The Uninvited (1944 film)
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''The Uninvited'' is a 1944 American
horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...
that was directed by Lewis Allen and stars
Ray Milland Ray Milland (born Alfred Reginald Jones; 3 January 1907 – 10 March 1986) was a Welsh-American actor and film director. His screen career ran from 1929 to 1985. He is remembered for his Academy Award and Cannes Film Festival Award-winning ...
,
Ruth Hussey Ruth Carol Hussey (October 30, 1911 – April 19, 2005) was an American actress best known for her Academy Award-nominated role as photographer Elizabeth Imbrie in '' The Philadelphia Story''. Early life Hussey was born in Providence, Rhode I ...
, and
Donald Crisp Donald William Crisp (27 July 188225 May 1974) was an English film actor as well as an early producer, director and screenwriter. His career lasted from the early silent film era into the 1960s. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor ...
. The film is based on
Dorothy Macardle Dorothy Macardle (2 February 1889, in Dundalk – 23 December 1958, in Drogheda)Luke Gibbons, ''The Irish Times'', Weekend Review, "A Cosmopolitan Reclaimed: A Review of ''Dorothy Macardle: A Life''", by Nadia Clare Smith, 10 November 2007, p.1 ...
's novel ''Uneasy Freehold'' (1941), which was published in the United States as ''The Uninvited'' (1942) and deals with a brother and sister who purchase a house in
Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
, England, that is plagued by paranormal events. The film is part of a cycle of supernatural-themed films that began appearing in the mid-1940s.
Dodie Smith Dorothy Gladys "Dodie" Smith (3 May 1896 – 24 November 1990) was an English novelist and playwright. She is best known for writing ''I Capture the Castle'' (1948) and the children's novel ''The Hundred and One Dalmatians'' (1956). Other works i ...
began writing the film, and
Frank Partos Frank Partos (born Ferenc Pártos; July 2, 1901 – December 23, 1956) was a Hungarian-American screenwriter and an early executive committee member of the Screen Actors Guild, which he helped found. Emigration from Europe Born in Budapest on ...
was brought in by his friend, associate producer
Charles Brackett Charles William Brackett (November 26, 1892 – March 9, 1969) was an American screenwriter and film producer. He collaborated with Billy Wilder on sixteen films. Life and career Brackett was born in Saratoga Springs, New York, the son of ...
. Brackett wanted to have the film directed by
Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...
but could not organize plans with him, so Allen directed it. Filming began on April 16, 1943; Allen found working with
Gail Russell Gail Russell (born Betty Gale Russell; September 21, 1924 – August 26, 1961) was an American film and television actress. Early years Gail Russell was born to George and Gladys (Barnet) Russell in Chicago and then moved to the Los Angeles ...
, who was inexperienced and began crying several times, to be the most difficult part of filming. ''The Uninvited'' was released in Washington, D.C., on February 10, 1944, and was one of the highest-grossing films of the year. On its release, it received positive reviews from trade papers ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'', ''
Harrison's Reports ''Harrison's Reports'' was a New York City-based motion picture trade journal published weekly from 1919 to 1962. The typical issue was four letter-size pages sent to subscribers under a second-class mail permit. Its founder, editor and publisher ...
'', and ''
The Monthly Film Bulletin ''The Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 to April 1991, when it merged with ''Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those with a ...
'' as well as from critics such as
Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though his ...
and
James Agee James Rufus Agee ( ; November 27, 1909 – May 16, 1955) was an American novelist, journalist, poet, screenwriter and film critic. In the 1940s, writing for ''Time Magazine'', he was one of the most influential film critics in the United States. ...
. Critics were surprised the film's supernatural elements were presented as reality and that they found it genuinely frightening. The film was also praised in retrospective reviews from
Carlos Clarens Carlos Clarens (1930–1987) was a film historian and writer on the cinema particularly noted for his sensitive, pioneering '' An Illustrated History of the Horror Film'' (1967, revised 1968). Having left Havana in his younger years, he made his mar ...
and Phil Edwards, while other critics including
Pauline Kael Pauline Kael (; June 19, 1919 – September 3, 2001) was an American film critic who wrote for ''The New Yorker'' magazine from 1968 to 1991. Known for her "witty, biting, highly opinionated and sharply focused" reviews, Kael's opinions oft ...
and James Marriott gave it more mixed reviews. In the 1940s, director of photography Charles Lang Jr. was nominated for an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
for his work on the film, which was later adapted into two radio plays. The film did not create a wave of supernatural-themed horror films but led to further work by director Allen with Russell and with Milland. The song " Stella by Starlight", which was created for the film, became a popular jazz standard that was performed by
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
,
Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz saxophonist, band leader and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of bebop, a form ...
, and
Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...
.


Plot

In 1937, during a holiday to the coast of
Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
, London music critic and composer Roderick "Rick" Fitzgerald and his sister Pamela fall in love with Windward House, an abandoned seaside home, and buy it at an unusually low price from Commander Beech. Rick and Pamela meet Beech's 20-year-old granddaughter Stella Meredith, who lives with her grandfather in the nearby town of Biddlecombe. Stella is deeply attached to the house, and its sale upsets her, despite its being where her mother Mary Meredith fell to her death from a nearby cliff seventeen years earlier. The commander has forbidden Stella to see Rick or to enter Windward House, but she defies his orders and Rick becomes infatuated with her. The Fitzgeralds' initial enchantment with the house diminishes when they unlock an artist's studio, where they feel an inexplicable chill. Just before dawn, Rick hears the sobs of an unseen woman, which Pamela investigates while awaiting Rick's return with their Irish housekeeper Lizzie Flynn. The superstitious Lizzie notices a peculiar draft on the stairs. Lizzie's cat refuses to go upstairs, and the Fitzgeralds' dog escapes the house permanently. Rick and Pamela realize Windward House is
haunted Haunted or The Haunted may refer to: Books * ''Haunted'' (Armstrong novel), by Kelley Armstrong, 2005 * ''Haunted'' (Cabot novel), by Meg Cabot, 2004 * ''Haunted'' (Palahniuk novel), by Chuck Palahniuk, 2005 * ''Haunted'' (Angel novel), a 200 ...
. Stella visits Windward House for dinner and senses a spirit. Rather than fearing it, she associates the calming presence with her mother. Stella suddenly runs towards the cliff from which her mother fell to her death; Rick catches her just in time. Stella does not remember the near-fatal incident. The Fitzgeralds and the town physician Dr. Scott investigate and learn Stella's father, a painter, had had an affair with his model, a Spanish gypsy named Carmel. Mary, who was a beautiful and virtuous woman, found out and took Carmel to Paris, leaving her there. Carmel returned to England, abducted the infant Stella from Windward House, and during a confrontation, pushed Mary off the cliff to her death. Shortly after, Carmel became ill and died. Rick stages a
séance A séance or seance (; ) is an attempt to communicate with spirits. The word ''séance'' comes from the French word for "session", from the Old French ''seoir'', "to sit". In French, the word's meaning is quite general: one may, for example, spe ...
to persuade Stella her mother wants her to stay away from Windward House but the ghost takes over and says it is guarding Stella. Stella becomes
possessed Possessed may refer to: Possession * Possession (disambiguation), having some degree of control over something else ** Spirit possession, whereby gods, demons, animas, or other disincarnate entities may temporarily take control of a human body *** ...
by the spirit and begins muttering in Spanish. Beech is distressed by Stella's renewed involvement with Windward and sends her to a
sanatorium A sanatorium (from Latin '' sānāre'' 'to heal, make healthy'), also sanitarium or sanitorium, are antiquated names for specialised hospitals, for the treatment of specific diseases, related ailments and convalescence. Sanatoriums are often ...
run by Miss Holloway, Mary's friend and confidante. The Fitzgeralds visit the sanatorium, unaware Stella is there; they question Holloway, who says after Mary's death, she took care of Carmel, who had contracted
pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...
and eventually died of it. Looking through his predecessor's records, Dr. Scott discovers Holloway may have hastened Carmel's death. Dr. Scott is called away to care for an ailing Beech, who tells him Stella is at the sanitarium. Rick, Pam, and Scott telephone Miss Holloway to inform her they are on their way. Holloway tells Stella the Fitzgeralds have invited her to live with them. Stella happily takes the train home. Holloway tells Rick, Pam, and Scott that Stella is on her way to Windward House. There, Stella finds her grandfather in the studio; with the last of his strength, Beech begs Stella to leave, but she remains at his side. When a ghost manifests, Beech succumbs to a
heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...
. Stella welcomes the ghost, believing it to be her mother, but the apparition frightens her and she flees towards the cliff. Rick and Dr. Scott arrive just in time to rescue Stella from the crumbling cliff. Back inside, the group return to the physician's journal, which the friendly spirit has opened at a certain page. They discover Carmel gave birth to a child in Paris, where Stella was born. The group realizes Carmel is Stella's mother, freeing Carmel's spirit to leave Windward, but something evil has remained. After sending everyone away, Rick confronts the spirit of Mary Meredith, telling her they are no longer afraid of her and that she no longer has any power over them. Defeated, Mary's spirit departs.


Cast

Cast adapted from the
American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Leade ...
film database. The following cast went uncredited:


Production

During and immediately after
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, a small cycle of supernatural-themed films were released. These include ''
A Guy Named Joe ''A Guy Named Joe'' is a 1943 American romantic fantasy drama film directed by Victor Fleming. The film was produced by Everett Riskin, and starred Spencer Tracy, Irene Dunne, and Van Johnson. The screenplay, written by Dalton Trumbo and Freder ...
'' (1943), '' A Matter of Life and Death'' (1946), and ''
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir ''The Ghost and Mrs. Muir'' is a 1947 American romantic fantasy film starring Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison. It was directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, and is based on a 1945 novel written by Josephine Leslie under the pseudonym of R.A. Dick. I ...
'' (1947). In 1944, Jack Cartwright wrote in ''
Motion Picture Daily ''Motion Picture Daily'' was an American daily magazine focusing on the film industry. It was published by Quigley Publishing Company, which also published the ''Motion Picture Herald''. The magazine was formed by the merging of three existing Qui ...
'' there was a trend for "higher bracket horror pictures" around this period. This led to the production of similarly themed films such as ''
Dead of Night ''Dead of Night'' is a 1945 black and white British anthology horror film, made by Ealing Studios. The individual segments were directed by Alberto Cavalcanti, Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden and Robert Hamer. It stars Mervyn Johns, Googie W ...
'' (1945) and ''The Uninvited''. Associate producer
Charles Brackett Charles William Brackett (November 26, 1892 – March 9, 1969) was an American screenwriter and film producer. He collaborated with Billy Wilder on sixteen films. Life and career Brackett was born in Saratoga Springs, New York, the son of ...
wrote about working with Dodie Smith on ''The Uninvited'' on September 29, 1942, noting in his journal the two had "the opening of the pictured doped out with her. The end is still in the mist ..." Brackett and Smith discussed the script until on October 15, when Brackett suggested having Smith work with
Frank Partos Frank Partos (born Ferenc Pártos; July 2, 1901 – December 23, 1956) was a Hungarian-American screenwriter and an early executive committee member of the Screen Actors Guild, which he helped found. Emigration from Europe Born in Budapest on ...
, a Hungarian-born screenwriter who went to Hollywood as a story scout in 1928. Brackett and Partos had worked together at Paramount in May 1934 for ''
Her Master's Voice ''Her Master's Voice'' is a 1936 film directed by Joseph Santley and based on the 1933 play '' Her Master's Voice'' by Clare Kummer. The film's sets were designed by the art director Alexander Toluboff. Plot A wealthy woman moves her niece to h ...
'' and remained friends. According to Brackett, Smith responded negatively to this suggestion and said to him, "You're worse than Sidney Franklin – he only changed one scene." On October 16, Brackett received a phone call from Smith, who stated she thought he was right about the screenplay and apologized to him. On October 20, Brackett met with
Erik Charell Erik Charell (April 8, 1894 – July 15, 1974), born as Erich Karl Löwenberg, was a German theatre and film director, dancer and actor. He is best known as the creator of musical revues and operettas, such as '' The White Horse Inn'' (''Im wei ...
, who suggested including "the sound of heart-beats, a fire that goes out, petals that fall from roses and ectoplasm climbing the stairs". Brackett met with
Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...
on November 14, gave him a copy of ''The Uninvited'', and asked him to read it. By November 21, Hitchcock was unable to work on ''The Uninvited'' but gave Brackett suggestions for the film. By January 1, 1943, Smith was still communicating with Brackett about ''The Uninvited''; Brackett noted he was "rather disappointed in her revisions, which are always small and niggling," and contemplated taking her off the project. Lewis Allen worked in both West End and
Broadway theater Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences#-re, -er, American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the List of ...
for
Gilbert Miller } Gilbert Heron Miller (July 3, 1884 – January 3, 1969) was an American theatrical producer. Born in New York City, he was the son of English-born theatrical producer Henry Miller and Bijou Heron, a former child actress. Raised and educated in ...
, and was connected with agent Louis Shurr, who connected him with
Buddy DeSylva George Gard "Buddy" DeSylva (January 27, 1895 – July 11, 1950) was an American songwriter, film producer and record executive. He wrote or co-wrote many popular songs and, along with Johnny Mercer and Glenn Wallichs, he co-founded Capitol Re ...
, an executive at
Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
. DeSylva had seen a play adaptation of ''
Pride and Prejudice ''Pride and Prejudice'' is an 1813 novel of manners by Jane Austen. The novel follows the character development of Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist of the book who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and comes to appreci ...
'' that Allen had directed and offered him work at Paramount. According to Allen, he had about six months of apprenticeship, initially at Paramount, working with directors including
Preston Sturges Preston Sturges (; born Edmund Preston Biden; August 29, 1898 – August 6, 1959) was an American playwright, screenwriter, and film director. In 1941, he won the Academy Awards, Oscar for Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, Best Origina ...
and
Mark Sandrich Mark Sandrich (born Mark Rex Goldstein; October 26, 1900 – March 4, 1945) was an American film director, writer, and producer. Early life Sandrich was born in New York City on October 26, 1900 into a American Jews, Jewish family. His siste ...
. During this period, Allen became friends with Brackett. By January 18, Allen had been reading the script of ''The Uninvited'' for DeSylva and noted the film's slow pace. By January 21, they had worked on a faster-paced and lighter introduction. By January 29, De Sylva had contacted Brackett, stating he wanted ''The Uninvited'' to be produced in March. On February 6, Brackett asked Allen to direct ''The Uninvited''; It would be the first film Lewis Allen would direct. Brackett continue working on the script for ''The Uninvited'' and completed it on February 20. On March 2, Brackett read the script to Smith, who approved it. Brackett commented Smith was "afraid of the job of writing out scenes skeletonized by Frank
artos An artos ( grc, Ἄρτος, "leavened loaf", "bread") is a loaf of leavened bread that is blessed during services in the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine rite catholic churches. A large Artos is baked with a seal depicting the resurrection for ...
but is going over our first sequences seeing if she can approve them and if so going to work". According to Allen, he had a lot of influence in the casting of the film. In his March 24 journal entry, Brackett said Allen, Partos, and himself were "knocked over the head by heextraordinary beauty" of
Gail Russell Gail Russell (born Betty Gale Russell; September 21, 1924 – August 26, 1961) was an American film and television actress. Early years Gail Russell was born to George and Gladys (Barnet) Russell in Chicago and then moved to the Los Angeles ...
and, after seeing her perform in a
Henry Aldrich Henry Aldrich (15 January 1648 – 14 December 1710) was an English theologian, philosopher, and composer. Life Aldrich was educated at Westminster School under Dr Richard Busby. In 1662, he entered Christ Church, Oxford, and in 1689 was mad ...
film, commented, "she wasn't bad – not a brilliant actress but something which can really dazzle the beholders, if Lew can squeeze any kind of a performance out of her". Allen said he was not particularly happy with the casting of Russell, noting, "when she read for me, it was pretty bad". Also among the cast was
Cornelia Otis Skinner Cornelia Otis Skinner (May 30, 1899 – July 9, 1979) was an American writer and actress. Biography Skinner was the only child of actor Otis Skinner and actress Maud Durbin. After attending the all-girls' Baldwin School and Bryn Mawr College ...
, who at the time was working for Paramount on a screenplay for ''
Our Hearts Were Young and Gay ''Our Hearts Were Young and Gay'' is a book by actress Cornelia Otis Skinner and journalist Emily Kimbrough, published in 1942. The book presents a description of their European tour in the 1920s, when they were fresh out of college from Bryn M ...
''. Filming of ''The Uninvited'' began on April 16, 1943. Filming took place near
Fort Bragg, California Fort Bragg, officially the City of Fort Bragg, is a city along the Pacific Coast of California along Shoreline Highway in Mendocino County. The city is west of Willits, at an elevation of . Its population was 6,983 at the 2020 census. Fort ...
. Scenes of village exteriors and sailing ships were filmed on studio backlots. On April 19, Bracket had a budget meeting, during which he unsuccessfully tried to get the film's schedule extended from 42 days to 50. On April 23, on viewing the
daily rushes In filmmaking, dailies are the raw, unedited footage shot during the making of a motion picture. The term comes from when movies were all shot on film because usually at the end of each day, the footage was developed, synced to sound, and prin ...
, Brackett said Russell's performance was "amateur and adenoidal", and Dodie Smith echoed similar distaste for Russell. Filming with Russell proved difficult; on May 3, Brackett wrote she would cry on set with her mother, claiming she had a sore throat, but in fact, Russell was crying because Allen had made her wear a hat for a scene for which she did not want to wear it. Allen said Russell's performance in the film was "manufactured" and added: "She could only do about five or six lines, and then she'd burst into tears." According to Allen, Russell, who had not drunk alcohol before, began drinking it to calm herself at the suggestion of the head of make-up on set. Issues also rose with Ray Milland, who on May 8 required eleven takes to film a scene. Allen spoke positively about working with Milland, stating he was very supportive of Allen, especially as a first-time film director. Allen also stated Milland would take Russell aside and continuously practice her lines with her. Allen felt the only person who reacted poorly to Russell was
Donald Crisp Donald William Crisp (27 July 188225 May 1974) was an English film actor as well as an early producer, director and screenwriter. His career lasted from the early silent film era into the 1960s. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor ...
, who did not like working with people whom he deemed to be non-professional actors. Filming was completed by mid-June 1943; in his journal, Brackett stated June 15 was the final filming day for ''The Uninvited''.


Release

''The Uninvited'' was distributed by Paramount Pictures and was shown in Washington, D.C., on February 10, 1944, and in New York on February 26 the same year. According to the ''National Box Office Digest'', it was among the highest-grossing pictures in the United States with rentals of over $500,000. ''The Uninvited'' did not gross as much as Paramount's ''
Going My Way ''Going My Way'' is a 1944 American musical comedy drama film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald. Written by Frank Butler and Frank Cavett based on a story by McCarey, the film is about a new young priest ta ...
'' and ''
Double Indemnity ''Double Indemnity'' is a 1944 American crime film noir directed by Billy Wilder, co-written by Wilder and Raymond Chandler, and produced by Buddy DeSylva and Joseph Sistrom. The screenplay was based on James M. Cain's 1943 novel of the same ...
'', but it out-grossed Allen's other 1944 film ''
Our Hearts Were Young and Gay ''Our Hearts Were Young and Gay'' is a book by actress Cornelia Otis Skinner and journalist Emily Kimbrough, published in 1942. The book presents a description of their European tour in the 1920s, when they were fresh out of college from Bryn M ...
'', as well as Universal's horror films '' House of Frankenstein'' and ''
The Invisible Man's Revenge ''The Invisible Man's Revenge'' is a 1944 American horror film directed by Ford Beebe and written by Bertram Millhauser. The film stars John Carradine as a scientist who tests his experiment on Jon Hall, a psychiatric hospital escapee who takes ...
''. William Hays received a letter from Father Brendan Larson, one of the executives of the
National Legion of Decency The National Legion of Decency, also known as the Catholic Legion of Decency, was a Catholic group founded in 1934 by Archbishop of Cincinnati, John T. McNicholas, as an organization dedicated to identifying objectionable content in motion pictu ...
regarding ''The Uninvited''. The letter noted: "In certain theaters large audiences of questionable type attend this film at unusual hours. The impression created by their presence was that they had been previously informed of certain erotic and esoteric elements in this film." The letter also commented on the way Holloway gazes at Mary's portrait and the way they had planned to spend their lives together, which led Larson to state: "There is a distinct contrast in the masculinity of Miss Holloway's character and the dainty femininity of Mary's portrait". Paramount said it did not intend to convey a lesbian message in the film. On November 18, 1946, Milland performed in a radio broadcast of ''The Uninvited'', which Allen hosted for '' The Lady Esther Screen Guild Theater''. Milland performed a second radio adaptation of the film in 1949 for ''
Screen Directors Playhouse ''Screen Directors Playhouse'' (sometimes written as ''Screen Directors' Playhouse'') is an American radio and television anthology series which brought leading Hollywood actors to the NBC microphones beginning in 1949. The radio program broadcas ...
''. ''The Uninvited'' was first released on home video on August 27, 1992, by MCA/Universal Home Video
The Criterion Collection The Criterion Collection, Inc. (or simply Criterion) is an American home-video distribution company that focuses on licensing, restoring and distributing "important classic and contemporary films." Criterion serves film and media scholars, cinep ...
released the film on
DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...
and
Blu-ray The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of sto ...
on October 22, 2013. Criterion's release is a new digital
2K resolution 2K resolution is a generic term for display devices or content having horizontal resolution of approximately 2,000 pixels. In the movie projection industry, Digital Cinema Initiatives is the dominant standard for 2K output and defines 2K resolut ...
transfer from a 35 mm
safety Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to risk management, the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Meanings There are ...
duplicate negative made from a nitrate composite, fine-grain print. Both radio adaptations of ''The Uninvited'' are included on the disc.


Reception


Contemporaneous reviews

In contemporaneous reviews, some critics praised the film for being frightening and compared it to other horror films. Karl Krug, writing in the ''
Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph The ''Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph'' was an evening daily newspaper published in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1927 to 1960. Part of the Hearst newspaper chain, it competed with ''The Pittsburgh Press'' and the ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'' until bein ...
'', praised the film and called it "cold shiver melodrama at its best, and it uses no melodramatic claptrap or sliding panel hocus-pocus to achieve its cold chill ends". Krug noted that the film is told with a "deadly seriousness and very little comedy relief. Its characters are intelligent adult human beings, but there is no earthly explanation offered for the ghosts that haunt the house", and commented that audiences should not "look for the conventional 'horror' yarn, all tricked up with the sleight of hand gadgets that usually accompany such stuff in the movies. This one will really give you the shudders, and there are a few places where the suspense will freeze the marrow in your bones, to say nothing of the blood in your veins." These statements were echoed by other reviewers, including Boyd Martin of ''
The Courier-Journal ''The Courier-Journal'', also known as the ''Louisville Courier Journal'' (and informally ''The C-J'' or ''The Courier''), is the highest circulation newspaper in Kentucky. It is owned by Gannett and billed as "Part of the ''USA Today'' Ne ...
'', who commented that he generally loathed "these so-called shocker films" and that ''The Uninvited'' is "a most intelligent thriller". Outside the United States, Herbert Whittaker of '' The Gazette Montreal'' said: "The movie-goer who gazes stoney-eyed at the usual type of screen thriller should be able to achieve genuine goose-pimples as this one unravels", noting that the film does not set itself in a "cardboard grave yard, knee-deep in that animated whipped cream that Hollywood technicals like to imagine resembles fog" and that the film "will have you clutching the arms of your theatre-seat".
James Agee James Rufus Agee ( ; November 27, 1909 – May 16, 1955) was an American novelist, journalist, poet, screenwriter and film critic. In the 1940s, writing for ''Time Magazine'', he was one of the most influential film critics in the United States. ...
, writing for ''
The Nation ''The Nation'' is an American liberal biweekly magazine that covers political and cultural news, opinion, and analysis. It was founded on July 6, 1865, as a successor to William Lloyd Garrison's '' The Liberator'', an abolitionist newspaper tha ...
'', said, ''The Uninvited'' makes "a mediocre story and a lot of slabby cliches into an unusually good scare-picture. It seems to me harder to get a fright than a laugh, and I experienced thirty-five first-class jolts." Clyde Rowen of '' The Nebraska State Journal and Star'' said the film "easily rates as the best mystery movie of recent months ... not too scary, but exciting enough to hold an audience". Critics were surprised to find that the film's ghosts turned out to be real; according to Rowen: "Phantoms in the ordinary motion picture of this sort would automatically turn out to be somebody's cat or an envious neighbor attempting to devaluate a vacant house." A review in the ''
Monthly Film Bulletin ''The Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 to April 1991, when it merged with ''Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those with a ...
'' said: "It remains a question, however, whether such a film should ever be made, producing visual evidence of unexplained occult phenomena which, to say the least, have never yet been photographed." ''The Uninvited'' received praise from other trade papers, including ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' and ''
Harrison's Reports ''Harrison's Reports'' was a New York City-based motion picture trade journal published weekly from 1919 to 1962. The typical issue was four letter-size pages sent to subscribers under a second-class mail permit. Its founder, editor and publisher ...
''. Critics also praised the cast, with many singling out
Gail Russell Gail Russell (born Betty Gale Russell; September 21, 1924 – August 26, 1961) was an American film and television actress. Early years Gail Russell was born to George and Gladys (Barnet) Russell in Chicago and then moved to the Los Angeles ...
. According to Whittaker, "the picture belongs to a 20-year-old Gail Russell" who "creates a most favorable impression. There's a sort of dewy charm to Miss Russell that is as unusual on the screen as it is appealing." Krug also praised Russell as "a revelation among the newcomers" and said: "This youngster can do something beside pose as she radiates the terror that besets her." Rowen said Russell is "beautiful and talented, will no doubt be heard from in future Paramount pictures". Martin noted "fine direction by Lewis Allen" and praised the cast – specifically Crisp, Milland, Hussey, Skiner, Napier and Russell – who make the film "a drama rich in suspense". A review in the ''
Monthly Film Bulletin ''The Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 to April 1991, when it merged with ''Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those with a ...
'' found the film very good technically, with "some beautiful coastal scenery" and attempts at reconstructing a seaside village, as well as "beautiful interiors" of the house.
Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though his ...
of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' also commented on the cast, saying that Milland and Hussey "do nicely as the couple who get themselves involved, being sufficiently humorous in spots to seem plausibly real" and that Russell is "wistful and gracious as a curiously moonstruck girl". Crowther commented on some plot elements, noting that the intellectual aspects of the story "had better be left unquestioned" because of "glaring confusion in the wherefore and why of what goes on" and that the back-stories of the ghosts are not explained.


Retrospective reviews

In his 1967 book ''
An Illustrated History of the Horror Film ''An Illustrated History of the Horror Film'' is a 1967 non-fiction book by film historian Carlos Clarens Carlos Clarens (1930–1987) was a film historian and writer on the cinema particularly noted for his sensitive, pioneering '' An Illustrated ...
'',
Carlos Clarens Carlos Clarens (1930–1987) was a film historian and writer on the cinema particularly noted for his sensitive, pioneering '' An Illustrated History of the Horror Film'' (1967, revised 1968). Having left Havana in his younger years, he made his mar ...
wrote: "Among the seventeen horror films released in the United States during 1944, the best and most unusual was ''The Uninvited''. ... An adult, polite ghost tale, lacking the disquieting undertow of ''
The Turn of the Screw ''The Turn of the Screw'' is an 1898 horror novella by Henry James which first appeared in serial format in ''Collier's Weekly'' (January 27 – April 16, 1898). In October 1898, it was collected in ''The Two Magics'', published by Macmill ...
'', the movie had a pleasantly chilling feminine touch ... most evident in the deft dosage of its well-calculated shivers: a flower that wilts in seconds, a dog that refuses to climb the stairs, a scent of mimosa that impregnates a room, a moonlit romantic piano piece that develops into a sombre concerto." Phil Edwards wrote in a 1982 article in '' Starburst'' that ''The Uninvited'' is "one of the few genuinely creepy and one hundred per cent supernatural films that Hollywood has turned out, successfully in all departments", which is "at its best when merely suggesting the horrible, a point which the over-rated and non-ghostly ''
Poltergeist In ghostlore, a poltergeist ( or ; German for "rumbling ghost" or "noisy spirit") is a type of ghost or spirit that is responsible for physical disturbances, such as loud noises and objects being moved or destroyed. Most claims or fictional descr ...
'' made only too clear". Edwards commented on critiques of the film's lightness, finding it "quite entertaining" and serving to "set film within its generic context ... quite within keeping for films of this nature at the time".
Phil Hardy Philip Hardy (born 9 April 1973) is an English-born former Ireland under-21 footballer who played as a left-back. With Welsh club Wrexham from 1990 to 2001, he played more than 450 games under manager Brian Flynn. He was named on the PFA ...
's work ''The Encyclopedia of Horror Movies'' (1986) calls ''The Uninvited'' a "superior ghost story" that is "too mechanically constructed to be genuinely chilling", but noted that "the film's ghostly manifestations – a flower that wilts in seconds, a dog that refuses to go upstairs and a pair of doors opening for no reason – nonetheless have a real ''frisson'' about them".
Pauline Kael Pauline Kael (; June 19, 1919 – September 3, 2001) was an American film critic who wrote for ''The New Yorker'' magazine from 1968 to 1991. Known for her "witty, biting, highly opinionated and sharply focused" reviews, Kael's opinions oft ...
, in her book '' 5001 Nights at the Movies'', said that despite the picture's popularity, "it doesn't come anywhere near fulfilling one's initial hopes that it will be a first-rate ghost movie". In the book ''The Definitive Guide to Horror Movies'', James Marriott said ''The Uninvited'' feels more dated than Universal Studios' gothic horror films and that the visuals "achieve an effective eeriness". Marriott found Milland's character a "boorishly rational man" and critiqued the plot because the villains are women who are not in relationships with men or who refuse to bear children.


Legacy

At the
17th Academy Awards The 17th Academy Awards were held on March 15, 1945 at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, honoring the films of 1944. This was the first time the complete awards ceremony was broadcast nationally, on the Blue Network ( ABC Radio). Bob Hope hosted the 7 ...
, cinematographer
Charles Lang Charles Bryant Lang Jr., A.S.C. (March 27, 1902, Bluff, Utah – April 3, 1998, Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situat ...
was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White, for his work on ''The Uninvited''. The award went to
Joseph LaShelle Joseph LaShelle ASC (July 9, 1900 - August 20, 1989) was an American film cinematographer. He won an Academy Award for '' Laura'' (1944), and was nominated on eight additional occasions. Career LaShelle's first job in the film industry was as an ...
for his work on '' Laura''. In 1997, Allen stated: "I saw ''The Uninvited'' about two years ago, and what amazed me about the picture was the fact that it was almost 50 years old and it wasn't very dated. I must be congratulated because most movies of that era look stagy. I must have done a very good job!" Allen added: "I treated ''The Uninvited'' as though I believed in it. That's my whole explanation for that." ''The Uninvited'' did not encourage Hollywood studios to create a wave of scary ghost films. Allen again worked with Russell on both of his next films, ''
Our Hearts Were Young and Gay ''Our Hearts Were Young and Gay'' is a book by actress Cornelia Otis Skinner and journalist Emily Kimbrough, published in 1942. The book presents a description of their European tour in the 1920s, when they were fresh out of college from Bryn M ...
'' (1944) and '' The Unseen'' (1945). The film's song " Stella by Starlight" was later adapted into a popular song with lyrics by
Victor Young Albert Victor Young (August 8, 1899– November 10, 1956)"Victor Young, Composer, Dies of Heart Attack", ''Oakland Tribune'', November 12, 1956. was an American composer, arranger, violinist and conductor. Biography Young is commonly said to ...
, and was later recorded by other artists including
Harry James Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947 but shortly after he reorganized ...
and
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
.
Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz saxophonist, band leader and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of bebop, a form ...
covered it in 1952, and
Stan Getz Stanley Getz (February 2, 1927 – June 6, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist. Playing primarily the tenor saxophone, Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, with his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre of ...
, followed by more than a dozen other artists, recorded the song in the next two years. The song was performed by several jazz musicians, particularly those with an affinity for
cool jazz Cool jazz is a style of modern jazz music that arose in the United States after World War II. It is characterized by relaxed tempos and lighter tone, in contrast to the fast and complex bebop style. Cool jazz often employs formal arrangements and ...
, including
Chet Baker Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool". Baker earned much attention and ...
,
Bill Evans William John Evans (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was an American jazz pianist and composer who worked primarily as the leader of his trio. His use of impressionist harmony, interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, block ch ...
, and
Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...
.


See also

*
List of American films of 1944 Below is a list of American films released in 1944. ''Going My Way'' won Best Picture at the 17th Academy Awards. The remaining four nominees were ''Double Indemnity'', ''Gaslight'', ''Since You Went Away'' and '' Wilson''. A B C D E-F ...
*
List of horror films of the 1940s A list of horror films released in the 1940s. After the success of ''Son of Frankenstein'' (1939), Universal horror caught a second wind and horror films continued to be produced at a feverish pace into the mid-1940s. The early 1940s saw the d ...
*
List of Paramount Pictures films (1940–1949) The following is a list of films originally produced and/or distributed theatrically by Paramount Pictures and released in the 1940s. All films (with few exceptions) are currently owned by Universal Television through EMKA, Ltd. EMKA Limited is ...
* Ray Milland filmography * Ruth Hussey filmography


References


Sources

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External links

* * * * Streaming audio
''The Uninvited''
on the
Screen Guild Theater ''The Screen Guild Theater'' is a radio anthology series broadcast from 1939 until 1952 during the Golden Age of Radio. Leading Hollywood stars performed adaptations of popular motion pictures. Originating on CBS Radio, it aired under several dif ...
: August 28, 1944
''The Uninvited''
on the
Screen Directors Playhouse ''Screen Directors Playhouse'' (sometimes written as ''Screen Directors' Playhouse'') is an American radio and television anthology series which brought leading Hollywood actors to the NBC microphones beginning in 1949. The radio program broadcas ...
: November 18, 1949 {{DEFAULTSORT:Uninvited, The 1944 horror films 1944 films 1944 mystery films 1944 directorial debut films 1940s ghost films 1940s supernatural horror films American haunted house films American mystery films American black-and-white films Films scored by Victor Young Films directed by Lewis Allen Films set in country houses Films set in Cornwall Films set in 1937 Paramount Pictures films Dodie Smith American supernatural horror films Films shot in San Francisco Adultery in films Films about spirit possession Films based on Irish novels 1940s American films