Ghosts Can’t Do It

Ghosts Can’t Do It

Year: 1989

Runtime: 90 mins

Language: English

Director: John Derek

RomanceFantasyComedyAction

After a fatal heart attack leaves him dying, elderly Scott commits suicide but returns as a vengeful ghost. He manipulates his beautiful, devoted young wife Kate, convincing her that only her longing can bring him back. He persuades her to select and murder a young man so Scott can inhabit the victim’s body and reunite with her in the mortal world.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Ghosts Can’t Do It (1989)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Ghosts Can’t Do It (1989). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Around the World

Set across multiple international locales, the story follows Katie's global travels to manage the estate and seek the perfect victim. The glamorous backdrop of luxury estates and high-stakes business trips underscores the film's satirical take on wealth and desire. The varied locations emphasize the couple's glamorous yet morally tangled world as they chase a connection beyond death.

🌍 Global locations 🗺️ Travel

Last Updated: December 03, 2025 at 23:56

Main Characters – Ghosts Can’t Do It (1989)

Meet the key characters of Ghosts Can’t Do It (1989), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Scott (Anthony Quinn)

An elderly billionaire whose deep love for Katie drives drastic, desperate actions after a heart attack. After dying, he returns as a ghost and relentlessly seeks a way to be near Katie, manipulating circumstances and a novice guardian angel along the way. His evolution moves from a devoted husband to a possessive, calculating presence who pushes the ethical envelope in pursuit of companionship.

💰 Wealth ❤️ Romance 👁️ Obsession 👻 Ghost

Katie O'Dare Scott (Bo Derek)

A wealthy widow who inherits her husband's fortune and travels the world to manage his affairs. She becomes entangled in Scott's plan, negotiating a deal that includes murder-for-transfer while exploring her own growing conflict between love and morality. Her willingness to test bodies with Fausto reveals the moral danger of pursuing eternal connection.

💎 Wealth 💘 Love 🧭 Travel ⚖️ Morality

Fausto (Leo Damian)

A young, handsome petty criminal chosen as the initial vessel for Scott's return. Katie's intimate interactions with him are used to gauge body compatibility, highlighting the ethical gray area of the plan. He drowns in a snorkeling accident, is revived by CPR, and becomes the living host for Scott's possession, culminating in a coerced marriage.

💥 Crime 🪬 Possession 💋 Seduction

Angel (Julie Newmar)

A fledgling guardian angel assigned to Scott's case, inexperienced and learning on the job. She guides the unfolding events yet struggles with her role, becoming an inadvertent ally to Scott as the afterlife intersects with the living world. Her presence adds a celestial dynamic to the mortal-immortal drama.

👼 Guardianship ✨ Afterlife 🌀 Inexperience

Last Updated: December 03, 2025 at 23:56

Major Themes – Ghosts Can’t Do It (1989)

Explore the central themes of Ghosts Can’t Do It (1989), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💘 Love & Obsession

An intense romance drives the plot as Katie and Scott's bond endures beyond death. The ghostly presence acts on longing, pushing Katie to test boundaries, including murder, to stay close to him. The dynamic blends tenderness with coercion, showing how love can blur moral lines when immortality looms. The story uses this theme to probe the costs of an all-consuming relationship.

🗝️ Possession

Scott cannot touch Katie's body, so he orchestrates possession to inhabit a chosen victim. Katie becomes a tool to test bodies for compatibility, revealing the moral ambiguity of her circumstances. The plan hinges on deception, murder, and the blurry boundary between affection and control. The twist culminates as Scott inhabits the living Fausto, cementing their entwined fate.

⚰️ Death & Afterlife

Scott's death launches an exploration of the afterlife's rules as he meets a fledgling guardian angel. The angel's inexperience contrasts with Scott's determination, shaping an unlikely bond. The premise probes how death redefines choices and relationships, driving the couple to pursue life after death at any cost. Ultimately, the ghost's desire to return fuels the central drama.

Last Updated: December 03, 2025 at 23:56

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Campy supernatural romance movies like Ghosts Can’t Do It

Absurd romantic fantasies where love conquers death in hilarious ways.If you enjoyed the absurd romantic fantasy of Ghosts Can’t Do It, you'll love these movies where love and the supernatural collide in playful, campy ways. These films feature similar themes of possession, devotion, and supernatural hijinks, all delivered with a light, comedic tone.

campyromanticplayfulabsurdfantasticalseductivewhimsical

Narrative Summary

Stories typically follow a central romantic dilemma solved through a fantastical, often ridiculous, supernatural premise. The plot involves a character navigating an otherworldly situation—like communicating with a ghost or facilitating a possession—to reunite with their beloved, leading to a series of comedic and romantically charged events.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped together because they share a unique combination of high romance, supernatural plots, and a consistently light, campy tone. They create a feel-good experience where dark themes are played for laughs, and the central love story triumphs in an unexpectedly whimsical way.

Dark comedic murder plots like in Ghosts Can’t Do It

Morbid premises played for laughs, where murder plots become farcical adventures.For viewers who liked the darkly humorous murder scheme in Ghosts Can’t Do It, this list features movies with similar comedic crime capers. These films take a morbid premise and treat it with a playful, farcical sensibility, resulting in stories that are more funny than frightening.

dark comedyabsurdplayfulcampyfarcicalmorbid humorscheming

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a character with a morally questionable goal, such as acquiring a new body or solving a problem through crime. However, the journey is filled with humorous obstacles, incompetent allies or antagonists, and a tone that constantly winks at the audience, ensuring the dark subject matter never feels heavy.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their unique tone: they balance a dark premise with consistent comedy. The pacing is steady as the plot unfolds, but the emotional weight remains light because the focus is on the absurdity and humor of the situation rather than the moral consequences.

Unlock the Full Story of Ghosts Can’t Do It

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Ghosts Can’t Do It Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Ghosts Can’t Do It, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Ghosts Can’t Do It Summary

Ghosts Can’t Do It Timeline

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Ghosts Can’t Do It Timeline

Ghosts Can’t Do It Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Ghosts Can’t Do It that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Ghosts Can’t Do It Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Ghosts Can’t Do It

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