“ Ghost – ghost ” was released in theaters in July 1990, obtaining a very wide appreciation from critics and audiences. Over the years it has become a true cult of world cinema and finding someone who has never seen it is quite difficult.
The film was directed by Jerry Zucker and garnered 5 Academy Award nominations , winning 2 for Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Whoopi Goldberg, who plays psychic Oda Mae Brown. The film also helped launch and popularize the two leads, Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore .
The first, in particular, had already acted as the protagonist in ” Dirty Dancing “ and thanks to ” Ghost ” he became one of the most loved actors of the 90s. Moore, on the other hand, was still at the beginning of her career and became a real star , thus starting a very long career full of great performances. But, in addition to the well-known things, the film hides several curiosities that may have escaped the less passionate.
Let’s discover together 10 curiosities that (perhaps) you did not know about ” Ghost “!
The highest paid actress in Hollywood
As mentioned above, the role of Molly Jensen guaranteed Demi Moore a long career marked by other great films . I act in ” Code of Honor “, ” Revelations ” and ” Soldier Jane “, among many other films. In particular, however, I also act in “ Striptease ” which guarantees her a salary of about 12.5 million dollars, a record figure for an actress in those years.
Demi Moore or Nicole Kidman?
Perhaps not everyone knows that the decision to take Demi Moore for the part was not immediate . Yes, I think, in fact, first of Meg Ryan, already famous for ” Top Gun ” and ” Harry, this is Sally .. “. But she refuses without even evaluating the part. A very young Nicole Kidman, who was 23 years old at the time, also took part in the auditions . The decision ultimately fell to Moore, rumored to be thanks to her ability to cry on command from both eyes.
The role of Sam Wheat
A similar fate also befell the role of male protagonist, Sam Wheat. Numerous famous actors were tried, from Kevin Bacon to Tom Cruise, through Johnny Depp and Harrison Ford , but almost all of them refused. I also think of Moore’s husband, Bruce Willis, who, however, I think the film would not have worked , “ The guy is dead, I said to myself: how can he have a love story? ”, I declare in an interview with the New York Times.
So .. The “macho who cries”
Finally, for the role of Sam Wheat, screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin suggested casting Patrick Swayze through an interview in which he cried about his father. He thought it might be perfect to see a “macho” cry on the cinema screen. The director, to evaluate it, I watch ” The tough guy of the Road House ” but he was not convinced at all , then being convinced during the audition.
Woopie Goldberg
To finish the roundup of the actors chosen as protagonists, Woopie Goldberg was suggested for the part of the psychic Oda Mae Brown thanks to the advice of Patrick Swayze , who highly esteemed her as an actress. I even go so far as to threaten the director to leave the film himself if he didn’t choose her. As is now obvious, the director was convinced and Goldberg at the Oscars ceremony I thank Swayze , “ a guy who takes a stand ”.
A 10 million apartment
One might think that the apartment in which much of the story takes place and the love story between Sam and Molly is consolidated is just a set created ad hoc. In reality, the apartment really exists and is in Soho, New York , on Prince Street, on the corner of Greene and Mercer Street. In 2015 it was put up for sale, for 10 million dollars.
” Unchained
melody “
Surely anyone who has seen the film will have perfectly imprinted in their memory the iconic song that animates it, ” Unchained melody “. Probably even those who have never seen it in one way or another will know it. It was written in 1965 by the Righteous Brothers, hitting the Billboard Hot 100 in fifth position that year. 25 years later, with the release of ” Ghost ” in the cinema I return to the Billboard charts, in first position .
The clay pot
The one where Molly models the clay vase, with the presence of Sam behind her guiding her, is certainly one of the most famous scenes in the entire cinematography . Not knowing it is almost impossible. You have received several parodies and giveaways over the years, including all from the sitcoms ” Community” and ” Two and a Half Men”. She and she also featured in the film ” A 2½ Naked Bullet”, directed by David Zucker, brother of Jerry Zucker .
The musical
Recently, in 2013 (in London it was staged during the 2011/12 season), the musical version for the theater of the film, called “ Ghost – the musical ” , was released in Italy . The screenplay was written by Bruce Joel Rubin, the same Oscar-winning screenwriter as the film . Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard also collaborated with him, as regards the writing of music and lyrics for the show.
The costs and the record
The production of the film ” Ghost ” cost as much as 22 million dollars , a very high cost for the time. Yet, no one would have ever imagined that he would have grossed 505 million globally . With these earnings, the film managed to stay in the top 5 of the box office rankings for 19 consecutive weeks .
