Producer: Herman Schlom. Copyright 26 May 1944 by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. No recorded New York opening. U.S. release: no official release date. The movie was block booked. Australian release: 12 October 1944. 5,831 feet. 64 minutes. SYNOPSIS: Gildersleeve doesn't actually tangle with the ghosts (there are two of them), but he does dance a merry jive with both a now-you-see-her, now-you-don't showgirl and a not-so-tame but definitely dysfunctional gorilla. NOTES: Fourth and last of the Gildersleeve movie series. COMMENT: It's almost inevitable that every series character will meet a ghost at some time or other in their film careers. This of course is the Gildersleeve entry and a riot of fun this clever little spoof is too. Oddly, however, most of the amusement is not delivered by Gildersleeve. True, he's in the movie, in triplicate in fact, but he's only tolerably diverting. (He also looks different too. Less presentable, less debonair. Same director as before, so it must be the photographer's less indulgent lighting). Oddly, all the best bits of business are handed to Marion Martin, and all the funniest comebacks are delivered by Nick Stewart. Now I'm certainly not complaining. I love Marion Martin. She's a real dish, and here, for once, she has a major role. As for Nick Stewart, he is one of the most adept (yet unappreciated) comedians in the business. Not that the movie is lacking in expert farceurs: Richard LeGrand, Emory Parnell, Lillian Randolph, Marie Blake, for instance. (Reicher is great too. The way he keeps a straight face in the midst of all this gorilla-swapping and visible-in/visible-out bedlam is amazing). But Stewart easily tops them all. The Forrester kids have less footage in this movie. Margie Stewart makes an extremely indifferent Marjorie anyway. Before I conclude, I must mention Amelita Ward. She's a knock-out! I must also pay tribute to Vernon L. Walker' marvelous special effects. I'm amazed this entertaining entry received such bad reviews. Robert E. Kent's risible script takes the mickey out of several horror sub- genres, including the invisible woman, the mad scientist, the haunted house, plus real and fake gorillas on the rampage. My only complaint is that it all ends somewhat abruptly. But that's life!

Its common, I suppose, for celebrities to make it on a single attribute. Julia's smile, Jaylo's butt... and Peary's laugh. He was already one of the top radio personalities of all time based on his exploitation of that one comic effect. Here, it is transferred to the screen as nearly all radio successes were. And it is shoehorned into a formula cornucopia: a real gorilla and a gorilla costume; a disappearing and reappearing "show" girl (who gets to be nude on screen in a shower scene, but invisibly so); and a mad scientist. The whole thing is framed by the ghosts the ancestors of Gildy's and his sidekick, played by the same actors of course.Its the old kind of simple comic nesting: the story within the story, that contains actors acting and confusions between the two.Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.

Harold Peary's Gildersleeve character appeared in a number of 1940s second features, and this is surely the most bizarre entry in the series. This time he's running for police commissioner against an entrenched and corrupt incumbent (Emory Parnell). When a gorilla (the ubiquitous Charlie Gemora) escapes from the lair of the local mad scientist (the suitably oily Frank Reicher), Gildersleeve is the only person who sees it, giving incumbent Commissioner Haley the electoral issue he's been looking for. This over the top blend of comedy, horror, and science fiction tickled my funny bone, but if you're not a fan of Gildersleeve--or are likely to be offended by the stereotypical black servants--you can safely give this one a miss.

This a good example of the type of potboiler movie made to fill out the bottom half of a double feature program. Double features were very common in the 1930's and 40's and the second half were very cheaply produced and usually mediocre at best. The Guildersleeve series rarely rose to that level. "Guildersleeve's Ghost" is an attempt to create a comedy/mystery movie which is a hard job- it can easily become ridiculous and boring instead of funny and that is what has happened here. If you want to see better examples of the type try some of the Abbot and Costello series where they meet scary characters such as the Invisible Man,Frankenstein, the Mummy or Jekyll and Hyde. I think the best example of comedy/mystery is the 1939 haunted house Bob Hope movie "Cat and the Canary". But don't waste your time with "Guildersleeve's Ghost". The only amusing part of this movie is Hal Peary's laugh and Mr Peavey's classic line "Well I wouldn't say that"-not enough to support an hour long film !!