La Charrette fantôme is a French fantasy film first released in 1939, directed by Julien Duvivier.  The film is based on a novel by Selma Lagerlöf and stars Pierre Fresnay, Marie Bell, Micheline Francey, Louis Jouvet and Jean Mercanton.  It has also been released under the title: The Phantom Wagon.  Our overall rating for this film is: very good.


He who hears the wheels of the Ghost Wagon knows he is soon going to die.  Every year on New Year’s Eve, the Wagon, driven by Death himself, comes to claim someone at midnight...  Overtaken by sickness, David Holm becomes a wicked person.  He beats his wife and children and drinks himself into a blind stupor at the inn with his friend Georges.  On the last day of the year, Georges is killed at midnight and the Ghost Wagon takes him away.   Accused of his friend’s murder, David seeks refuge at a Salvation Army hostel.  Here, he meets Sister Edith, who becomes attached to David and tries to save him.  When David is ready to leave the hostel, Edith asks him to return the following year at the same time.  But, without the kindly support of Sister Edith, David’s life soon falls apart.  He does not know if his soul can be saved before the Ghost Wagon arrives to collect him...
© Willems Henri (Brussels, Belgium)

Write a review for this film...


What do you think of this film?

Recent DVD releases