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 SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsPrimetime EmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalFall TV GuideMost Anticipated This MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayTrending peopleCelebrity news
    IMDb LabsHelp centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The Spirit Is Willing

  • 1967
  • Approved
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
591
YOUR RATING
The Spirit Is Willing (1967)
Dark ComedyFarceSlapstickSupernatural HorrorComedyHorror

Hapless Benjamin Powell, his loving wife Kate, and their teenage son Steven rent a haunted seaside house in New England for their summer vacation, which quickly turns into a ghost-hunt.Hapless Benjamin Powell, his loving wife Kate, and their teenage son Steven rent a haunted seaside house in New England for their summer vacation, which quickly turns into a ghost-hunt.Hapless Benjamin Powell, his loving wife Kate, and their teenage son Steven rent a haunted seaside house in New England for their summer vacation, which quickly turns into a ghost-hunt.

  • Director
    • William Castle
  • Writers
    • Ben Starr
    • Nathaniel Benchley
  • Stars
    • Sid Caesar
    • Vera Miles
    • Barry Gordon
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    5.6/10
    591
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • William Castle
    • Writers
      • Ben Starr
      • Nathaniel Benchley
    • Stars
      • Sid Caesar
      • Vera Miles
      • Barry Gordon
    • 26User reviews
    • 11Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro

    • Photos13

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 6
    View Poster

    Top Cast18

    Sid Caesar
    Sid Caesar
    • Ben Powell
    Vera Miles
    Vera Miles
    • Kate Powell
    Barry Gordon
    Barry Gordon
    • Steve Powell
    John McGiver
    John McGiver
    • Uncle George
    Cass Daley
    Cass Daley
    • Felicity
    Ricky Cordell
    • Miles Thorpe
    Mary Wickes
    Mary Wickes
    • Gloria Tritt
    Jesse White
    Jesse White
    • Fess Dorple
    Robert Donner
    Robert Donner
    • Ebenezer
    Mickey Deems
    • Rabbit Warren
    Nestor Paiva
    Nestor Paiva
    • Felicity's Father
    Doodles Weaver
    Doodles Weaver
    • Booper Mellish
    Jay C. Flippen
    Jay C. Flippen
    • Mother
    Jill Townsend
    Jill Townsend
    • Jenny…
    John Astin
    John Astin
    • Dr. Frieden
    William Castle
    William Castle
    • Mr. Hymer
    • (uncredited)
    Byron Foulger
    Byron Foulger
    • Drug Store Owner
    • (uncredited)
    Harvey Lembeck
    Harvey Lembeck
    • Capt. Pederson
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • William Castle
    • Writers
      • Ben Starr
      • Nathaniel Benchley
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews26

    5.6591
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Summary

    Reviewers say 'The Spirit Is Willing' Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Curabitur pretium tincidunt lacus.

    Nulla facilisi etiam dignissim diam quis enim lobortis scelerisque
    Lorem ipsum dolorSit amet consecteturAdipiscing elitSed do eiusmodTempor incididuntUt labore et doloreMagna aliquaUt enim ad minimVeniam quisNostrud exercitation
    Sign in to see this summary and all user reviews
    See opinions from fans, or write your own review.
    Sign in to IMDb
    This extra step helps us keep IMDb's reviews a space for genuine, human voices.

    More like this

    The Busy Body
    5.5
    The Busy Body
    Project X
    5.4
    Project X
    Shanks
    5.5
    Shanks
    Castle of Evil
    4.6
    Castle of Evil
    The Phantom Speaks
    5.8
    The Phantom Speaks
    Arnold
    5.9
    Arnold
    Let's Kill Uncle
    5.7
    Let's Kill Uncle
    Tales That Witness Madness
    5.6
    Tales That Witness Madness
    Cyclotrode 'X'
    4.7
    Cyclotrode 'X'
    13 Frightened Girls
    5.3
    13 Frightened Girls
    Macabre
    5.6
    Macabre
    Bug
    5.2
    Bug

    Related interests

    Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Sian Clifford in Fleabag (2016)
    Dark Comedy
    Leslie Nielsen, Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, and Lorna Patterson in Airplane! (1980)
    Farce
    Leslie Nielsen in The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
    Slapstick
    Daveigh Chase in The Ring (2002)
    Supernatural Horror
    Will Ferrell, Angela Grillo, and Lap-Gei Cheung in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby (1968)
    Horror

    Storyline

    Did you know

    • Trivia
      The novel this movie was based on, "the Visitors" by Nathaniel Benchley, was published with art by Charles Addams, whose "Addams Family" comics were the basis for the TV series which made "Spirit is Willing" co-star John Astin a star. Furthermore, director William Castle previously worked directly with Addams, as the cartoonist provided drawings for Castle's 1963 film "The Old Dark House".
    • Goofs
      When Ben is in the bathroom preparing to go to bed the first night, he walks out wearing slippers, when he enters the bedroom he is bare foot.
    • Quotes
      • Ben Powell: Look, you can't afford a new car.
      • Steve Powell: But dad, neither can you but you drive one.
      • Ben Powell: I'm too poor to drive an old car.
    • Crazy credits
      The people in this movie are fictitious. Only the ghosts are real.
    • Connections
      Referenced in All the Way Down (1968)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    • Release date
      • July 1967 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Ky Nghi Kinh Hoang
    • Filming locations
      • Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production company
      • William Castle Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    • Runtime
      • 1h 40m(100 min)
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    You have no recently viewed pages
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2026 by IMDb.com, Inc.