Premarital ménage à trois between a tweedy Egyptologist, a widow, and the ghost of her previous husband. The third of these, true to form, is visible and audible only to the second, and much of the dialogue thus proceeds, with a nice sense of tradition, in accordance with the who-are-you-talking-to, I-don't-see-anyone, you-must-be-crazy formula. The theme, however, of one relationship being "haunted" by a prior one is more psychologically sound than is usual in the funny-ghost genre, and director Robert Mulligan, who is known more for sensitiveness than sense of humor, does not shy away from the authentic sentiment contained here. Integral as the sentiment is, it doesn't spoil the mood of the piece;, and thus the knockabout finale, in which a fallen priest and committed tippler thinks he has located the demon spirit inside the resident pooch, gets all the laughs it wants. The main trouble spot in the movie is the Broadway-hotshot character of the ghost (why not a considerate, apologetic ghost for once?) and the casting of him with James Caan. The main success is Jeff Bridges as the bookish but far from meek fiancé. With Sally Field, Claire Trevor, and Paul Dooley; based (loosely) on the Brazilian film Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands; written by Charlie Peters. (1982) — Duncan Shepherd
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