You still there zomb? The Ghost Breakers functions like a follow-up to Paramount’s successful 1939 film, “The Cat and the Canary,” which also featured Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard. George Marshall is in the director's chair – he would later direct the Dean Martin/Jerry Lewis remake from 1958, "Scared Stiff," as well – and the screenplay comes from Walter DeLeon, adapted from Paul Dickey and Charles W. Goddard’s play “The Ghost Breaker.” The story is straightforward: after mistakenly believing he'd shot someone, Larry Lawrence (Hope) winds up hiding in another hotel room, belonging to Mary Carter (Goddard), who happens to be preparing for a trip to Cuba. They become friends quickly, and soon Larry is joining her on the journey to Cuba, but Mary finds herself facing danger from suspicious individuals, and adding to the tension, their destination castle is said to be haunted, with rumors of zombies seeming quite believable. Hope and Goddard have great chemistry together here, and it makes for a really good movie. They would collaborate again in “Nothing But the Truth” just one year later. However, much of the praise should go to the writing itself. Hope was certainly skilled at delivering lines effectively, but you need strong material to begin with, and DeLeon’s script provides some genuinely amusing moments for Hope. From Basil Rathbone's presence to subtle political jokes, the humor is rapid-fire and works well alongside the visual comedy as Hope, Goddard, and Willie Best all get swept up in a fun, spooky adventure. Charles Lang handled the cinematography, capturing the island’s unsettling atmosphere beautifully, while Edith Head deserves recognition for her costume design. Ultimately, what's wanted is entertainment, and that's precisely what's delivered. With a hesitant hero and an attractive female lead as our main characters, one can only hope that the zombies don't cause too many problems. Whether watched on its own or paired with "The Cat And The Canary," “The Ghost Breakers” highlights a wonderful pairing from a memorable era of filmmaking. Enjoy 7.5/10

Source on TMDB