Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsABFFPride MonthOutfest OutfrontsSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

High Spirits

  • 1988
  • PG-13
  • 1h 39m
IMDb RATING
5.7/10
10K
YOUR RATING
High Spirits (1988)
Home Video Trailer from Anchor Bay Entertainment
Play trailer0:31
2 Videos
99+ Photos
ComedyFantasy

When a hotelier attempts to fill the chronic vacancies at his castle by launching an advertising campaign that falsely portrays the property as haunted, two actual ghosts show up and end up ... Read allWhen a hotelier attempts to fill the chronic vacancies at his castle by launching an advertising campaign that falsely portrays the property as haunted, two actual ghosts show up and end up falling for two guests.When a hotelier attempts to fill the chronic vacancies at his castle by launching an advertising campaign that falsely portrays the property as haunted, two actual ghosts show up and end up falling for two guests.

  • Director
    • Neil Jordan
  • Writer
    • Neil Jordan
  • Stars
    • Peter O'Toole
    • Daryl Hannah
    • Steve Guttenberg
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    5.7/10
    10K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Neil Jordan
    • Writer
      • Neil Jordan
    • Stars
      • Peter O'Toole
      • Daryl Hannah
      • Steve Guttenberg
    • 78User reviews
    • 38Critic reviews
    • 47Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Videos2

    High Spirits
    Trailer 0:31
    Watch High Spirits
    High Spirits: Select Scenes
    Clip 4:59
    Watch High Spirits: Select Scenes

    Photos124

    Steve Guttenberg and Daryl Hannah in High Spirits (1988)
    Beverly D'Angelo in High Spirits (1988)
    Steve Guttenberg, Daryl Hannah, and Peter O'Toole in High Spirits (1988)
    Steve Guttenberg, Daryl Hannah, and Liam Neeson in High Spirits (1988)
    Steve Guttenberg and Daryl Hannah in High Spirits (1988)
    Steve Guttenberg and Daryl Hannah in High Spirits (1988)
    Beverly D'Angelo and Liam Neeson in High Spirits (1988)
    Steve Guttenberg and Daryl Hannah in High Spirits (1988)
    Beverly D'Angelo and Steve Guttenberg in High Spirits (1988)
    Jennifer Tilly and Peter Gallagher in High Spirits (1988)
    Steve Guttenberg in High Spirits (1988)
    Liam Neeson in High Spirits (1988)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Peter O'Toole
    Peter O'Toole
    • Peter Plunkett
    Daryl Hannah
    Daryl Hannah
    • Mary Plunkett
    Steve Guttenberg
    Steve Guttenberg
    • Jack
    Donal McCann
    Donal McCann
    • Eamon
    Mary Coughlan
    • Katie
    Liz Smith
    Liz Smith
    • Mrs Plunkett
    Tom Hickey
    Tom Hickey
    • Sampson
    Tony Rohr
    Tony Rohr
    • Christy
    Hilary Reynolds
    • Patricia
    Isolde Cazelet
    Isolde Cazelet
    • Julia
    Little John Nee
    • Gateman
    • (as Little John)
    Beverly D'Angelo
    Beverly D'Angelo
    • Sharon
    Jennifer Tilly
    Jennifer Tilly
    • Miranda
    Peter Gallagher
    Peter Gallagher
    • Brother Tony
    Martin Ferrero
    Martin Ferrero
    • Malcolm
    Connie Booth
    Connie Booth
    • Marge
    Krista Hornish
    • Wendy
    Matthew Wright
    • Woody
    • Director
      • Neil Jordan
    • Writer
      • Neil Jordan
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    The Miracle
    6.5
    The Miracle
    Angel
    6.3
    Angel
    Vibes
    5.6
    Vibes
    Haunted Honeymoon
    5.6
    Haunted Honeymoon
    Once Bitten
    5.5
    Once Bitten
    In Dreams
    5.5
    In Dreams
    The Wind
    5.0
    The Wind
    Spaced Invaders
    5.3
    Spaced Invaders
    Saturday the 14th
    4.6
    Saturday the 14th
    Not I
    6.1
    Not I
    Earth Girls Are Easy
    5.4
    Earth Girls Are Easy
    We're No Angels
    6.1
    We're No Angels

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Writer and Director Neil Jordan has always maintained that the released version of this film is very different from the one he shot. He was more or less excluded from the editing process of the final cut. He insists that his version is still locked away in a vault.
    • Goofs
      There's no explanation given as to why Mary and Martin would repeat the murder scene twice in one night, as we see when Jack stumbles upon them. Everywhere else in the film, Mary implies that she was killed once a night.
    • Quotes

      Peter Plunkett: [on the phone with Jim Brogan] Sir, once again I must remind you that my first name is not "Dick". Nor is my surname "face". It is simply "Peter". "Peter Plunkett"... No, I was not given a middle name but I'm sure if I had, my mother would not have chosen "shit-for-brains peckerhead"... Well then clearly you know a side to my mother that I have been happily sheltered from. Nevertheless I marvel at your colorfully creative ever-so-American colloquialisms which flow so trippingly from your razor-like tongue!

    • Crazy credits
      The end credits show the cast under three headings, first 'The Irish', then 'The Americans', and finally 'The Ghosts'
    • Alternate versions
      There exists a print of this film that was Neil Jordan's original vision of this movie. It contains a much more serious tone than the theatrical release, and is much more of a fun mystery. There is a lot more footage of Liam Neeson's character, and the ghosts are allowed to have much more of a plot, than in the theatrical release. Rumor has it, that when the studio saw this cut, they had no idea how to market it, so they had it re-cut against Neil Jordan's wishes (he was allegedly locked out of the editing room at this point). There was a shortened version of this cut available on video in Japan.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Mad Dog and Glory/El Mariachi/Rich in Love/The Last Days of Chez Nous (1993)
    • Soundtracks
      Chantilly Lace
      Words and Music by The Big Bopper (as J.P. Richardson)

      Performed by The Big Bopper

      Fort Knox Music Inc./Trio Music Co., Inc.

      Administrated by Hudson Bay Music Inc./Glad Music Company

      Courtesy of Polygram Records

    User reviews78

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Very Funny and Entertaining Movie
    This is just another fine movie ranked far below what it deserves.

    Reviews of High Spirits by some movie critics are prime proof of the theory that "professional" movie critics often don't what they're talking about. Being quickly panned by British critics, and then dissed by their American colleagues, leads me to believe that many critics write negative reviews based on the opinions of others. In recent years, many critics seem especially to have hidden agendas, or have an axe to grind, or are pandering to special interest groups, which render their reviews worthless. Often, these critics appear to have never seen the movie they are condemning, or, worst still, are ignoring the cinematography and entertainment value based on their own petty bias. In High Spirits, some critics complained that the plot is thin, flighty and lacks realism?!?! But this is a comedy (and a very good one at that), not a serious theatrical work like as play by Shakespeare or some other artsy-f**tsy piece for the pseudo-intellectual snobs. While not perfect, it is certainly not the complete waste of time that some of these so-called critics claim it to be.

    The fact is, folks, this movie is very entertaining, a real joy, from the story, to the acting, to the sets, to the special effects, etc., etc. just a pleasure (albeit a guilty one) of movie entertainment. The entire cast give an exuberant, high spirited performance (pun intended) which is sure to tickle your funny bone. Peter O'Toole is hilarious as the penny-less, hereditary keeper of the castle who is about to lose it all. But Liz Smith is a riot, playing Peter's tipsy, widowed mother who still interacts (read has sexual relations) with her dead husband and communicates with other deceased family members. Liz Smith is a thief - she steals just about every scene in which she appears. A horny Steve Guttenberg, an unfaithful Beverly D'Angelo, a rapidly decaying Daryl Hannah and a flatulent Liam Neeson give excellent performances. The pious Peter Gallagher and temptress Jennifer Tilly are terrific in supporting roles as are the remainder of the cast, who are mainly from Dublin's Abbey Theatre, except for Connie Booth (who played the housekeeper Polly Shearman in Fawlty Towers), who is an American.

    Please ignore the critics on this one, folks, they are way off. This is a very funny movie, with a few semi-scary moments, that I can highly recommend to you. If you want classical drama, watch Hamlet or Otello, but if you want hardy chuckles, watch High Spirits. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

    Rating: 8/10 stars
    helpful•34
    7
    • SpitfireIXB
    • Mar 31, 2010

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 18, 1988 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Ireland
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Kucni duhovi
    • Filming locations
      • Dromore Castle, County Limerick, Ireland(as Castle Plunkett)
    • Production companies
      • Vision PDG
      • Palace Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $17,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $8,578,231
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $3,308,250
      • Nov 20, 1988
    • Gross worldwide
      • $8,578,231
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 39 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby SR
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    High Spirits (1988)
    Top Gap
    By what name was High Spirits (1988) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.