There was always something highly entertaining about the late Patrick Swayze, whether he was having a comedic dance off against Chris Farley on Saturday Night Live, or he was the criminal mastermind of a surfer gang in the action flick Point Break. He always brought a charming, entertaining and realistic human side to the characters that he portrayed. One role that epitomises his varied career is the romantic dramedy Ghost.
After speaking with actress Marilyn Ghigliotti, best known for her role as Veronica in the cult classic Clerks, one thing was clear: I am not the only one who is a fan of Swayze. Ghigliotti spoke highly of the acclaimed 90’s actor, and especially highlighted the above mentioned Ghost as being (one of) her favourite flicks of all-time. Check out the interview at the bottom of the article to hear more of her thoughts on her top pick, her work on Clerks as well as a number of other things.
For whatever reason, the first thing that always come to mind when I talk about Ghost with others is the superb job that director Jerry Zucker did with this film. Sometimes it is hard to imagine that the director of Airplane! and the executive producer of The Naked Gun trilogy (as well as the creator of Police Squad! – which Naked Gun was based on) also directed this touching dramedy.
For those of you who have not yet seen the movie, the story follows loving couple Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze) and Molly Jensen (Demi Moore) as they move into a new loft style apartment. Sam works at a large investment bank with friend Carl Bruner (Tony Goldwyn), while Molly is an artist who molds her work out of clay. Spoiler alert: Sam gets mugged very early on in the film and is shot by the thief (Rick Aviles in a memorable supporting role). He chases after the man only to find out, upon his return, that he has been mortally wounded by the assailant (and it was only his ghost that was chasing the individual).
Instead of soaring into the bright light that comes for him, he is left to roam the Earth as an invisible spectre. It ends up being a good thing, as the criminal who murdered him (surprisingly) breaks into their home looking for a specific piece of information.
It is not easy for the deceased individual, as he is new to the rules of being a ghost and is unable to communicate with anyone – though his cat can sense him. It is not until he stumbles upon a fraudulent medium named Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg), who, in the end, turns out to have the sixth sense, that he is finally able to have a voice. With the reluctant help of Oda Mae, Sam is able to make contact with Molly. Though she is hesitant to accept such an outlandish tale, she finally believes the shady medium when she tells her that Sam used the word ditto (it is the term that he used instead of I love you, to proclaim his affection for her).
Carl is unwilling to accept the story that Molly recounts and dissuades her from taking the advice of Oda Mae. As Sam continues to investigate, he soon realizes that there is a much larger conspiracy at play and that it was not simply a mugging gone violently awry. He takes up the task of putting all that has gone wrong, right.
You cannot talk about Ghost without referencing the superb performances. Patrick Swayze is at the center of it all. He gives the movie its heart. He is what makes the dramatically haunting romance and mystery thrive. It is a powerful and highly memorable role. Yet, it is also vital to highlight the other part of the romantic couple. Demi Moore does a solid job as the grieving woman who is confounded by the possibility that her dead beau could be watching her. Similarly, the movie could not have succeeded without Whoopi Goldberg. Her comedic turn as a shady, lively and petty criminal, who has a rather unorthodox relationship with the always persistent Sam, is more than entertaining. She is irascible, funny and full of all sorts of attitude. There is a reason that she won an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Tony Goldwyn is also very good in his juicy part. Perhaps now best known for his portrayal as President Grant in the television series Scandal, Goldwyn proved 22 years earlier that he could play a complex character that consists of both the light and dark sides found within each and every human being. I must also make mention of Stephen Root as the Police Sgt., as well as character actor Vincent Schiavelli, who plays the disgruntled spectre on the subway. He does a brilliant job concocting a pained persona that would frighten most if they were to run into him while commuting on a train – though, after some persuading, he becomes an unusual and tortured mentor to our protagonist.
Ghost left a powerful mark on those who saw it. Ditto became part of the popular lexicon, the 1965 Righteous Brothers’ hit “Unchained Melody” once again became a popular song that echoed a romantic mood, and working with clay took on a new, more eroticized meaning.
On top of the above mentioned moments, there are other memorable scenes. The segment when Sam and Oda Mae enter the bank to pull a scam is highly entertaining. There are also moments of ghostly haunting/revenge, including an eerie interaction between Sam and his killer. Then, there is the emotional ending that radiates the power of everlasting love.
Ghost is a wonderful film. It has a great story (writer Bruce Joel Rubin won an Oscar for Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen), a superb cast, is supremely directed and has an endearing ending. And it left an indelible impact on 90’s moviegoers. I still appreciate Maurice Jarre’s beautiful score and feel like “Unchained Melody” was a perfect song selection, with its concluding lyrics of “All alone I gaze. . . At the stars, at the stars. . . Dreaming of my love far away” being a fitting message that perfectly encapsulates the mood of the movie. Now, to summarize my final thoughts: if someone who loved the film, including Marilyn Ghigliotti, were to ask me what my thoughts were on Ghost, I’d simply reply Ditto.