Films Ghost

Subscribe
Advertising Remove ads
Ghost poster

Film · 1990

Ghost

Directed by Jerry Zucker · starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Tony Goldwyn

  • 2 h 7 min
  • Drama · Romance · Fantasy
  • USA
  • Released in the UK 4 October 1990
  • 7.9 Users18 votes
Watch trailer Where to watch · from £3.49 Rate it

Synopsis

'Ghost' is a supernatural romantic drama directed by Jerry Zucker and starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg. It is the highest-grossing film of 1990 with a revenue of 505 million dollars on a budget of 22 million, and one of the highest-grossing films of all time following its release.

The story is set in Manhattan, New York, where the banker Sam Wheat and his girlfriend Molly Jensen live happily. One night, the couple is robbed, and while struggling with the assailants, Sam dies in Molly's presence. However, his soul becomes trapped on Earth as a ghost and can see and hear his beloved Molly without being able to interact with her.

It is then that Sam seeks the help of a medium, Oda Mae Brown, who is able to see and hear Sam. He insists to Oda Mae until he convinces her to go talk to Molly and, in turn, convince her that she is maintaining real contact with Sam. Meanwhile, Sam discovers the dark truth behind his apparent accidental death and convinces Oda Mae to help him avenge his legacy.

Although set in New York, where the exteriors were filmed, most of the movie was shot on a Hollywood set. Although it debuted at number 2 at the box office, it moved to number 1 the following week and remained at the top of the box office for months. The scene between Moore and Swayze shaping the clay has become one of the most iconic scenes in cinema and propelled the success of the song "Unchained Melody," released in 1955.

'Ghost,' its crew, and cast received numerous nominations for various awards, but undoubtedly the best-recognized was Whoopi Goldberg, who won, among others, an Oscar, a Golden Globe, a Saturn, and a BAFTA for her work as Oda Mae Brown.

Where to watch Ghost

All the options

Available now in the UK:

The essentials

Runtime
127 min2 hours and 7 minutes
Budget
$22mParamount Pictures
How long is Ghost?
2 hours and 7 minutes (127 minutes).
When was Ghost released in the UK?
It was released in the UK on 4 October 1990.
Who directed Ghost?
Jerry Zucker.
Who is in Ghost?
It stars Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Tony Goldwyn and Rick Aviles.
Where can I watch Ghost?
In the UK it is available to rent on Prime Video.
Advertising Remove ads

Cast

Full cast (13)
Director
Jerry Zucker
Writers
Bruce Joel Rubin
Producers
Bruce Joel Rubin

Videos and trailers

See the video
'Ghost' 1990 Original Trailer 2:2625 August 2016

Photos and posters

All 18 photos

Reviews

7.9 18 votes
  • 1011 %
  • 911 %
  • 822 %
  • 739 %
  • 611 %
  • ≤56 %

Awards

All the awards
  • Academy Awards (Oscars) 1991 2 of 5 nominations Won: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen

Soundtrack

All 6 songs
  1. Since I Fell For YouThe Righteous Brothers Spotify
  2. Unchained MelodyThe Righteous Brothers Spotify
  3. I'm Henry the VIII, I AmFred Murray, R.P. Weston, Patrick Swayze
  4. Kyrie OpeningDavid Hykes, David Hykes, the Harmonic Choir

Trivia

All 7 facts

  • The other candidates for the role of Sam Wheat

    Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Kevin Bacon, Kevin Kline, Alec Baldwin, Michael J. Fox, Harrison Ford, and Paul Hogan were some of the actors considered for the role of Sam Wheat. Some, like Willis or Fox, have admitted that they turned down the role —something they now regret.

  • The other candidates for Molly Jensen

    Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts, Michelle Pfeiffer, Molly Ringwald, Madonna, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Meg Ryan were some of the actresses who were considered or auditioned for the role of Molly Jensen in the film.

  • Whoopi Goldberg, a request from Patrick Swayze

    Tina Turner, Patti LaBelle, Debbie Allen, Teresa Wright and even Oprah Winfrey were considered for the role of Oda Mae Brown in 'Ghost'. Whoopi Goldberg wasn't even on director Jerry Zucker's shortlist. It was Patrick Swayze who insisted that the role should go to Goldberg after seeing her perform in several Broadway roles.

  • From the big screen to the small screen

    'Ghost' was the highest-grossing movie of 1990 and, at the same time, the most rented film of 1991.

  • The sequel that never happened

    After the film's unexpected success, Paramount got to work on developing a sequel. However, the rejection was unanimous—neither director Jerry Zucker, screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin, nor the lead trio were willing to take part in a continuation, believing it was a terrible idea. Paramount had no choice but to scrap the plan shortly after.

If you liked Ghost

Advertising Remove ads