Succulent typecast Gothic horror with campy melodramatics bestowing sly twists and turns at the back end and the stunning beauty and capability of actress Barbara Steele. What starts off creaky, forms into a strong and gripping story of betrayal, greed, secret love and possible madness? Where we find the slow-boil situations manipulated and the hysterical nature breaks free with some effective shivers and thrills. The best thing is watching Steele's character's restless transformation, as is she cracking under the pressure by seeing her dead husband (who she plotted to murder) or is there scheming going on by her doctor lover (a decent Peter Baldwin) or is someone plotting against the both of them. The straight-laced script perfectly dissects and hides the feverish mystery with an excellent bittersweet conclusion. Riccardo Fredo's direction is pedestrian, outside some camera framing (like a death scene where the blood sprays the screen) and the dank, but haunting mansion. Ellia Jotta is exemplary as Dr. John Hitchcock and Harriet Medin is good too. Contrived, but agreeable ghost story.
Review of The Ghost
