The Ghost Breakers (1940)

100% of critics liked it
(5 reviews)
74% of users liked it
(1,420 ratings)

Paramount followed up its successful Bob Hope/Paulette Goddard co-starrer The Cat and the Canary (1939) by warming up another venerable "old dark house" stage play, Paul Dickey and Charles Goddard's The Ghost Breaker, pluralizing the title to accommodate both stars. This time Hope plays radio… More Paramount followed up its successful Bob Hope/Paulette Goddard co-starrer The Cat and the Canary (1939) by warming up another venerable "old dark house" stage play, Paul Dickey and Charles Goddard's The Ghost Breaker, pluralizing the title to accommodate both stars. This time Hope plays radio personality Lawrence L. Lawrence (the middle initial stands for Lawrence: "My folks had no imagination") who has to flee New York to avoid being mistakenly arrested for murder. He and his manservant Alex (Willie Best) book passage on a Cuba-bound liner, where they meet lovely heiress Mary Carter (Paulette Goddard). She is heading to Cuba to take charge of her ancestral mansion, despite warnings from several sinister characters that to enter this "haunted" house will mean certain death. Appointing himself Mary's protector, Lawrence investigates the mansion on his own, thereby crossing the path of a zombie (Noble Johnson) and an apparently genuine ghost. He also meets the twin brother of the man he's accused of killing (Anthony Quinn), who seems the most likely suspect when Mary nearly comes to harm. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 23 min.
Directed By: George Marshall
Written By: Walter DeLeon
Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Jun 21, 1940 Wide
On DVD: Mar 5, 2002

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Mixing laughs and scares.
Sean Axmaker, Seanax.com
... George Marshall makes an effort to construct the proper atmosphere around these city folk on a haunted safari in voodooland...
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
One of the few truly great meshes of comedy and horror that never shorts either genre.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Featured Audience Ratings

Steve K

Lovely cinematography, a sharp witted Hope, and a gorgeous Goddard. Even with all that, the film's primary standout was it's casual racism and depiction of African Americans; it often undercut the humor and suspense.
AJ V

One of my favourtie Hope movies, it's really very funny. If you're a fan, check it out. It's sort of a spoof of old horror and mystery movies.
Anthony V

Good paranormal humor.

Cast

            Bob Hope as Larry Lawrence

            Paulette Goddard as Mary Carter

            Richard Carlson as Geoff Montgomery

            Paul Lukas as Parada

            Willie Best as Alex

            Pedro de Cordoba as Havez

            Virginia Brissac as Mother Zombie

            Noble Johnson as The Zombie

            Anthony Quinn as Ramon/Francisco Maderos

            Tom Dugan as Raspy Kelly

            Paul Fix as Frenchy Duval

            Lloyd Corrigan as Martin

            David Durand as Bellhop

            Jack Edwards as Ship Bellboy

            James Flavin as Hotel porter

            Grace Hayle as Screaming woman

            Douglas Kennedy as Interne

            Paul Newlan as Newsboy

            Jack Norton as Drunk

            Kay Stewart as Telephone girl

            Leonard Sues as Newsboy

            Blanca Vischer as Dolores

            Emmett Vogan as Announcer

            Max Wagner as Ship porter

            Robert Ryan as Intern

            James Blaine as Police Sergeant

            Jack Hatfield as Elevator boy

            Francisco Maran as Headwaiter

            Robert Elliott as Lt. Murray
See full cast