Ghost

Rating: 9/10 (14 November 2006)

This film, with E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, gets me every time I watch the ending, I cannot help but cry, and it's always enjoyable, directed by Jerry Zucker (Airplane!, Ruthless People, Rat Race). Basically banker Sam Wheat (Golden Globe nominated Patrick Swayze) and potter Molly Jensen (Golden Globe nominated Demi Moore) are a couple truly in love, renovating a new apartment with Sam's friend Carl Bruner (Tony Goldwyn), their most passionate scene is them doing pottery together, while listening to the song "Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers (number 19 on The 100 Greatest Sexy Moments). Sam discovers high balances in obscure bank accounts, Sam tells Carl he'll investigate, but that night, while walking home, Sam and Molly are mugged by a street thug, he pulls a gun and in the struggle shoots, out of his body Sam is shocked to discover his own dead body, he has become a ghost. Sam stays by Molly, trying to get to grips with his condition, he cannot be heard, seen or felt, he is later shocked when the thug that killed him walks into the house, looking for something, but Molly returns and Sam scares the cat to attack the thug, he flees his mission. Sam follows him through Brooklyn and discovers his name is Willie Lopez (Rick Aviles), he tells someone on the phone he will go back for what he was looking for later. Walking the streets Sam stumbles into a spiritual reading parlor, there he witnesses con artist Oda Mae Brown (Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe winning Whoopi Goldberg) posing as a medium, but as he mocks her he realises she has an actual gift when she can hear him, he convinces her of the danger that Molly is on and to warn her. Sam convinces Oda Mae to meet Molly in person, she is skeptical, only until she relays things only Sam would know, but hearing all the danger scares Oda Mae away, so Molly goes to the police, only for them to pull Oda Mae's record, convincing Molly she is a con artist and demands her to stay away from her. Molly tells Carl this information, he goes to visit Willie at the given address, but Sam following is surprised that they are working together, Sam was murdered to obtain his book of passwords to access the bank accounts and launder money. Sam getting angered by Carl trying to get close to Molly unintentionally knocks over a picture frame, he remembers encountering a poltergeist on the subway (Tomorrow Never Dies' Vincent Schiavelli) that can move things, Sam convinces him to teach him how to do the same, after learning these abilities he returns to Oda Mae and convinces her to help him withdraw the money in the fake name Carl had set up. Oda Mae does so, taking away $4 million, she endorses the money to charity to avoid being caught, Carl tries desperately to find the money, while Sam deliberately scares him, Carl goes to Molly, where she lest slip that she saw Oda Mae at the bank, and he pieces together what has happened. Willie returns looking to catch and kill Oda Mae, Sam prevents him by terrorising him and sends him into oncoming traffic, Willie is killed and like Same did earlier sees himself dead, and his ghost is grabbed by creatures in the shadows that drag him away screaming (presumably to hell). Sam returns to Molly's apartment with Oda Mae, she is finally convinced of Sam's ghost when he levitates a coin, and Oda Mae allows him to possess her body to feel Molly and share a slow dance. Carl interrupts, so Molly and Oda Mae flee onto the fire escape, in the loft under construction he catches Oda Mae, but Molly saves her, before being grabbed and threatened by Carl with a gun, Sam disarms him and chases him to the window, trying to throw a hook at Sam he shatters the glass, and Carl is impaled by the falling glass, he becomes a ghost, and like Willie is dragged away screaming by the dark creatures. Sam speaks to the women, Molly can hear him now, a heavenly light shines in the room and illuminates Sam, the two women see him, they realise it is time for him to go (presumably to heaven), Sam and Molly share a farewell kiss, he thanks Oda Mae for everything, and he finally tells Molly he has always loved her, to which she replies his own word he repeated to her many times, "Ditto", Sam then walks away into the light and disappears (this ending is number 5 on The 100 Greatest Tearjerkers). Also starring Armelia McQueen as Oda Mae's Sister, Gail Boggs as Oda Mae's Sister and Phil Leeds as Emergency Room Ghost. Swayze gives a surprisingly good performance as the title character, Moore is fantastic being innocent and emotional, Goldwyn is good as the snivelling villain, and Goldberg almost steals the show with her deserved Oscar winning turn as the psychic, with many comic moments. It is a film that delivers well- timed laughs and a witty script, and the supernatural element works well, with terrific special effects, it is dramatic, but most of its a sentimental but highly affectionate love story, a must see romantic drama. It won the Oscar for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, and it was nominated for Best Film Editing, Best Music for Maurice Jarre and Best Picture, it won the BAFTAs for Best Make Up Artist, Best Original Screenplay and Best Special Visual Effects, and it was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical. It was number 19 on 100 Years, 100 Passions, "Unchained Melody" was number 27 on 100 Years, 100 Songs, and it was number 76 on The Ultimate Film. Very, very good!