Peter O'Toole runs a failing hotel in an Irish castle, so he and his colorful Fawlty Towers-like employees scheme to spur visitor interest by faking that it's haunted. American tourists Steve Guttenberg and Beverly D'Angelo show up to see the reported ghosts and silliness ensures as the badly staged paranormal events unfold. However, real ghosts show up in the form of Liam Neeson and Daryl Hannah, for another plot line involving them having to find resolution to events in their past lives and falling in love with Guttenberg and D'Angelo. Director Neil Jordan distanced himself from the released version of the film, claiming that he was excluded from the editing process and that the final cut did not represent his vision. What is left is a likable cast of characters and performers, along with a rich gothic atmosphere, which Jordan would later take to the next level in his lavishly produced adaptation of Anne Rice's "Interview with the Vampire," but unfortunately the story and comedy is not all that great. Still, the cast, production design, and rich photography are enough to make the film worth checking out, but don't go into it expecting anything close to Jordan's best films. Jennifer Tilly and Peter Gallagher also appear.
Review of High Spirits
