High Spirits

HIGH SPIRITS (15)

D: Neil Jordan

Palace/Vision (Stephen Woolley & David Saunders)

UK/Ireland/US 1988

96 mins

Comedy/Fantasy/Romance

W: Neil Jordan

DP: Alex Thomson

Ed: Michael Bradsell

Mus: George Fenton

PD: Alex Furst

Peter O'Toole (Peter Plunkett), Steve Guttenberg (Jack), Daryl Hannah (Mary Plunkett Brogan), Beverly D'Angelo (Sharon), Donal McCann (Eamon), Liz Smith (Mrs. Plunkett), Peter Gallagher (Brother Tony), Jennifer Tilly (Miranda), Liam Neeson (Martin Brogan), Ray McAnally (Plunkett, Sr.)

Following a promising, quite funny opening 30 minutes, the film descends into complete and utter chaos.

Peter O'Toole plays an Irish owner of a decripit castle who decides the best way to attract tourists is by staging hauntings and ghostly goings on. However, when the castle's hotel rooms are fully booked by gawping American tourists, real spirits emerge from the walls.

Veteran actor O'Toole tries his best, and gets all the best lines in the script, but unfortunately he can't save the supernatural romance which the film becomes in the final act, with not a single tinge of comedy. Steve Guttenberg plays himself and Daryl Hannah delivers an atrocious attempt at an Irish accent.

With the first act to the movie showing genuine promise, director-writer Neil Jordan could perhaps have made this into a much better comedy/farce, but the finale makes it completely forgettable. It hasn't dated particularly well either.

5/10