In 1990, Ghost arrived in cinemas. The movie – a romantic fantasy film – starred Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg, and told the story of a deceased man watches over his girlfriend as a ghost, and protects her from harm.
In the movie Sam Wheat (Swayze) is a banker, while his girlfriend, Molly Jensen (Moore) is an artist. The pair share a deep love for each other, and have a seemingly perfect life.
One night, Sam is killed in what appears to be a mugging gone wrong, leaving Molly distraught. However, Sam’s spirit does not pass over into the afterlife, and instead, he remains on Earth as a ghost.
While Sam is adjusting to his new situation, he discovers that his death was not a chance occurrence, and that Molly is in danger. Enlisting the help of a psychic, called Oda Mae Brown (Goldberg), Sam sets out to save his girlfriend, and avenge his death, so he can eventually cross over.
If you have watched Ghost, then you will know what a great movie it is. Ghost offers the perfect mix of romance and suspense, and also includes a dash of humour too.
But what else do you know about Ghost? And would you like to know more?
In this post I am serving up 12 facts about Ghost. These are little snippets related to the movie which will hopefully enhance your appreciation for the film, as well as your knowledge, and tell you everything you have always wanted to know.
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12 facts about Ghost
Below are 12 facts about Ghost. Dive in, soak up the Ghost-y goodness, and enjoy!
Calling the shots
Ghost was directed by Jerry Zucker, who initially seemed like an odd choice for this particular project. Prior to directing Ghost, Zucker was known for co-directing comedies, including Airplane! (1980), Top Secret! (1984), and Ruthless People (1986), with his partners, Jim Abrahams and David Zucker.
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The inspiration
Ghost was written by screenwriter, Bruce Joel Rubin. Rubin was inspired to write Ghost after watching a production of Hamlet – specifically, a scene with the ghost of Hamlet’s father.
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Praise for Patrick
When it came to casting the lead role for Ghost, Jerry Zucker wasn’t keen on giving the part to Patrick Swayze; however, Bruce Joel Rubin championed the actor’s corner.
In an interview with The Detroit News, Rubin said: “I’d seen Patrick on a Barbara Walters interview, where he was talking about his dad and started crying.”
He added: “That really moved me. He was so authentic and real. I felt he needed to read for our film.”
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Indiana Ghost?
Before Swayze was given the part of Sam, the role was offered to Harrison Ford. Ford turned it down because he didn’t want to play a ghost.
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Whoopi knows best
According to Jerry Zucker, Whoopi Goldberg brought a great deal to the movie, and really made the role of Oda Mae Brown her own.
Speaking in an interview in Entertainment Weekly, he said: “The character really was her creation.” He added: “Whoopi made it come to life.”
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Who’s that guy?
Early into the movie, Sam meets a fellow ghost (with a bad temper) who spends his days riding the Subway. The ghost was played by the late character actor, Vincent Schiavelli.
During his career, Schiavelli appeared in an extensive collection of movies, including One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), Amadeus (1984), Batman Returns (1992), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), and Man on the Moon (1999), amongst others.
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The music man
The score for Ghost was composed by the late musician, Maurice Jarre (father of Jean-Michel Jarre). Throughout his career, Maurice Jarre composed countless scores for iconic movies including Eyes Without a Face (1959), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Topaz (1969), Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985), Gorillas in the Mist (1988), and Dead Poets Society (1989).
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A timeless melody
One of the most iconic scenes in Ghost is the pottery sequence, which is accompanied by the song, Unchained Melody. In the film, the song acts as the love theme between Sam and Molly.
Although Unchained Melody is a great fit for the movie, the song was originally written for the 1955 prison film, Unchained. The song is called Unchained Melody, because it is the melody from Unchained.
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Box office smash
Despite mixed reactions from the critics, Ghost was a huge hit with audiences, grossing over $505.7 million at the worldwide box office (from a budget of $22 million). The film became the highest grossing movie of 1990, beating Home Alone, Pretty Woman, Dances With Wolves and Total Recall to the top spot.
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And the award goes to…
Following the release of Ghost, the movie won multiple awards including a British Academy Film Award and three Saturn Awards. The movie also picked up two Academy Awards, including Best Original Screenplay for Bruce Joel Rubin and Best Supporting Actress for Whoopi Goldberg.
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Ghost: Take two
In 2010, the Oz Company produced a Japanese remake of Ghost, under the title Ghost: Mouichido Dakishimetai (Ghost: I Want to Embrace You One More Time). The movie starred Nanako Matsushima and Song Seung-heon, was distributed by Paramount Pictures and The Shochiku Company Limited, and followed a similar story to the original.
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Into the afterlife
And finally, due to the enduring popularity of Ghost, in 2011 the movie was adapted for the stage. Ghost: The Musical made its worldwide debut in Manchester in the UK, with Richard Fleeshman in the role of Sam, Caissie Levy as Molly, and Sharon D. Clarke as Oda Mae.
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Thank you for taking the time to read this post about Ghost on It’s A Stampede! – I hope it has briefly spirited you away to a happy place. For more movie-related content be sure to check out the recommended reads below.
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- 35 romantic movies to fall in love with
- What was the song in The Devil and Max Devlin?
- Ten things to know about Never Been Kissed
It's A Stampede! 
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