Watch The Spirit Is Willing

The Spirit Is Willing is a 1967 horror-comedy film directed by William Castle and starring Sid Caesar, Vera Miles, and Barry Gordon. The film follows the story of the Locke family, a typical American family, who decides to spend their vacation in a haunted house on an island in Maine. The Lockes are not aware of the haunted nature of the house until strange and terrifying things start happening to them. Initially sceptical of paranormal activity, they soon realize that they are dealing with ghosts who have been haunting the house for years.

The film opens with a comedic scene where Ben (Sid Caesar), the father of the Locke family, tells his son Steve (Barry Gordon) and daughter-in-law hoping to win some money from him. The scene sets the comedic tone of the film and introduces the audience to the quirky and over-the-top characters.

The Lockes, along with their teenage daughter, rent a house on an island in Maine for their summer vacation. The island is rumoured to be haunted, but the family decides to ignore the stories, thinking that the rumours are exaggerated or false. Upon arriving at the house, they meet the housekeeper, Mrs. Grimm (Mary Wickes), who warns them about the history of the house and its ghostly inhabitants. The family is initially sceptical, but they soon start experiencing strange occurrences in the house, such as doors opening and closing on their own, strange noises, and objects moving without explanation.

As the Lockes try to rationalize the events, they seek help from the island's only doctor, Dr. Frieda Kruger (Vera Miles), who lives nearby. However, instead of offering help, Dr. Kruger dismisses the family's claims and suggests that they are merely imagining things. As the events escalate, the Lockes realize that they are dealing with ghosts, who are trying to communicate with them.

The family then attempts to communicate with the ghosts through a seance, but it goes awry, and chaos ensues. The ghosts possess the family members, leading to hilarious and unusual situations, including Ben flirting with a ghost, and Steve becoming a solid gold statue.

The comedic aspect of the film is balanced with the horror elements, creating a unique and entertaining movie experience. Castle's direction combines jump scares, suspenseful scenes, and witty dialogue to create an enjoyable horror-comedy film.

The Spirit Is Willing is a unique blend of horror and comedy that has since become a cult classic. The film's use of practical effects and comedic timing adds to its charm, and the performances of the cast bring out the absurdity of the story. Although not necessarily a masterpiece, the film's ability to balance horror and comedy and present a unique story makes it worth watching for fans of the horror and comedy genres alike.

In conclusion, The Spirit Is Willing is a classic horror-comedy film that showcases the talent of its cast and director. The hilarious situations that the Locke family finds themselves in, combined with the spooky ghostly elements of the story, make for a highly entertaining movie. Although it may not be the most groundbreaking horror film or the funniest comedy ever made, The Spirit Is Willing is still worth watching for fans of the genre.

The Spirit Is Willing is a 1967 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 40 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.6.