The Ghost Goes West is a 1935 British romantic comedy/fantasy film starring Robert Donat, Jean Parker, and Eugene Pallette, and directed by René Clair, his first English-language film. The film shows an Old World ghost dealing with American materialism. Plot In 18th century Scotland, Clan Glourie's enemy (hated even more than the English) is Clan MacClaggan. Both clan leaders send their sons to fight the English, five MacClaggans and Murdoch Glourie, who would rather spend his time kissing the lasses. At the Scottish encampment, Murdoch is outnumbered by the MacClaggans and hides behind a barrel of gunpowder. An errant Scottish cannonball ends his life, but in the afterlife, he is stranded in Limbo due to his cowardice. His now-deceased father tells him he is doomed to haunt Glourie Castle until he can get a MacClaggan to admit that one Glourie can thrash fifty MacClaggans. In the 20th century, Peggy Martin, the daughter of a rich American businessman, persuades him to purchase the castle from Donald Glourie, who is besieged by his creditors. Donald is outraged that Mr. Martin plans to dismantle his ancestral home and reassemble it in Florida, but he is attracted to Peggy. Peggy, in the meantime, meets Murdoch, but thinks he is Donald (as they look exactly alike, seeing as they are both played by Donat). Martin hires him to supervise the reconstruction. Along with the castle goes its ghost. On the sea voyage to America, Donald has second thoughts, and he and Martin agree to cancel their deal, but then Martin's business rival, Ed Bigelow, sees a wonderful opportunity to publicize his products, so he offers Donald $100,000 for the castle. Alarmed, Martin repurchases it for $150,000. Murdoch makes a spectral appearance before many witnesses, igniting a media frenzy, but Bigelow remains openly skeptical about the ghost. Murdoch's dalliances with other women, however, derail Donald's attempts at romance with Peggy, who still believes Murdoch is Donald. In Florida, Martin hosts a lavish party to celebrate the castle's reassembly, but Murdoch refuses to make an appearance. Then Bigelow insults the Glouries on a radio broadcast, revealing he is a MacClaggan on his mother's side. Murdoch chases him down and forces him to admit that one Glourie can thrash fifty MacClaggans; Murdoch is finally released to join his ancestors. Peggy, having realized her mistake, reconciles with Donald. Cast Robert Donat as Murdoch Glourie and Donald Glourie Jean Parker