THE UNINVITED (1944). Colorized

THE UNINVITED is a 1944 American supernatural horror film that was directed by Lewis Allen and stars Ray Milland, Ruth Hussey, and Donald Crisp. The film is based on Dorothy Macardle's novel Uneasy Freehold (1941), which was published in the United States as The Uninvited (1942) and deals with a brother and sister who purchase a house in Cornwall, England, that is plagued by paranormal events. The film is part of a cycle of supernatural-themed films that began appearing in the mid-1940s. Dodie Smith began writing the film, and Frank Partos was brought in by his friend, associate producer Charles Brackett. Brackett wanted to have the film directed by Alfred Hitchcock but could not organize plans with him, so Allen directed it. Filming began on April 16, 1943; Allen found working with Gail Russell, who was inexperienced and began crying several times, to be the most difficult part of filming.
PLOT:
In 1937, during a holiday to the coast of Cornwall, London music critic and composer Roderick "Rick" Fitzgerald and his sister Pamela fall in love with Windward House, an abandoned seaside home, and buy it from Commander Beech at the unusually low price of GB£1200 (equivalent to £97,806 in 2023). Rick and Pamela meet Beech's 20-year-old granddaughter Stella Meredith, who lives with her grandfather in the nearby town of Biddlecombe. Stella is deeply attached to the house, and its sale upsets her, despite its being where her mother Mary Meredith fell to her death from a nearby cliff seventeen years earlier. The commander has forbidden Stella to see Rick or to enter Windward House, but she defies his orders and Rick becomes infatuated with her.

The Fitzgeralds' initial enchantment with the house diminishes when they unlock an artist's studio, where they feel an inexplicable chill. Just before dawn, Rick hears the sobs of an unseen woman, which Pamela investigates while awaiting Rick's return with their Irish housekeeper Lizzie Flynn. The superstitious Lizzie notices a peculiar draft on the stairs. Lizzie's cat refuses to go upstairs, and the Fitzgeralds' dog escapes the house permanently. Rick and Pamela realize Windward House is haunted.

Stella visits Windward House for dinner and senses a spirit. Rather than fearing it, she associates the calming presence with her mother. Stella suddenly runs towards the cliff from which her mother fell to her death; Rick catches her just in time. Stella does not remember the near-fatal incident. The Fitzgeralds and the town physician Dr. Scott investigate and learn Stella's father, a painter, had had an affair with his model, a Spanish gypsy named Carmel. Mary, who was a beautiful and virtuous woman, found out and took Carmel to Paris, leaving her there. Carmel returned to England, abducted the infant Stella from Windward House, and during a confrontation, pushed Mary off the cliff to her death. Shortly after, Carmel became ill and died.

Rick stages a séance to persuade Stella that her mother wants her to stay away from Windward House but the ghost takes over and says it is guarding Stella. Stella becomes possessed by the spirit and begins muttering in Spanish. Beech is distressed by Stella's renewed involvement with Windward and sends her to a sanatorium run by Miss Holloway, Mary's friend and confidante. The Fitzgeralds visit the sanatorium, unaware Stella is there; they question Holloway, who says after Mary's death, she took care of Carmel, who had contracted pneumonia and eventually died of it. Looking through his predecessor's records, Dr. Scott discovers Holloway may have hastened Carmel's death.

Dr. Scott is called away to care for an ailing Beech, who tells him Stella is at the sanitarium. Rick, Pam, and Scott telephone Miss Holloway to inform her they are on their way. Holloway tells Stella the Fitzgeralds have invited her to live with them. Stella happily takes the train home. Holloway tells Rick, Pam, and Scott that Stella is on her way to Windward House. There, Stella finds her grandfather in the studio; with the last of his strength, Beech begs Stella to leave, but she remains at his side. When a ghost manifests, Beech succumbs to a heart attack. Stella at first welcomes the ghost, believing it to be her mother, but then the apparition frightens her and she flees towards the cliff.

Rick and Dr. Scott arrive just in time to rescue Stella from the crumbling cliff. Back inside, the group return to the physician's journal, which the friendly spirit has opened at a certain page. They discover Carmel gave birth to a child in Paris, where Stella was born. The group realizes Carmel is Stella's mother, freeing Carmel's spirit to leave Windward, but something evil has remained. After sending everyone away, Rick confronts the spirit of Mary Meredith, telling her they are no longer afraid of her and that she no longer has any power over them. Defeated, Mary's spirit departs.
CAST:
Ray Milland as Roderick "Rick" Fitzgerald
Ruth Hussey as Pamela Fitzgerald
Donald Crisp as Commander Beech
Cornelia Otis Skinner as Miss Holloway
Dorothy Stickney as Miss Bird
Barbara Everest as Lizzie Flynn
Alan Napier as Dr. Scott
Gail Russell as Stella Meredith
Holmes Herbert as Charlie Jessup
Betty Farrington as Voice of Mary Meredith
Queenie Leonard as Mrs. Taylor
Moyna MacGill as Mrs. Coatesworthy
Rita Page as Annie, a maid
Lynda Grey as Ghost of Mary Meredith
Ivan F. Simpson as Will Hardy, tobacconist