The Canterville Ghost

Hiram Otis arrives in England with his wife, daughter Ginny, and two sons to take up a research grant and move into Canterville Hall. The decaying castle wears a reputation for being haunted, chilling the local staff and villagers. The locals wager openly on how long the Otis family will endure the ghostly legacy.

That night, Sir Simon's ghost begins his reign of terror, performing unsettling phenomena to drive the family out. Hiram remains skeptical, dismissing the haunt as superstition while the Otises grow increasingly unsettled. Word of the haunting spreads as locals bet on the family's fate.

Ginny discovers a prophecy about the house's history and a secret library passage to Sir Simon's daytime cell. She and her brothers glimpse the ghost, while their parents refuse to believe what they saw. The mystery deepens as Ginny feels drawn to the estate's haunted past.

Using the secret passage, Ginny befriends Sir Simon, who begins to warn her of the pain behind the haunting. He cautions her not to let fear ruin a chance at love, revealing his own sorrow and the curse that binds him. Ginny's courage grows as she keeps his confidences from her skeptical family.

Francis, the young Duke of Cheshire, reveals he has also glimpsed Sir Simon and the two form a tentative bond with Ginny. The budding romance between Ginny and Francis provides a human link to the ghostly tale. Sir Simon's influence nudges Ginny toward embracing love rather than running from danger.

Sir Simon grows furious at the Otis family's stubborn resilience and even fears a fake ghost created by the brothers. He chases the children through the corridors, escalating the danger around the house. The haunting tests the family's resolve and Ginny's loyalty to both kin and ghost.

Seeking to expose the haunting to Hiram, Ginny and Sir Simon plan a Hamlet-inspired scene with Sir Simon as the ghost of Hamlet's father. They hope the performance will reveal the truth behind the ghostly events. The plan tightens the bond between the living and the spirit world.

During the Hamlet performance, Sir Simon becomes overwhelmed by memories and vanishes mid-scene, leaving the others stunned. Hiram insists it was a special effect, while the rest of the family believes a real ghost was present. The moment shifts the family's perception of the haunting from superstition to truth.

Sir Simon finally confesses that he killed his wife, Lady Eleanor, after being tricked into believing she was unfaithful. A witch's curse condemned him to haunt the hall by night and lament the death of his wife by day. He explains that redemption requires absolution and forgiveness.

Sir Simon leads Ginny through a fireplace portal into the Realm of Darkness to plead with the Angel of Death on his behalf. Ginny's tears partly fulfill an old prophecy, signaling a chance for redemption. They return to the manor just as the door between worlds begins to close.

Morning finds Ginny missing and panic spreads through the household. The family, joined by Francis, the Umneys, Lord Canterville, and locals, searches the hall and grounds. A cloak left behind in the library confirms she has slipped into the haunting realm.

That night the family hears a strange noise and rushes to the library where the fireplace opens, revealing a pathway to the Realm of Darkness. They manage to pull Ginny back before the portal closes, relieved yet shaken by the near miss. The family realizes the haunting is very real and dangerously close to home.

In the cell they find Sir Simon's chained skeleton, and Gabriel the raven disappears, signaling a final shift in the haunting. The almond tree outside the chapel blooms again, fulfilling the prophecy and proving Sir Simon's redemption. The living and the dead seem to part in peace as his spirit rests.

The Otis family chooses to stay at Canterville Hall with Lord Canterville's blessing, and Ginny is given a ring once belonging to Lady Eleanor. Sir Simon's remains are buried in the garden beside Eleanor, and Francis and Ginny visit the grave, while ghostly voices imply the couple's reunion in happiness.