User reviews

Nathaniel Benchley (son of humorist Robert Benchley) wrote The Visitors, a frightening novel about a ghostly haunting, which was purchased for filming by legendary Hollywood showman William Castle.

Castle, who had yet to attain respect as producer (but not director) of Roman Polanski's masterly Rosemary's Baby (1968), had recently completed a successful string of blatant imitations of Hitchcock's Psycho (1960), including Homicidal (1961) and Strait-Jacket (1964), and had stumbled with a pair of inept teen-thrillers, I Saw What You Did (1965) and Let's Kill Uncle (1966).

Evidently seeking to expand his audience while maintaining his position as king of schlock horror, Castle re-visioned Benchley's decidedly adult novel as a family comedy along the lines of his bland 13 Ghosts (1960). Unfortunately, Castle was hopeless as a comedy director, as his overly-broad Hammer remake of The Old Dark House (1963) had demonstrated. Humor had been an essential underlying element of Castle's most successful earlier films, The House on Haunted Hill (1958) and The Tingler (1959), but this had been supplied by star Vincent Price and the ironic wit of screenwriter Robb White rather than any knack on the part of the director. Castle persisted and The Spirit Is Willing descended into lazy slapstick, as did its black-comedy follow-up The Busy Body (1967), also starring Sid Caesar.

In and of itself, The Spirit Is Willing is a fun little movie which today carries an aura of tacky nostalgia, but the golden opportunity for a chilling ghostly thriller along the lines of Robert Wise's classic The Haunting (1963) was recklessly thrown away.

It behooves Dark Castle Entertainment, which has been remaking the Castle "classics", to consider a new, dramatic version of the Benchley novel. With the blockbuster success of films like The Sixth Sense, The Others and The Ring, the time is right for The Visitors to arrive.

Like so many others here, I vaguely remembered this movie and have always wanted to see it again. The last time I saw it was almost 50 years ago (if not 50 years ago!).

This is the comic love story of a love triangle that led to murder of all three. The conflict between the three extends into the afterlife, with the three spirits locked into a mix of passion and hatred.

Today I found this movie for rent on Apple TV, and am enjoying this bit of nostalgia even as I type this. It's still a cute little comedy with a dash of horror (particularly at the beginning).

PS> The nympho ghost is as nympho as ever! :)

Certain movies can stick with you after years and years.

I've only seen "The Spirit is Willing" two or three times, probably most often on the CBS Late Night Movies. (That was way back in the Stone Age, when Carson was the only late-night talk show. I was probably in elementary or junior high school and would stay up way too late to watch the movies that started at 10:30 Central time. But enough about that.)

"The Spirit is Willing" was one of those silly, harmless comedies so fondly remembered. It had the hapless dad, the loving mother and the teenage son who was smarter than either, except when it came to the romance department.

What teenage boy wouldn't want to live in a house with a beautiful and sexy blonde ghost?! Oh, and of course, he had a beautiful blond girlfriend who looked just like the ghost!!

This is a movie the way they used to be made! Not hilarious, but definitely funny ... a guilty pleasure. (Now if only it would be re-released!)

I really wanted to like this movie. After all, it is a Whos-Who of great comedians (Sid Caesar, Mary Wickes, John Astin, Jesse White and William Castle). But not even these giants can rescue this go-nowhere story.

There are no real jokes, it's all a matter of "OH-You-just-missed-seeing-the-ghost" jokes. Vic Mizzy created a great score and the Jill Townsend is a cutie. Plus, there are a few surprising sexual developments that seem risqué for the time period. But that is it.

It seems more like an average episode of "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" without the cute dog.

Sad. I really looked forward to this one. I even watched it several times to give it a chance. I gave it a 5/10 ONLY because of the great cast.

You can say that this was an anti-13 Ghosts (minus 10) with some trying-too-hard slapstick thrown in.

This was a big departure for William Castle who normally produced straight shock horror... And not his best film.

He should have stuck with straight horror.

I saw this movie when I was about 14 and couldn't remember the name of it till I found this site. It was a hilarious movie and I'd love to get the movie if it's available. The music from the movie has stuck in my head all of these years. A very catchy tune. I loved the way the ghosts would fight among themselves and the boy got the blame for all the damages that they were inflicting on the house. I was able to relate to what the teenage boy was feeling each time he got the blame. He was able to see the ghosts and could do nothing to stop it and no one would believe him. It is billed as Comedy/Horror, but I remember it being a good family comedy that I wouldn't hesitate to take my kids to see.

A couple (Sid Caesar and Vera Miles) and their teenage son (Barry Gordon) rent a haunted New England seaside house, and their summer vacation turns into a ghost-hunt.

The film starts out with a sailor marrying an ugly woman for money. When they show her, there are gull noises and she tries (poorly) to make herself look like a catch. This sets the tone of the film... silly, somewhat dated humor. William Castle has done some good work with humor (such as "Zotz"), and he is working with some good names here... but it never fully takes off.

Castle has also done good work with ghosts ("House on Haunted Hill", "13 Ghosts") but here does not seem to really know what to do with them. They are not scary, but not really funny either. They are just there. Which makes the plot not have much of an arc (it is hard to resolve a problem without much of a problem). Maybe I should give it another chance, but I think I can see why this is not one of Castle's better-known works.

Do not confuse this for a horror film (many have). Despite drawing its title from Matthew 26:41 and therefore a good basis for a satanic tale, it certainly is not.

I would love to see this movie again, I saw it once as a kid, and have always wanted to see it again. I wonder how much my perception has changed since then. I fear that I might think it's horrible now, compared to my fond childhood memory of it. Why do I think so highly of this film? I don't even know. That may be a question in itself. All I know is, the film couldn't have been so bad that they wouldn't put it out on video or DVD, hell they've put everything else out. If anybody knows how I can see this film again please notify me. . It was very nice to read the other comments from other people who liked this film as well. Now, suddenly I don't feel so alone in the universe.

-Joe

William Castle's second outing for 1967 reteamed him with the star comic, Sid Caesar, from his previous effort, THE BUSY BODY; while the latter film was definitely no great comedy, it got by on the strength of its starry cast. Despite the appearance here of such familiar character actors as John Astin (as a shrink – with the director in a cameo as one of his patients!), Jay C. Flippen (a bartender named "Mother"), John McGiver (Caesar's rich seafaring relative), Nestor Paiva (one of the ghosts' father in the prologue), Harvey Lembeck (wasted as McGiver's first mate), Jesse White (a patron of Flippen's dive) and housemaid Mary Wickes, these ingredients fail to gel satisfactorily this time around.

Conversely, while THE BUSY BODY had treated the popular 1960s theme of collective greed, THE SPIRIT IS WILLING goes back to that old warhorse of new tenants inhabiting a house haunted by its previous residents – but it emerges as decidedly a long way away from such delightful prototypes like Rene' Clair's THE GHOST GOES WEST (1935) or the odd-duck Abbott and Costello vehicle THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES (1946); besides, its maritime setting is likewise reminiscent of such classier properties like Joseph L. Mankiewicz's THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR (1947) and Albert Lewin's PANDORA AND THE FLYING DUTCHMAN (1951). Tellingly enough, while THE BUSY BODY has been granted an official DVD release (albeit from Legend Films rather than Paramount itself) via a nice-looking print that respects its original aspect ratio, its lamer follow-up still languishes in fullscreen VHS copies floating around among enterprising collectors over the Internet (which is how I acquired it) despite having recently been legitimately issued on BluRay by Olive Films!

Aging magazine editor Caesar is given forced leave from work and decides to takes his wife Vera Miles and rebellious son Barry Gordon to a summer vacation in a creaky New England mansion that was the site of a triple murder by meat cleaver 70 years before. This event, depicted in the film's prologue, is the only concession to Castle's previous cult efforts in the Horror genre; indeed, Vic Mizzy's jaunty score – tying it, along with Astin's presence, to the concurrent TV hit, "The Addams Family" – equates it more with harmless Disney kiddie fare like the contemporaneous (and similarly-themed) BLACKBEARD'S GHOST than the "with-it" ghost comedy that the theatrical poster promised. Having said that, lovely young actress Jill Townsend comes off best among the cast in her triple roles as the ill-fated, ghostly maid (in a perennial embrace with her sea captain lover), Gordon's new (and somewhat older) friend and her sexy librarian sister (who takes up with Caesar, much to Miles' chagrin). For the record, the three ghosts are initially only visible to the youngsters – despite an over-reliance on a cellar-door- which-opens-and-closes-of-its-own-accord-gag – but, eventually, Caesar, Astin and McGiver (who ultimately joins their ranks!) do too during the climactic costume party.

I was sure I'd imagined this movie until I found it here. I remember watching it on TV as kid and loving it. I imagine it doesn't hold up much nowadays, though.

The theme song will ring around in my head every now and then; it was an infectuous tune with a tinkly harpsichord. "The spirit is willing... Her kisses are chilling... "The spirit is willing... But the body is weak..."

I'd love to see it again.

I saw this on late night TV as a teenager, and remember certain cast members. That was the only way I was able to find this film in the database. I cross referenced Mary Wickes with the butterfly collector on a Gilligan's Island episode. His name escaped me then, but it is John McGiver. Recently I bought a copy of the original book, and it was well written. The basic plot is the same, but Castle's comedic treatment did take away from the scarier aspects of the story. Incidentally Nathaniel Benchley, the author of the book was the father of Jaws author Peter Benchley. Humorist Robert Benchley was Nathaniel's own father. I keep requesting this to play on Turner Classic Movies to play it, but I doubt it is classic enough. Maybe if they do a b-series of William Castle gimmick films it will fit the format. Paramount handles distribution of it. Maybe it will come out on DVD some day...

***Update*** I bought the eastern European import DVD from a Florida company, and watched it today. It is as amusing as I remember -- very much in the "spirit" of the madcap sixties decade in which it was made.

As is often the case, it pales in comparison to the original media. But that argument is so old its cliché. I'd like to see the book made into a true horror movie, but that's for a different forum than this. If this movie ever is released on DVD in the USA, I expect it to go straight to the $5.50 discount bin. But I do bet it gets snatched up by people like us. Us being the people that look up this movie on IMDb.

I saw this movie as a young girl, and would love to see it again. I really believe people would like this movie.At a young age i remember it as being humorous,who would not, three ghosts keeping a troubled teen boy in trouble with his parents, he gets blamed for all their pranks.from flour battles, to sinking his uncles boat I wish it would be released on DVD. I,d love to see if i'd like it as much as i remember. My husband and I saw it on our first date,and it has stayed with me all these years. Its the only movie that has done that. I looked for it over the years, but could never find it.I was disappointed that it had not been released.To anyone who reads this i believe is a must see.

I remember loving this movie as a kid! I remembered it a time or two over the years in passing. No one I know could remember seeing. Tonight I was surfing and thought about John Astin being in some cowboy movie and that's what started my search on imdb. Then voila, I saw the Spirit is Willing Title, and it all came back to me. I ordered Evil Roy Slade from Amazon, but they don't have Spirit is Willing. They've got the vaguest movies, but not a kewl classic like this. I agree about the song being great. I WISH I COULD BUY THIS MOVIE!!!! I'd like for my kids to see it. If anyone knows how to get "The Spirit is Willing" please let me know.

I recall this film when I was a child and wondered why it has never been shown on TV. Is there a site I can access it to view again does anyone know? has there recently been a remake did someone say? I recall laughing a lot at it and have often wondered why it has not been released for general view again. it was a funny film and spooky funnies are good. I have hazy memories of it but I think it was rather slapstick and in a lovely New England setting. of course, it might have contained things which today we consider sexist, I can't recall, but some of the comments imply the content may be a little suspect. However, as a child I enjoyed it.

Ninteenth Century. A lone seaman stands on a cliff. An elderly captain approaches. He points to the house and the seaman looks through his telescope, spying the captain's spinster daughter, Felicity. When we are shown Felicity, grinning broadly through the telescope, we hear a squawking seagull. She has great inner beauty, her father says. The man who marries her would be in charge of my entire fleet, he promises. The seaman looks through the telescope again and when we see Felicity, grinning and waving, the seagull sqawks once more.

Felicity was played by an old comedic actress named Cass Daley, who was Olive Oyl come to life, pure cartoon. Even more the seaman who marries her for her money is none other than Robert Donner, best known for the madman Exedor on Mork and Mindy. On their wedding night, as Felicity frolicks in bed waiting for her man, Donner has gone to the maid's room, just off the kitchen and beside the basement. With no dialogue in this entire prologue, the whole scene is compelled by music.

Finally, Felicity, realizing what has happened, comes downstairs and gets the meat cleaver and enters the maid's room. Amid thunder and lightning outside, we hear the maid and the seaman scream, then Felicity drags the maids body out of the bedroom and into the basement, banging her head on each step. Then the seaman staggers out of the bedroom, the meat cleaver in his back, and grabs another knife and enters the basement. We hear Felicity scream, more thunder and lightning, then the wedding march concludes the scene. But wait, three ghostly apparitions emerge through the basement door, one at a time.

Years later, a little family of Sid Ceasar, Vera Miles and Barry Gordon move in. Gordon is a cynical teen ager who takes the vacant bedroom off the kitchen because "it has it's own john." Then the basement door begins to open on its own.

The opening song is truly one of a kind, as another post points out. The phrase, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, comes from the Bible, the book of Matthew. Gordon is superb as the teen ager, Steve, who the ghosts torment. John McGiver (the assassinated Senator in 'Manchurian Candidate', Lord Beasley on a 'Gilligan's Island' episode) is amusing as always as Uncle George, who keeps getting his ship sunk by the ghosts.

The two flaws are from Jill Townsend, who plays the maid, Jenny, but also for some reason plays two of Jenny's descendants, who seem to know everything that happens. Yes, the town could know the place was haunted, but these sisters would finish Sid Ceasar's and Barry Gordon's sentences. To make matters worse, there was a child, Ricky Cordell, that my brother and I could never figure out why he was there. Was he the director's son? Was he the producer's girlfriend's son? Was he to appeal to a younger audience? When my brother and I recorded this show once, we edited out all the scenes with the sisters and the little boy. Other than that, the movie was a delight. Gordon gets the biggest laughs, none of the ghosts speak (interestingly still, Cass Daley had no lines before or after she "died" nor did the maid, Jenny, ever speak). At times, the music gets as bad as Petticoat Junction or the Monkees serial music. I saw another movie "Perils of Pauline" with Pat Boone and Terry-Thomas that had the same annoying music, but the opening song is still a winner.

Plus appearances by Mary Wickes, Jesse White and John Astin are nice too. Felicity wants a man of her own so then the three ghosts can live in peace. One funny moment is when Felicity is holding Jesse White at the bottom of the lake with an anchor on top of him, waiting for him to drown.

"The Spirit Is Willing" is very funny.This is a late 60's William Castle ghost comedy which has Sid Caesar in a cast.Of course the film isn't as good as earlier Castle's horror films like "House on Haunted Hill","Macabre" or "Thirteen Ghosts",but the level of humour is really high,so everyone who enjoy good horror/comedies won't be disappointed.7 out of 10-still if you want something truly creepy check out "Macabre" or "Homicidal" first!

Spirit is Willing, The (1967)

1/2 (out of 4)

Extremely bad mixture of horror and laughs about a teenager (Barry Gordon) who moves with his parents (Sid Caesar, Vera Miles) to a New England house, which just happens to be haunted. The parents naturally don't believe their son that three spirits are there so he ends up getting accused of most the damage being done by the ghosts. I think most people came to know the name William Castle through films like THE TINGLER, HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL or some of his other gimmick horror movies. Just by watching them you'd think he was a decent director but then you might want to venture out into some of the other genres that he touched and you'll see some pretty bad movies. What's so shocking to me is that Castle was a naturally charming guy that could be very funny during interviews. Just by watching him you'd think he would be a natural for comedy but that certainly wasn't the case because he made some truly bad ones in his career and this here is one of the worst. Just by watching this film you'd think that Castle just thought having two people scream at each other was something funny. The characters in this motion picture just come off so fake, so stupid and so downright idiotic that you can never take them serious nor can you believe any of the situations that they are in. There's an entire subplot dealing with the teenager being "distant" and "going through a bad spell" and most of these scenes have him screaming at the top of his lungs while his father will then scream at the top of his lungs. The son will come back louder. The father will then go louder. Mommy will jump in louder then the son gets louder. This is supposed to be funny? After sitting through this for a second you'll be wishing that all three fell into the acid pit that we saw in Castle's HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL. Things really aren't much better with the type of humor from the ghosts as the majority of the so-called "laughs" comes from them either throwing dishes, ruining the furniture or just closing doors. It's really shocking at how poorly done everything in this movie was. The direction was really bad, the screenplay horrid and the overall flow of things is just so sloppy and silly that you are almost shocked that a major studio (Paramount) was behind it. You also have to wonder if this film helped play a part in the studio decided to go with someone other than Castle for ROSEMARY'S BABY, which would be released the following year. Either way, Castle has some good movies out there but there's no denying his comedies are truly awful movies and this here might be the worst.

This is one of those films that i remember seeing as a kid at a drive-in theater on a double bill.Too bad it's not available on video or DVD.Along with The old Dark House, Let's Kill Uncle,13 Frightened Girls,and of course Shanks (Castle's final film as director), THE Spirit is Willing is in video limbo.These films should be seen, i don't know who controls video releases but sitting on these treasures for years is just plain stupid.Only within the past few years have some of Castle's gems been released on VHS and DVD.I say, hold A Castle movie marathon complete with all the gimmicks that were his stock in trade and throw in personal appearances by anyone who appeared in a Castle flick from Macabre-1958 to Bug-1975.Have this marathon on Halloween, bill it as the fright fest of the century!Following this nationally broadcast event all of Castle's films from (1958-1975) are released on video/DVD in an ad campaign of monumental proportions!

I noticed a lot of people wishing there was a way to purchase a copy of this movie. I found a site online that sells rare and classic movies and stuff like that...and they carry this one. Plus, the DVD is only like $12.

Go to - http://store.thesmallscreen.org/spiswi19dvd.html.

Plug that URL into your browser and see for yourself.

I saw the movie when I was really really little and had just written it off as my imagination until I found it here. It combines two things little kids are understandably intrigued by: ghosts and sex. It's comforting to know that I was not simply too imaginative as a child, that the things I swear I remember weren't just fantasies! IMDb validated me just a little.

I wish I was alive in the sixties. Because according to these people, the greatest problem of THEIR time was "the sex lives of ghosts," not crime and poverty. Nice.

Oh my god! I've been looking for this movie for years and years. I saw it once when I was a teenager (i'm 38 now) and I have never forgotten it,including the catchy tune. All I could remember was felicity and a sinking ship at that end and I've been on the web tonight posting messages to try to learn the title. In doing so, I remembered that Sid Ceasar was in the film. Thanks to this website for removing the splinter from my mind. I have a wonderful Jerry Lewis collection and I'm starting the beach movie collection now; This is definitely a film I would love to own and would love for my daughter to see. If anyone knows how to buy this film, please let me know.

"The Spirit is Willing" for me is one of those nostalgic movies from the 60's..It used to turn up on tv every once in a while but now it's been way too many years since I have seen it.. I cannot fathom why it has not been released on video yet...What about a William Castle Marathon, AMC or TCM?????