The Ghost Goes West (1935)

If you've been following my blog for several years you might have noticed that I've only participated in one blogathon since 2018 (the National Classic Movie Day 2021 blogathon). When Gill of RealWeegieMidget Reviews invited me to participate in her No True Scotsman Blogathon, and wanting to rewatch The Ghost Goes West (1935), I felt it was the perfect opportunity to get back into blogathons. After a very long time of only posting a list of what I watched every month, I have finally gotten back into blogging with several series - some old and some new - and I have to say I am having a lot of fun. I missed blogging and I'm happy to be back (speaking of back... mine started hurting really bad due to a chain of events I'll spare you the details of and I wasn't able to sit down and type, which is why this post is late). That being said, let's talk Robert Donat and Scottish accents by actors who aren't Scottish!!

If you’ve never seen a Robert Donat film, or only know him from Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939), this is a wonderful film with which to begin your Donat journey, especially if you enjoy laughing.

The film opens in Scotland in the 18th Century with the McLaggans paying a visit to "The Glourie," who pronounces that he "will no die" until he sees his son Murdoch go off to fight in the war against the English. Old McLaggan and his five sons, who have a feud with the Glourie's, state that they are going off to war, where there will not be anyone on the battlefield with the hated name of Glourie. When Glourie informs them that they WILL see his son fighting on the front lines, he is met with laughter and learns that his son is in a field playing with women. After the McLaggans insult the Glourie name, Glourie declares that any Glourie can lick fifty McLaggans! which causes the McLaggans to storm off. 

Our first glimpse of Murdoch is him in the field playing forfeit with the ladies. The riddle they must answer is this: "What's the difference betwixt a thistle in the heather and a kiss in the dark? If you can't tell me by the time I've spelled 'killiecrankie' you must pay the forfeit." The forfeit is of course a kiss and they are never able to answer by the time he has spelled out the word. He is interrupted by a servant who tells him his father wants him to go to the battle. With a "Fare thee well lassies, I'll be back soon!" he is outfitted with a sword and shield and rides off to the battle.  

Once at the battle, Murdoch gets distracted by a pretty maid. The McLaggans find him and chase him. Murdoch hides behind a keg of gunpowder, which blows up after being hit by a cannonball. All that is left of Murdoch is his feathered cap. 

Up in the clouds, he hears the voice of his father, who died as his son had ridden out of sight, "You will be an Earth-bound ghost, doomed to haunt the dark halls of Glourie Castle." The only way Murdoch can be admitted into heaven is "When you twist the nose of one of our enemies and make him kneel before you and admit that one Glourie can thrash fifty McLaggan." Indeed, every night at midnight, the ghost of Murdoch appears and scares the inhabitants.

The present day finds the castle in disrepair and Murdoch's descendent Donald hiding from his creditors. Peggy Martin (Jean Parker), the daughter of an American grocery store chain owner, sees the for sale sign and stops to knock. When no one answers, she goes in. When it is realized she is interested in purchasing the castle, Donald comes out of hiding and shows her around, with the creditors following behind. Peggy knows her father (Eugene Pallette) will be interested and promises to bring her parents to dinner that evening. 

The creditors, who want the sale to go through so they can be paid, agree to act as servers for the evening, and add the cost of the dinner to Donald's bill. Everyone pitches in to get the castle ready, and Donald dons a traditional kilt to add to the atmosphere. 

At dinner, the subject of the ghost is brought up. Donald, who has set the clocks ahead, promises that there is no truth to the stories. When midnight rolls around, nothing happens and the Martin's leave. Peggy notices from her car clock that it is only eleven and returns, insisting on staying until midnight to see for herself if the ghost will walk. She is invited to stay the night.

While getting ready for bed, Peggy hears a noise and goes out onto the roof to investigate. There she sees the ghost, but, given his resemblance to his descendent, thinks it's Donald playing the ghost. In the moonlight, "Donald" asks her the riddle but she runs off when he tries to kiss her. 

The next morning, Peggy tells the real Donald she likes people who do crazy things - like pretending to be ghosts - and asks him what the answer to the riddle was. Realizing she saw the ghost and not wanting to disrupt the sell of the castle, he plays along and tells her that he can't tell her because there's more to the game. She pays the forfeit but he still won't tell her.

The sale of the castle is then completed and we see it being dismantled piece by piece to be shipped by boat to Florida. 

The first night on board, there is a costume ball. The ghost awakens and finds himself in a strange place. At first he is unhappy at the situation but he soon discovers all the pretty girls on board!

Meanwhile, Peggy is getting a bit frustrated by Donald's lack of romance. She feels a chill (the ghost comes up behind her deck chair) and Donald leaves to get her a blanket. A moment later she hears that familiar riddle, "What's the difference betwixt a thistle in the heather and a kiss in the dark?" She interrupts him saying she is ready to pay the forfeit and closes her eyes to wait for her kiss. Instead, Donald returns with her blanket. Peggy leaves in a huff and becomes more upset when she hears "Donald" repeat the riddle to another woman. 

Mr. Martin comes upon the ghost talking to Donald and is unnerved at first, but becomes delighted at the advertisement possibilities. "All America will soon know that a ghost has crossed the Atlantic to advertise the superior quality of Martin's Fine Foods!" 

The ghost is met in New York with a ticker tape parade and his own car to ride down the main street.

The castle is reassembled in Florida and modern conveniences added (there are radios hidden everywhere - suits of armor, barrels, etc. Donald is not very pleased with these additions and begins to wish he had never sold his ancestral home. "Kind of cute, eh, Donald?" Mr. Martin asks him. "I'm afraid I don't fully understand the meaning if the word 'cute.'" Donald replies.

At the grand opening of the castle, Mr. Martin has invited many guests to see the ghost (who hadn't made an appearance in America yet after witnessing a shootout in the warehouse where the castle was stored) for themselves, including his skeptical rival in the grocery chain business, Bigelow. Donald is dressed as the ghost as backup, in cast the ghost does not appear. However, when the moment comes for him to make his entrance, he can't go through with it. He enters the dining room in his normal kilt. Mr. Martin's evening seems doomed to be unsuccessful until Bigelow begins making cracks against the Glourie family and reveals... he's descended from the McLaggans!!

With a rushing wind, the ghost enters the room through a window and chases Bigelow from the room. Finally, cowering, he utters the fateful words that will release the ghost from his earthly chains, that "one Glourie can thrash fifty McLaggans!"

With a wave, the ghost of Murdoch Glourie goes to join his father in heaven. Peggy now also knows the truth and her and Donald kiss with the castle searchlights playing across the night sky behind them. 

Donat’s Scottish accent mainly consists of rolling r’s and several Scottish phrases such as “Bonnie lass” thrown in for good measure. As his descendant he speaks in his normal British accent. 

The film was directed by Rene Clair for Alexander Korda. It was based on the short story "Sir Tristam Goes West" by Eric Keown. It was interesting to learn that it was originally intended for Charles Laughton (his wife Elsa Lanchester appears briefly in the final dinner party scene), then Laurence Olivier as the story became more romantic. Laughton would later star in The Canterville Ghost (1944), which I watched last month and which very much reminded me of this film. I'm very glad they went with Donat for this one. 

Embed from Getty Images

The film was successful and it's premiere attended by Queen Mary! King George V died the following month.

I hope you enjoyed this post and that you get to watch The Ghost Goes West soon. Please make sure to check out all of the other "bonnie' posts in the blogathon by visiting Gill's blog!

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3