Return to Glennascaul (1953)
Directed by Hilton Edwards
In 1953 while he was in Europe filming Othello, Orson Welles during one of the many downtime’s travelled to Ireland, and appeared in this short film written, and directed by his friend Hilton Edwards. Edwards also played the role of Brabantio in Othello.
Welles's role in the film is that of narrator. He plays himself, who tells us the tale he himself was told while travelling in Ireland. While driving along a lonely road on his way to Dublin, Welles happens across a man having trouble with his car. The man's distributor is giving him trouble. Welles acknowledges that he him self has had some trouble with distributors. Welles offers the man a ride, and as they drive the man tells the story of what happened to him the previous year along the same stretch of road.
Late one night he came upon two woman, a mother and daughter on the road who were in need of a lift. He took them a short ways along to their house, Glennascaul which is Gaelic for house of shadows. The women were pleasant company, and invited the man in for a drink. The daughter was quite taken with the man's cigarette case, and he explains it was left to him by his late uncle. Later after leaving the man realizes he has left the cigarette case on the mantle place. When he turns back, he finds quite a different house than the one he had just left.
This is a well told, and gentle ghost story. Not terrifying but spooky. The kind told late at night and swore to be the truth. It's nicely shot, and well acted. if you are a fan of Welles, or just a fan of the traditional ghost story, this will warm your insides...or maybe give you a chill.
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