The Uninvited

The Uninvited

1944
Romance, Drama
1h 39m
A brother and sister move into an old seaside house they find abandoned for many years on the English coast. Their original enchantment with the house diminishes as they hear stories of the previous owners and meet their daughter (now a young woman) who now lives as a neighbor with her grandfather. Also heard are unexplained sounds during the night... (imdb)
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The Uninvited

1944
Romance, Drama
1h 39m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 57.42% from 317 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(317)
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Rated 26 Apr 2016
85
63rd
Good, but it could have been a masterpiece of supernatural suspense if they'd dropped all the goofy comedy bits. There's a better, shorter version of this in here somewhere.
Rated 02 Oct 2012
83
72nd
A very fun ghost story. I love the way these 40s films mix genres so freely, never afraid to get creepy, but also willing to have some laughs and, in this case romance. Some of the plotting feels by the numbers, but the three lead characters are very charming and more than make up for it. I also must note that the visual aspect is really well done too, both the use of shadows but also the effects for the ghosts.
Rated 26 Jan 2014
80
54th
Creepy haunted house film that can be hokey and melodramatic at times, but has a mystery story that keeps you entertained and beautiful cinematography and music.
Rated 06 Dec 2013
76
45th
A pretty good haunted house movie. Horror movies in the 40s certainly didn't feel the way they do now, so this feels more lightweight and comical than some later ghost stories (lots of romance and humour all around), but there are some terrifically spooky moments. The use of light and shadow makes a big difference.
Rated 24 Sep 2014
72
63rd
i was led to believe this would be much moodier than it actually was. in fact, it had quite a bit of humor or at least attempted humor. still, despite not being as dark or even scary as i thought it could be (the criterion dvd cover is especially misleading) i did actually enjoy the cast and felt the mystery was satisfying. there were some very good shots in the film, impressed with how expertly done the lighting was creating good atmosphere in the darkness
Rated 11 Feb 2011
65
26th
One of the most mystifyingly overrated horrors of the era. Not bad, but nothing to get worked up about.
Rated 04 Oct 2013
85
71st
Owes a tremendous lot to Rebecca, but Ray Milland's charm carrys The Uninvited to its twist ending, which is worth the wait, and leaves the viewer wondering if the film's horrors are domestic or societal.
Rated 06 Jul 2022
24
11th
Extremely overrated. The meandering plot doesn't actually get going until halfway through the film, but there's little that's genuinely creepy or scary. Essentially a paper-thin melodrama with totally uninteresting characters and the superficial veneer of a ghost story. If you're interested in a better black-&-white film about a haunted house, watch 1963's vastly superior The Haunting.
Rated 22 Aug 2007
3
9th
A kind of half-assed "Rebecca" with supernatural overtones.
Rated 16 Jan 2014
65
47th
Has some spooky moments, but it owes a lot to 'Rebecca'.
Rated 01 Mar 2007
72
48th
An entertaining film that is occasionally pretty scary, though at other times it seems kind of hokey. It reminded me a bit of the Haunting, though I don't think it's quite as good.
Rated 28 Jul 2014
60
54th
watched: 2014, 2018, 2020
Rated 26 Mar 2014
79
61st
79.000
Rated 26 Oct 2013
58
46th
Don't Really know why this is so highly regarded, I found it decent but nothing special.
Rated 22 Mar 2007
100
95th
Great ghost story. Almost as good as the original version of The Haunting
Rated 11 Aug 2014
80
76th
More charming than frightening but not without some hair-raising bits. Great little film.
Rated 18 Jan 2011
81
69th
80.875
Rated 14 Jun 2018
74
43rd
B
Rated 08 Sep 2018
45
23rd
Doesn't quite do it for me. Only during the latter half of the film does it grab your attention. When the mystery starts to unravel and the tensions rise. As it unfolds new characters are introduced by name and not by visuals which I felt was a missed opportunity. In my opinion they should've been introduced sooner to create a better 'whodunit' vibe as now I know what happened but there's no feeling to it.
Rated 11 Apr 2019
70
96th
The Uninvited (1944) managed to make a ghosts story serious. Not some spoof or thing done for camp entertainment. Instead it focuses on putting together the backstory of what once happened and why the ghosts haunts the young lady. The effects were nicely done too. Not too scary, but always a specific atmosphere which sort of sucked you into the mystery of it all. Surprised at how well this worked.
Rated 20 Oct 2019
40
14th
There is a lot of good in this film. It's also important as the first haunted house movie to take the ghost serious. There is too much of a gee-willickers attitude for this to be considered scary or thrilling -- even when it was made. It hasn't aged well and I was questioning far more than I should.
Rated 30 Jul 2020
5
32nd
Given its reputation as a minor classic, I was a little disappointed. It has some atmosphere, and the Cornish coast is always a suitable setting for gothic thrillers, but it's much too talky, and I felt like I had seen every twist, trope and character before. I do like Milland despite his stodgy acting. Cheesy last line.
Rated 25 Sep 2020
72
58th
Fire kills demons and comedy kills films
Rated 16 Oct 2020
65
42nd
I think all the twists and the overall mystery unraveling made sense, but there's not a lot to keep you invested in it. Also just truly painful British accents all around.
Rated 19 Nov 2020
6
46th
A bummer of a performance by Gail Russell can't dim this wonderfully atmospheric ghost story set in foggy old Cornwall. Some rawther exciting twists and turns.
Rated 22 Jun 2021
70
82nd
A well-acted, well-scripted gothic drama that feels like many similar films of its era. There's an intriguing story, a lot of spookiness, a cute puppy, & a big old house in the middle of nowhere to top it all off. The first half was more enjoyable for me, the second kind of meandered a bit longer than necessary & the ending was a touch flat. I liked the comedic bits & for the most part they never felt out of place. Overall, pretty solid watch that's worth seeing if the poster catches your eye.
Rated 12 Jun 2022
69
45th
Mystery drama with a romantic slant and a very playful tone. The problem is that it's also a ghost story, and although well shot and in a way that might be effective, it chooses to play things for laughs more often than not, extinguishing any potential atmosphere. The score is also distractingly lighthearted and firmly nails shut the coffin of "horror" status. It reaches for spooky, but slaps its own hand away, then ends on a witty punchline to solidify those feel-good vibes the code demanded.

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