities: Best Supporting Actress for Whoopi Goldberg and Best Original Screenplay.

I would first like to mention the acting in this film because the performances are still great today. This film introduced me to all four main actors. Patrick Swayze was a great leading man. His acting once he realizes he is dead is quite powerful. Sam's death is so painful for him because he never got to say "I love you" and he & Molly had just decided to get married. His comic moments are great as well such as when he is eavesdropping on the psychic session. When Oda Mae says that the spirits are with us, Sam replies "Oh yeah? Where?" Sam knows fully well there are no other spirits in the room. The chemistry between Swayze and Demi Moore creates one of the most memorable cinematic couples. You believe their on-screen love. That famous clay-sculpting scene however is a little too sensual for my taste. Moore is both beautiful and innocent in her role as Molly. I can't imagine Molly being played by anyone else and that goes for the rest of the cast. Now we come to the best performance of the whole movie. Whoopi became only the second black female to win an acting Oscar for her role as Oda Mae and she was already an Oscar nominated actress before she won. Whoopi gets a fun introduction in "Ghost". She had to act with Swayze but her character can't see him and that is further evidence that she deserved the Oscar because you believe that she can't see him. I love the brief argument that Oda Mae has with the construction guy. Probably my favorite scene in the whole movie is when Oda Mae helps Sam stop Carl's plan at the bank and it is because of Whoopi's acting. The line about gas is very hilarious. We then come to one of the best film ironies I know about when Ode Mae gives the four million dollars to the nuns. I really like it when a film, such as "Sister Act", gives new subtext to a scene from an earlier movie. Even though Ode Mae has a chance of keeping the money and getting away with it, Sam doesn't want the money that killed him to be in the hands of anyone he knows. Even if Molly had not seen Ode Mae at the bank, Ode Mae is still in danger with that money considering her criminal record. This is some of Whoopi's best acting in her whole career, as she can't bring herself to give up the check. I love the line "I don't want to go to heaven" and I burst into laughter ever time as she said under her fake smile, "I will!!!" Finally, I like Whoopi in the scene when she is trying to get Molly to let her in the apartment at the end of the movie. Ode Mae is all serious now and it is a great moment for her character. Ode Mae is not just communicating for Sam but she is also trying to genuinely help Molly. Tony Goldwyn was a great villain in my eyes as a kid and still is. One thing I noticed as a kid is how Goldwyn's forehead shadows his eyes. It is great for his character. You really come to admire his acting the second time you see "Ghost" because you are in on his secret. Even though you now know what is going on in his mind, he still appears genuinely sad at Sam's funeral and in disbelief when Molly tells him about Oda Mae visit. Carl is scared when he hears Willie's name and address but the awesome thing is that the first time you see the movie, you think Carl is just fed up with the story Molly is telling. That is a great scene for Goldwyn.

Because "Dances with Wolves" was an adapted screenplay, there was no competition against "Ghost" in the original screenplay category. The story has humor but it is balanced very well with the suspense, drama and romance. The film starts out almost like a horror film with its opening credit sequence. The practical joke of Sam & Carl's in the elevator at the start of the movie is great in establishing Carl & Sam friendship but it makes for bigger drama when we learn the truth about Carl. I also love the use of the mirror during the scene when Sam and Molly are moving into their new place. People probably think that the song "Unchained Melody" was written for this movie because of how memorable that clay scene works with it. I for one cannot get "Ghost" out of my brain when I hear that song. The opening scenes of the movie silently hint at what is going to happen to Sam and one ironic element of this show is that it becomes more romantic once Sam dies. I love how we are teased into thinking that Sam survived the gunshot. It is made obvious to the audience however that Sam makes a choice not to go to heaven. Willie's appearance at the apartment is a great surprise. This guy is after something big. I love the shot of Sam trying to fight Willie because of how good the special effects are. The camera seems to move so naturally even though a computer controls it so that the two actors can be shot separately and then combined later in postproduction. Because Willie comes back, Sam now has a purpose. We also come to understand that Willie is not acting alone. Why does Sam sneak into Oda Mae's in the first place? It is probably just for kicks but he ends up finding a way to solve his problems. On a humorous note, the fact that Mrs. Santiago runs from the room can't be good for business. Sam tries to find the subway ghost not really having a plan but the ability to move things even though he is dead can only help. I like the moment when Sam figures out how to screw up Carl's plan as well as the scene when Willie shows up to kill Oda Mae. The dress that Oda Mae wears to the bank is so funny thanks to the line "You gotta nice dress?" I have already expressed my appeal for the bank scene with Oda Mae because you get some great humor and it is also suspenseful. I love the look of Furgeson's face when he sees that there is four million dollars in the account. I kind of would have liked to see Carl's face when he first accessed the account to find the money gone. One might wonder why Ode Mae continues to help Sam protect Molly even though she was almost killed herself but with Carl still out there, the police need to be contacted. With Ode Mae's past, Molly needs to be the one to tell the police. As the climax continues however, Ode Mae starts to care for both Sam and Molly. For the scene when Sam is using Ode Mae to touch Molly, I love how we see Sam instead because it would have been too weird otherwise. The reprise of "Unchained Melody" was the perfect way to go. The sudden appearance of Carl was also awesome from a directorial standpoint. Another great moment musically was the instrumental version of "Unchained Melody". It makes the end of the movie amazing. The lines for when Sam says good-bye to Ode Mae are perfect in my book. Now that Patrick Swayze has passed away, the final shots of "Ghost" have an even more powerful subtext. I remember the year Swayze died as I was watching an award show and he was the final person that they paid tribute to in their memoriam section of the show. They used the clip of him walking into heaven and that was very special. I knew that at least one award show was going to do that.

"Ghost" was nominated for Best Picture, Best Editing and Best Musical Score but as mentioned, "Dances with Wolves" came out that year also. Mary McDonnell and her performance in "Dances with Wolves" was all that stood in Whoopi's way and Whoopi was the one who took home the statuette. The acting from the whole cast is phenomenal. The American Film Institute has recognized this film on two of its lists. "Ghost" is #19 for romantic movies ahead of "The Sound of Music", "Titanic" and "Grease". Even though "Unchained Melody" was released in 1955, over 30 years before "Ghost", it is #27 on the list of movie songs. As for myself, this is on my personal list of favourite fantasy films. Considering I believe in life after death, it is hard for me to consider this show a fantasy. I guess the supernatural angle is what makes it fantasy in my book. After seeing this film, people started to go to church again. It was the highest grossing film of 1990 and rightfully so.

4 Stars