EFL Movie Study Guide for:
The Ghost and Mr Chicken
from www.krigline.com www.krigline.com.cn
Story:
Luther, a timid
typesetter for a small town newspaper, gets a big break when the editor
asks him to spend a night at a haunted mansion, 20 years after a murder.
Local citizens call Luther a hero after he writes about his ghost-filled
adventure, but the owner sues the newspaper for libel. Misunderstandings,
exaggerations, courtroom foolishness, shy Luther’s love for Alma, and the
many funny faces of comedian Don Knotts bring lots of laughter as the real
mystery unravels around our reluctant hero. As the tag line says, Luther
is in the middle of a mystery, but he doesn’t have a clue! (1966; Don
Knotts; Universal Pictures; comedy/mystery/romance?; family; 90 min;
color)
Setting:
Rachel, Kansas (a small town in mid-America), mid 1960s
Note 1:
Comedian Don Knotts was a popular star in the 1960s, both on TV and in the
movies. He represented "the common man" who is a bumbling yet trusted friend
and sometimes becomes an unlikely hero.
Note
2: Several of
the characters live together in a boarding house (a private home with rooms
rented to various people, who often eat together). This was not un-common in
the 1960s, but I suspect that the boarding house was used in this film to
allow characters to interact in a way that would have been difficult
otherwise.
People and proper nouns:
Luther Heggs: typesetter at the center of this story
George Beckett: Luther’s boss, the editor of the Rachel Courier Express
(newspaper)
Ollie: The main reporter at the newspaper
Alma: an attractive woman, whom Luther loves from afar
Nick Simmons: owns the Simmons Mansion (the haunted house, and scene of a
murder/suicide); he sues the newspaper for libel after they trespass and
write a story about the ghosts, he is the nephew of the deceased couple and
wants to tear down the old house
Mr. Kelsey: former gardener at the haunted mansion, now janitor at the
newspaper
Milo and Halcyon Maxwell: he is the bank president; his wife is the leader
of those who believe in “the supernatural”
Vocabulary:
coward: someone who is generally afraid
to curb: to temporarily stop sth (often some
characteristic: e.g., enthusiasm, imagination, pride); to limit or stop the
growth or influence of sth (like spending or taxation)
garden shears: scissors used to cut flowers
or plants
maniacal: (laughing or acting) like a
mad/crazy person
manifestations: a clear sign that something
exists or is real (ghosts, emotions, economic trends, etc.)
the occult: related to the use of mysterious
powers or supernatural beings (e.g., magic, demons, spirits, ghosts, etc.)
séance: a meeting where people try to
communicate with ghosts or dead people
spunk (you’ve got spunk): (AmE, slang)
courage
superstition: [迷信]
irrational but strong belief that some objects or actions are lucky, are
unlucky, or cause events to happen (this is different from “religious
practices” based on a belief that some actions are right or wrong according
to God or religious teachings)
Sentences/dialogs from the movie:
(see below the “discussion” section)
Discussion:
1. 1. Would you be afraid to sleep in a place
like the Simmons Mansion? Why or why not? What if your boss told you to do
it?
2. Luther said, “I just don't happen to
believe in ghosts... particularly.” Was that true? Do you believe in ghosts?
3. The actor who played Luther (Don Knotts)
was very popular in the 60s and 70s. What did you think of this performance?
What makes an actor popular?
4. Talk about the relationship between Luther
and Alma. Why were they attracted to each other? Do you think they would
make a good couple/parents? Explain.
Sentences/dialogs from the movie:
(mostly from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059221/quotes;
imdb's website is a great place to find movie facts and more)
1. Suzanna Blush: It's Calver Weems! He's DEAD! He's been MURDERED!
Luther Heggs: Well don't panic! DON'T PANIC!
Suzanna Blush: Oh Luther! Luther! It was terrible! He was walking
along the street when: BANG! Right on the head! With that!
Luther Heggs: Well did you see who did it?
Suzanna Blush: No, it was just: BANG! Right on the head! With that!
Luther Heggs: Well I'll just get a picture of it. Let’s see... f32...
and it's dark, it's been raining... and uh... Oh for heaven's sake STAND
BACK Suzanna! Stand back! Get out of the way! And for heaven's sake don't
TOUCH anything! This is all EVIDENCE!
Suzanna Blush: He was just walking down the street when: BANG! Right
on the head!
Luther Heggs: All right, I'll get a picture of the murder weapon...
Suzanna Blush: BANG! Right on the head! I was just getting ready to
brush my teeth and watch Lawrence Welk (on TV), then I looked out the window
and: BANG...
Luther Heggs: For heaven's sake Suzanna, pull yourself together! I'm
going down to the Police Station! Now you get on the phone and call my
editor!
Suzanna: Who?
Luther: George Beckett! tell him to get down to the police station as
soon as possible! And for heaven's sakes, whatever you do, KEEP your HEAD!
2. Luther Heggs (excitedly trying to explain the murder to his editor):
Calm? Do "murder" and "calm" go together? Calm and murder? Murder?
3. Luther Heggs: [while being heckled for thinking Weems had been
murdered] All right, you two guys! You'd just better watch it. You see these
two hands? They're just as hard as steel!
Heavyset Man: Hey, look at him, Billy Ray. He's a karate champion!
We'd better watch ourselves.
Billy Ray Fox: Yeah, go ahead, Luther!
Heavyset Man: Do something!
Luther Heggs: [chickens out] Why don't you run up an alley and holler
fish!
4. Milo Maxwell (bank president, talking to Mr. Simmons): Oh, I'm so sorry
that I'm late, but we had a séance at the house last night and it ran
on until all hours.
(Later we find out that Milo’s wife “owns 51% of the bank stock” and
deeply believes in supernatural “manifestations”; she forbids her
husband from signing papers that will allow the Simmons House to be torn
down)
5. Luther Heggs (calling himself an idiot): Mr. Boob, that's me. B
double-O B = boob!
Kelsey: You know why you thought you saw a murder out there, Luther?
Because that's a murder house. (He then explains the history of the
murder/suicide.)
Luther Heggs: Well, me, I just don't happen to believe in ghosts...
particularly.
6. George Beckett (talking about who should spend the night in the haunted
house, and then write about it for the newspaper): What we need is someone
with a wild imagination. Someone who’s a bit of a coward. Someone
who’s a little superstitious.
7. Mrs. Hutchinson: I was only two blocks away that awful night, at my
sister Clara's. We were sort of... listening to the organ, you know... the
midnight bells were ringing... I turned to Clara and said, "Clara; the organ
music sounds strange tonight!"...
Mrs. Natalie Miller: Well... what did Clara say?
Mrs. Hutchinson: She said, "Yes, it does!" You know Clara!
Mrs. Natalie Miller: Well, they say there are still bloodstains on the
organ keys...
Mrs. Hutchinson: That's right; they've never been able to get them
off.
Mrs. Cobb: And they used Bon-Ami!
Mrs. Natalie Miller: Everybody says he still comes there and plays, at
midnight...
Mrs. Cobb: He doesn't play as well as he used to!
8. Luther Heggs (describing his night in the mansion): It was terrible. It
was just terrible. I'll never get over it as long as I live.
George Beckett: Hey, great opening line (for the article)!
9. Police Chief Art Fuller: I'm sorry Mrs. Maxwell, Nicolas Simmons gave
me strict orders. No one's allowed on this property.
Halcyon Maxwell: Oh, Mr. Fuller you don't seem to understand. We're
followers. We're on the path of the occult.
Police Chief Art Fuller: I'm afraid you won't find anything like that
around here.
Halcyon Maxwell: Oh, well it's obvious you don't understand. Our
society is dedicated to contacting the other world.
Police Chief Art Fuller: The communists?
Halcyon Maxwell: No! The spiritual world!
10. Halcyon Maxwell (to her husband, before forbidding him to sign Simmons’
papers): You don't seem to realize the cosmic importance of this.
11. Luther (after dinner at Alma’s house, trying to explain how he feels
about her; he can’t even look at her): The thing is this, Alma. You’re a
darned attractive girl.
Alma: Thank you.
Luther: Me, I’m a guy…. You take your average guy, and your above
average girl… What I’m trying to say is that “average” is just darn lucky to
sitting on the same porch with “above average”…
Alma: Luther, are you trying to say you like me?
Luther (shyly): Yeah.
Alma (after kissing him): I like you too, Luther.
12. [In court, lawyer Springer calls his "surprise" witness to the stand,
Gaylord Patie.]
Springer: And what is your occupation?
Gaylord Patie: I'm a certified public accountant for the state.
Springer: Now then, I understand that you, Mr. Patie, have heard the
organ playing in the Simmons Mansion. Am I correct, sir?
Gaylord Patie: You are. I have heard organ music coming from the tower
of the Simmons Mansion on three separate occasions. [gasps of awe come from
the audience] That's why I came to you, Mr. Springer.
Springer: And at what time did you hear this music?
Gaylord Patie: At the stroke of midnight. [more gasps of awe come from
the audience]
Springer: And what else have you heard coming from the Simmons
Mansion, Mr. Patie?
Gaylord Patie: On the first occasion, a woman's scream. And on the
second and third occasions, a man's scream. [even more gasps of awe come
from the audience]
Springer: And what kind of screams were they, Mr. Patie?
Gaylord Patie: Oh wild, maniacal screams. [audience is really
excited now]
Springer: Thank you. Your witness.
Whitlow: [cross-examining] Mr. Patie, I understand that you're
president of the International Conclave for Unidentified Flying Objects
(UFOs).
Gaylord Patie: That is correct, sir.
Whitlow: Where was your last meeting held?
Gaylord Patie: On Mars. [courtroom erupts in laughter]
13. Luther Heggs (in court, Luther is bragging about his love of
journalism, unintentionally making himself look bad): I guess if you cut me,
I'd bleed ink…. When you work with words, words are your work.
14. Whitlow: I'm asking you a question, Heggs! Can't you curb your
imagination for one minute?
Luther Heggs: Can't you curb your tongue for a minute?
Man in audience: Atta boy, Luther!
Whitlow: Isn’t it true that you were offered a full-time job as
reporter if you brought back a sensational story from that house? A story
that you made up out of your own head?
Luther: No, that’s not true! I saw those things. I heard those things.
Those church bells rang. The organ played. I saw the bloodstains on the
keys, and they are still there. And when I came downstairs I came
face-to-face with a painting of Mrs. Simmons; there was a pair of garden
shears stuck in her throat, and blood gushing from the wound. (audience is
extremely excited)
Judge: Quiet down! I’m not sure whether I believe in ghosts or not…,
but I do know there’s only one way of finding out if there’s something going
on in that Simmons place. This court hereby orders the jury and interested
parties to meet here at 11:30 tonight. And we’re going down to the Simmons
house, and see for ourselves. Court’s adjourned!
15. Luther Heggs (describing how he stopped “the bad guy” near the end of
the film): That's right, karate... made my whole body a weapon.
