The Canterville Ghost
by Oscar Wildeliterary work· published 1887
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This is Oscar Wilde's tale of the American family moved into a British mansion, Canterville Chase, much to the annoyance of its tired ghost. The family -- which refuses to believe in him -- is in Wilde's way a commentary on the British nobility of the day -- and on the Americans, too. The tale, like many of Wilde's, is rich with allusion, but ends as sentimental romance.
Adaptations (13)
The Canterville Ghost has been adapted 13 times, across film, television film, and miniseries, from 1944 to 2023.
The Canterville Ghost1962 · television film · dir. Bernt Callenbo · IMDb ↗The poor ghost of Sir Simon Canterville has been roaming his castle searching in vain for a brave descendant who will release him from the Canterville curse by performing a brave deed. An American family moves in and finds the ghost amusing, but a young girl in the family can release him - if she dares.
Das Gespenst von Canterville1964 · television film · 57 min · dir. Helmut Käutner · IMDb ↗IMDb7.9The poor ghost of Sir Simon Canterville has been roaming his castle searching in vain for a brave descendant who will release him from the Canterville curse by performing a brave deed. An American family moves in and finds the ghost amusing, but a young girl in the family can release him - if she dares.
Duch z Canterville1968 · film · 27 min · dir. Ewa Petelska, Czeslaw Petelski · IMDb ↗IMDb4.8An American businessman moves to Europe and lives in a castle, where the ghost of one of the previous owners haunts him.
The Canterville Ghost1985 · television film · 56 min · dir. William F. Claxton · IMDb ↗IMDb6.0The poor ghost of Sir Simon Canterville has been roaming his castle searching in vain for a brave descendant who will release him from the Canterville curse by performing a brave deed. An American family moves in and finds the ghost amusing, but a young girl in the family can release him - if she dares!
The Canterville Ghost1986 · television film · 95 min · dir. Paul Bogart · IMDb ↗IMDb6.5A young American couple inherits an English castle, only to find that it is haunted by the spirit of a disgraced ancestor, doomed to stay on the estate because of his cowardice. The only way he can escape is if one of his descendants performs an heroic act, something he intends to get the husband to do.
The Canterville Ghost1996 · television film · 92 min · dir. Syd Macartney · IMDb ↗IMDb6.2When a teenaged girl moves to England, with her brothers and parents into the ancient Canterville Hall, she's not at all happy. Especially as there's a ghost and a mysterious re-appearing bloodstain on the hearth. She campaigns to go back home, and her dad, believing the ghost's pranks are Ginny's, is ready to send her back. But then Ginny actually meets the elusive 17th-century Sir Simon de Canterville (not to mention the cute teenaged duke next door), and she sets her hand to the task of freeing Sir Simon from his curse.
The Canterville Ghost1997 · television film · 89 min · dir. Crispin Reece · IMDb ↗IMDb5.9'The Canterville Ghost' is one of the most popular choice for making a film in Oscar Wilde's works, and the original short story deserves the popularity. It is a witty spoof about a ghost and the 'haunted' mansion where a rich American family start to live. In this story, the family are not annoyed by the presence of the ghost; no, it is the ghost who is annoyed by the family who just refuse to be terrified. After all, why should we be scared by an old man wearing rusty coat of mail, whose best trick is to walk in the middle of night making big noises?
The Canterville Ghost2016 · film · 90 min · dir. Yann Samuell · IMDb ↗IMDb4.3In the depths of a British legend, the ghost of Eleanor Canterville is condemned to haunt the castle of his family and to scare away any inhabitant. It fulfills this task perfectly, helped by Gwilherm, his faithful servant. But when Otis, a family fleeing Parisian life, buy the castle, Eleanor is upset because she cannot scare this tribe of the twenty-first century. Worse yet, children ridicule and parents are unaware. Only Virginia Otis, aged fifteen, moved by the fate of Canterville Ghost, will seek to deliver from curse on it.
El fantasma de Canterville2018 · television film · 85 min · dir. Josep Maria Mestres, Joan Riedweg · IMDb ↗Lord Canterville invites American businessman Hiram S. Otis and his family to spend the weekend at his old Castle near Ascot, England. Lord Canterville warns the new residents that the ghost of Sir Simon de Canterville, a family past ancestor, has been haunting the house since he murdered his wife, Lady Eleanor.
