Ghosts Can't Do It (1989)

Director:

John Derek

Writer:

John Derek (writer)

Release Date:

1 June 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy

Tagline:

Only her desire can make him rise again

Plot:

Scott and Kate are married and very much in love with each other. Scott is more than 60 years old, while Kate is at least thirty years younger...

Plot Keywords:

Ghost | Female Protagonist | Gun | Cuckold | Beautiful Woman

Awards:

4 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Bo Derek	...	Katie O'Dare Scott
Anthony Quinn	...	Scott
Don Murray	...	Winston
Julie Newmar	...	Angel
Victoria Burgoyne
Jane Damian	...	Lisabeth
Henry Jayasena
Mickey Knox
Wade Collings
Leo Damian	...	Fausto
Cotton Gray	...	Cotton
Gerry Spence	...	Wyoming Preacher
Richard Sherman	...	Dr. Frank
Herb Tanney	...	Marriage Priest (as Sy Tanney)
Carole J. Fleck	...	Nurse
Imaging Spence	...	Funeral Woman
Donald Trump	...	Himself

Directed by
John Derek

Writing credits
John Derek		(writer)

Produced by
Bo Derek	....	producer
Chandran Rutnam	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Junior Homrich
Randy Tico

Cinematography by
John Derek

Film Editing by
John Derek

Production Design by
Errol Kelly

Makeup Department
Lorraine Altamura	....	second makeup assistant

Production Management
Ainsley De Silva	....	production manager: Sri Lanka
Rick Nathanson	....	production manager
Frank Hildebrand	....	executive in charge of production (uncredited)

Sound Department
Richard Shorr	....	sound effects
Richard Shorr	....	supervising sound editor
Tony Smyles	....	sound mixer
Reinhard Stergar	....	boom operator

Camera and Electrical Department
John S. Campbell	....	gaffer
Mitch Gulbin	....	key grip: second unit

Music Department
Mark Snow	....	music consultant

Other crew
Mickey Knox	....	dialogue supervisor
Brad Stephens	....	publicist

Production Companies

• Crackajack Productions
• Epic Productions
• Sarliu/Diamant

Distributors

• Triumph Releasing Corporation (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (1990) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1990) (USA) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1990) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Great Northern Brokerage Services  insurance

Also Known As:

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L | Portugal:M/12 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Grand Teton National Park, Moose, Wyoming, USA

Company:

Crackajack Productions

Trivia:

This film is listed among The 100 Most Amusingly Bad Movies Ever Made in Golden Raspberry Award founder John Wilson's book THE OFFICIAL RAZZIE® MOVIE GUIDE.

Quotes:

Katie O'Dare Scott:You mean you'd take another body, and with this body you'd make love to me?
Scott:You bet I would! I mean... if it's possible.
Katie O'Dare Scott:I don't know, Scott. That's kinky stuff. We've never been kinky.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Frazetta: Painting with Fire (2003)

GHOSTS CAN'T DO IT (John Derek, 1990) BOMB

I've now watched all four Bo Derek vehicles directed by her husband, John; all are quite terrible, of course, but this is certainly the pits. Featuring the usual flimsy plot, bad scripting – by the director, naturally – and acting, not to mention gratuitous nudity by the star, it deals with her losing much older husband Anthony Quinn (she accepts his shotgun suicide by saying he had always admired Hemingway!!) but who continues to appear and talk to her. In fact, he wants to come back in another, younger body…but actually does so only in the very last scene! Derek is lovely as always, and still playing naïve(!) – especially during a muddled mid-section which has her pursued by a hired killer at a spa. Quinn, too, is typically larger-than-life (read: hammy) here, but this easily constitutes his nadir; besides, for much of the duration, he acts from behind a piece of shiny plastic (presumably suggesting his being in some sort of limbo)! His 'replacement', then, is obviously a handsome-looking stud who hasn't a lick of talent or even personality. Also featured in the cast are Hollywood veterans Don Murray (as Quinn's best friend and Bo's business consultant) and Julie Newmar (as Quinn's guardian angel in the afterlife) – plus a surprising cameo appearance by billionaire Donald Trump (who presumably needed this on his resume')! It also goes without saying that John Derek was his own cinematographer on the film, that the end credits are filled with useless (and corny) expressions of gratitude to the many people who lent a helping hand, and that GHOSTS CAN'T DO IT swept the board at the 1990 Razzie Awards!