The 1945 version of Enchanted Cottage is my favorite romantic film. It is far superior to the 1924 in almost every way. While Barthlemess and McAvoy are wonderful, and equal to the 1945, the remaining characters aren't fleshed out well. As others have noted, the ghosts are a distraction. The sets were cheaply done and too dark to see detail. Perhaps the quality of the print was responsible. The couple don't complete their ceremony by writing on the window, the significant aspect of the story. And the story ends with them seeing each other as perfect. But they must still hide away. The 1945 version adds a postscript, showing that the couple now believe that others see them that way, a much more satisfying conclusion. All that said, I enjoyed the film, and consider it a worthy effort.
Review of The Enchanted Cottage
