This week’s mystery movie was the 1935 film “The Ghost Goes West” with Robert Donat, Jean Parker, Eugene Pallette, Elsa Lanchester, Ralph Bunker, Patricia Hilliard, Everley Gregg, Morton Selten, Chili Bouchier, Mark Daly, Herbert Lomas, Elliot Mason, Hay Petrie and Quintin MacPherson.
Based on a story by Eric Keown by permission of “Punch.” Screenplay by Robert Sherwood.
Photographed by Harold Rosson, sets by Vincent Korda, production manager David B. Cunynghame.
Musical direction by Muir Mathieson, scenario by Geoffrey Kerr, musical compositions by Michael Spolianski, costumes by Rene Hubert, Robert Donat’s costumes by John Armstrong.
Special effects by Ned Mann, recording by A.W. Watkins, assistant directors Imlay Watts and Albert Valentin, edited by Harold Earle-Fischbacher, supervising editor William Hornbeck.
Directed by Rene Clair.
“The Ghost Goes West” is available on DVD from TCM.
I got a request for a ghost story and here we are.
Harrison’s Reports (Jan.18, 1936) said:
This picture has some unusually good comedy situations, a novel plot, and fine performances. But on the whole it is entertainment suitable more for the classes than for the masses; its pace is somewhat slow and its humor subtle. The most amusing parts are those in which the ghost appears and is mistaken for a live person thereby puzzling, by its behavior, those with whom it comes in contact. The author has taken a poke, in a satirical fashion, at the social manners of some American millionaires, showing that their tastes are vulgar. The closing scenes are quite exciting and laugh-provoking; there the ghost fulfills its mission on earth and is thus enabled to go to its rest. The romantic interest is charming.
And let’s see which New York Times critic hated it….
But wait. Andre Sennwald (Jan. 11, 1936) likes the film quite a bit. He calls “The Ghost Goes West” a gay, urbane and brilliantly funny film.
The Messrs. Sherwood and Clair are toying a gracefully long, loud laugh at the expense of American millionaire art lovers and European tradition. Their ghost, very solidly played by Robert Donat, is of the Scotch persuasion, he is a handsome devil and even after 200 years he has an eye for the ladies. His adventures with the castle that is dismantled and transported to America are always merry and sometimes sharply satirical.
For Monday, we have a couple of mystery gentlemen. Our mystery gent on the right does not approve of such goings-on.
Update: This fellow on the right is Morton Selten. His mystery companion has no lines and I have not been able to positively identify him. As such, I gave credit for all guesses unless they were clearly wrong.
For Tuesday, we have another magnificently outfitted mystery gent.
Update: This is Hay Petrie.
We also have this mystery fellow, handsomely dressed in a double-breasted suit. His companion, alas, has been cropped out due to insufficient mysteriousness. He and his newsboy cap will appear later.
Update: For “Aha Thursday,” here is our mystery companion who was previously lacking in mysteriousness.
Update: This is Eugene Pallette in a dashing newsboy cap and Ralph Bunker.
Brain Trust roll call: Anne Papineau (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery guest), Robert Morrissey (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery guest), Jenny M. (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery gent) and L.C. (mystery movie and mystery cast).
For “Hm Wednesday,” Tuesday’s mystery gent has a mysterious dinner companion.
Update: This is Ralph Bunker and Everley Gregg.
Also for “Hm Wednesday,” we have another mystery dinner guest. Her companion has been cropped out for now due to his entirely insufficient mysteriousness. (Apologies for the fuzzy print).
Update: And for “Aha Thursday,” our insufficiently mysterious companion makes his appearance.
Update: This is Elsa Lanchester (or Lancaster to all those folks damning auto-correct this week), who has a minuscule role considering her billing. And Eugene Pallette.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and all mystery guests), David Inman (mystery movie), Sue Slutzky (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Blackwing Jenny (mystery movie , Monday’s mystery Scotsman and Tuesday’s mystery Scotsman) and Anne Papineau (Tuesday’s mystery guests).
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Wednesday’s mystery guests Nos. 1 and 2), Floyd Thursby (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery Scotsman and Wednesday’s mystery woman No. 2), Tucson Barbara (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery guests, Tuesday’s mystery Scotsman, Wednesday’s mystery guests), Mike Hawks (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery women), Anne Papineau (Wednesday’s mystery guests), B.J. Merholz (Wednesday’s mystery woman No. 2), Sue Slutzky (Wednesday’s mystery women), Sylvia E. (mystery movie and all mystery guests) and Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery women and gent cropped out of picture for insufficient mysteriousness).
For Friday, we have this mystery woman in her mysterious motor.
Update: This is Jean Parker.
Also for Friday, we have our mysterious leading man in a dual role. Here he is in the spectral plane.
Update: This is Robert Donat as Murdoch Glourie.
And here he is in human form.
And as Donald Glourie.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Wednesday’s mystery woman No. 2 and Thursday’s mystery gent), Blackwing Jenny (Wednesday’s mystery woman No. 2 and Thursday’s mystery gent), Tucson Barbara (Thursday’s mystery gent), Sarah (mystery movie), Funky PhD (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery gent), Beach Gal (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Gary (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery woman No. 2 and Thursday’s mystery gent), Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mystery gent), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery gent), Noir Allie (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery gent), Sue Slutzky (Thursday’s mystery gent), Roget-L.A. (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery woman No. 2 and Thursday’s mystery gent), Benito (Thursday’s mystery gent), Sylvia E. (Thursday’s mystery gent and our mysterious leading lady and leading man), Megan and Thom (mystery movie and all mystery guests) and Patrick (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery woman No. 2 and Thursday’s mystery gent).
Note: Many people cursed auto-correct this week. You know who you are.
ladailymirror.com 
Morton Selten in “The Ghost Goes West”
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Left gent looks as though he is fixing to disapprove, as well … or perhaps he merely craves a laxative, like Mia Farrow in “Radio Days”.
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Is this not Morton Selten as the Glourie in The Ghost Goes West?
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The Ghost Goes West with Victor Rietti and Morton Selten.
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Looks like Harry Davenport
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A good guess, but alas, I’m afraid not.
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Cedric Hardwicke on the right?
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A good guess, but alas I’m afraid not.
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The Ghost Goes West (1935) w/Robert Donat, Jean Parker, Eugene Pallette, Elsa Lanchester, Morton Selten…
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Mary of Scotland?
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Right locale, but alas, a different movie.
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THE GHOST GOES WEST. Herbert Lomas and Morton Selten Monday, Hay Petrie and Richard Fraser, Jack Lambert, Colin Lesslie, Neil Lester, and J. Neil More, with Robert Donat and Ralph bunker finishing off today.
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THE GHOST GOES WEST (1935)
Monday: Morton Selten, Mark Daly
Tuesday: Hay Petrie (center); Eugene Pallette, Ralph Bunker
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“The Ghost Goes West”?
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Tudor Owen in the plaid today?
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An excellent guess. But alas, I’m afraid not.
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One of my favorite movies!! “The Ghost Goes West”
I have to do some research to identify the first guests. They are all a mystery to me.
I’ll be back!
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How about Rob Roy the Highland Rogue.
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Great guess! Our mystery movie is a bit earlier than that, however.
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Morton Selten! and…some other guy I dunna ken, from one of my favorite fantasies, “The Ghost Goes West”. Today it’s Hay Petrie and…some other guy.
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Hay Petrie and Ralph Bunker on Tuesday.
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Monday: Morton Selten is the old man. I’m not sure who the other one is.
Tuesday: Hay Petrie and Ralph Bunker
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Everley Gregg with Ralph Bunker and Patricia Hilliard today.
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Robert Donat out of frame.
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For Monday we have Morton Selten and for Wednesday Elsa Lancaster. The movie is “The Ghost Goes West.”
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Elsa Lanchester in “The Ghost Goes West”
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Everley Gregg and Elsa Lanchester in THE GHOST GOES WEST.
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On Wednesday, that looks like Ralph Bunker again, Everley Gregg and Elsa Lanchester.
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Elsa Lanchester?
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In addition to Ms, Lanchester, there’s Herbert Lomas on Mon, Morton Selton on Tuesday, Everley Gregg and Ralph Bunker on Wed.
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Wednesday: I think the man is Herbert Lomas. Next to him is Everley Gregg.
Then, Elsa Manchester.
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Darn spell check! Of course it should say Elsa Lanchester.
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Elsa presented an early ‘aha’
Cute little movie “The Ghost Goes West” 1936 (or 1935)
Mon – Morton Selten (not sure of the servant)
Tues – Hay Petrie (I think) and all the McLaggen sons.
On the ship, the “last descendent” of the McLaggen clan (on his mother’s side,) Ralph Bunker and the cut for lack of mysteriousness Eugene Palette
Wed – At the table, Ralph Bunker again and Ms. Everley Gregg. Ms. Elsa Lanchester and cut for mysteriousness again, Eugene Palette
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On Monday – is the servant Herbert Lomas?
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Quinton McPherson; Everly Gregg; Elsa Lanchester, Eugene Pallette.
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Eugene Pallette is our BOTH person who shows up today. Then Elsa Lanchester yesterday.
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Elsa Lancaster and Eugene Pallette.
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LANCHESTER! Darn auto-correct!
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The one and only Eugene Pallette.
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“The Ghost Goes West”, 1935, with Eugene Pallette.
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“The Ghost Goes West,” with Eugene Pallette and Jean Parker on Wednesday.
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Movie is The Ghost Goes West. Thurs guest is Eugene Pallette.
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How about Elsa an Eugene in The Ghost Goes West.
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Thursday is Eugene Pallette Day
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Eugene Pallette.
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Monday on right is Morton Selton.
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Monday first photo – is this Hay Pettis?
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Oops, spell check above, Hay Petrie.
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Eugene Pallette
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The Ghost Goes West
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Wed lady #1 is Everley Gregg
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Tues man on board ship is Ralph Bunker
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Wed lady #2 is Elsa Lanchester.
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Eugene Pallette today.
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For Fri we should see Robert Don’t and Jean Parker.
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Oops spell check again, Robert Donat
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Might gent on left of Monday first photo be Mark Daly?
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Elsa Lanchester and Eugene Pallette in The Ghost Goes West (1935)
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Eugene Pallette today. 240 actor credits on imdb! PS memorable in HELL BELOW 1934
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Eugene Pallette revealed.
Which leaves Robert Donat (18th century, ghost and modern day), Jean Parker (I remember her from that Christmas mystery movie with the 3 ghostly tycoons,) Mark Daly (he’s a hoot in this film) and Chili Bouchier (just because of her name.)
Rene Clair seems to have had a leaning towards these fantasy stories or am I mistaken? The comments on this movie imply that the movie wasn’t particularly inspired film making, but I thought it was cute.
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The movie this week is “The Ghost Goes West”. In the first scene on Monday are Mark Daly and Morton Selten. In the second scene the actor on the left is Richard Fraser, in the middle is Hay Petrie and on the right is Quinton McPherson. Tuesday has Eugene Pallette and Ralph Bunker. Wednesday shows Ralph Bunker and Everley Gregg. Today’s guests are Elsa Lanchester and Eugene Pallette.
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Eugene Pallette and Elsa Lanchester in The Ghost Goes West from 1935.
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Jean Parker and Robert Donat. Wish he had done more films and had better health.
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Jean Parker and a double dose of Robert Donat
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Fri our leads with Jean Parker and Robert Donat
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Jean Parker and Robert Donat.
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I spy Jean Parker and Robert Donat.
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Jean Parker and one of my favorite actors, Robert Donat.
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