Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- None
- wacky
- tuneful
- macabre
- classic movie night
- light halloween viewing
What critics said
Critics found the film a brisk, tuneful Olsen and Johnson slapstick vehicle, though its noisy free-form humor was highly dependent on individual taste and could be frightening for children.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson play heightened versions of themselves, bringing their broad free-wheeling performance style into the haunted-house plot.
The haunted house, ghosts, and exorcism-like efforts are treated as sources of slapstick, especially through the tap-dancing ghost and the performers' antics.
Colonel Martshall purchases a house that immediately reveals ghostly activity, prompting Susanna and the nightclub owners to investigate and remove the spirits.
The Marshall daughters travel to New York to sing at Carnegie Hall, while Susanna seeks help from the neighboring nightclub owners and their entertainment world.
Films like Ghost Catchers, and why
Hold That Ghost
Broad slapstick, musical performances, and supernatural house antics in a brisk classic Hollywood comedy.
The Time of Their Lives
Haunted-house comedy combining ghostly encounters, music, and fast-paced vaudeville humor.
The Cat and the Canary
Old dark house setting, eccentric ensemble comedy, and playful supernatural mystery.
Movie Details
- Director
- Edward F. Cline
- Release Date
- 1944-06-16
- Runtime
- 68 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (7)
Cast
- Ole Olsen
- Chic Johnson
- Leo Carrillo
- Gloria Jean
- Martha O'Driscoll
- Andy Devine
- Christine Forsyth
- Lon Chaney Jr.
- Walter Catlett
- Morton Downey
Common questions
- What is Ghost Catchers about?
- A southern colonel's daughters and two nightclub comedians turn a haunted New York house into a noisy musical battle against stubborn ghosts.
- What is Ghost Catchers like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Ghost Catchers as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Ghost Catchers violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Ghost Catchers.
- What did critics think of Ghost Catchers?
- Critics found the film a brisk, tuneful Olsen and Johnson slapstick vehicle, though its noisy free-form humor was highly dependent on individual taste and could be frightening for children.
- Which films are like Ghost Catchers?
- Films with a similar feel include Hold That Ghost, The Time of Their Lives, and The Cat and the Canary.
- How long is Ghost Catchers?
- Ghost Catchers runs 68 minutes.
