Gail Russell & Ray Milland

For as long as studios have been making horror movies, they've tried selling them to the skittish. Despite a rise in popularity, chillers are still viewed as cinematic black sheep, their themes often packaged in more user-friendly formats. Hailed among these is 1944's The Uninvited, a ghost story that refuses to play its other worldly side for shocks or camp value. Its demeanor combines the romantic with the forlorn, the results more potent than many straightforward tragedies. While the urge to veer into B-movie territory must have been hard to resist, The Uninvited's maturity and classy cast (headlined by Ray Milland and Ruth Hussey) are vital to its story being taken as seriously as it should. Other cast members include Gail Russell, Donald Crisp, Cornelia Otis Skinner and Alan Napier.

The story is spun at a spacious seaside estate, which music critic Roderick Fitzgerald (Milland) and his sister Pamela (Hussey) stumble upon during a vacation. Pamela falls madly in love with the place, and after some coaxing; Roderick agrees to move in as an escape from life in London Town. But as is mandatory when dream houses are involved, the Fitzgeralds' new abode comes with a price. Not only does a former resident's daughter (Gail Russell) wish for the home to stay in the family, rumors of a haunting spread throughout the surrounding village. Upon investigation, the Fitzgeralds learn that a spirit is indeed among them - but what kind is another question. Is it a saintly soul in need of assistance, or could a malicious force be seeking revenge from beyond the grave?

Once Hollywood figured that ghosts were good for more than harassing Abbott and Costello, a lot more films became a lot cleverer. The Uninvited doesn't attempt anything too radical, preferring the comfy confines of an old-fashioned mystery. But for an era still getting used to the great beyond, the film's restraint is commendable. Actually, it's almost too matter-of-fact in its handling of the supernatural. Roderick plays skeptic for a while, but not only does Pamela buy into the haunting right away, she cheerfully proposes a séance at one point. I suspect it's a bit of wayward quirkiness, as for all its solemn secrets and talk of the afterlife;  the movie does  have a warm heart. Add a little snarky repartee, and the Fitzgeralds could even be another Nick and Norah Charles, helping the living-impaired settle unfinished business in this world before moving on to the next one.

That said, The Uninvited's craftsmanship surpasses its storytelling strengths. The music, setting, and photography are all top-notch and possess their own degrees of moodiness. Director Lewis Allen keeps the mood spooky but affable, no small feat for one of his first features. But viewers can crack the main mystery with just a bare minimum of clues. In fact the movie's own inquest is just a matter of delaying the inevitable.

Ruth Hussey & Ray Milland

Still, with as spiffy a stable of actors at work, it's difficult not to get involved regardless. Milland and Hussey are a joy to watch as the amateur ghost busters, though a good deal of focus is also set on the fringe players. Cornelia Otis Skinner and Donald Crisp do great work as characters of varying suspicion, though Russell easily makes off with the show. A real stunner whose career lasted a short while, Russell moves beyond her years to play a young woman who ends up at the center of a transcendental tug of war.

Sadly, The Uninvited isn't an easy classic to come across. The VHS has long since been out of print, and there's no DVD release in sight, so fans are just about at the mercy of Turner Classic Movies' scheduling gods. But should they smile upon The Uninvited, make time to catch this dashing delight before it dissipates again.

Director: Lewis Allen

Writers: Dodie Smith and Frank Partos (based on a novel by Dorothy Macardle)

Cast: Ray Milland, Ruth Hussey, Gail Russell, Donald Crisp, Cornelia Otis Skinner, Alan Napier

Rating: No MPAA Rating (some spookiness)

Classic Movie Guide Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Run Time: 99 minutes

Studio: Paramount Pictures

Format: Black-and-white, fullscreen

Photo credits: Paramount Pictures