This is a really bad adaptation. To start with, Oscar Wilde's wit is almost completely absent here. It is also too serious, too moralistic (with absurd morality of modern secular west applied anachronistically to past), and way too sappy romantic. In contrast, Oscar Wilde made witty fun of seriousness, all kinds of morality, and sentimental romanticism, in his creations. While it is excusable, when adapting works to art, to cut, add, or change, details of plots, characters, and settings, to suit the audience & medium, adapters should take care to remain within the spirit of the original to be counted successful. Inability of the makers of this production to do that is obvious. They should have done better to create an original work under a new name. But they chose to borrow and destroy.
Review of The Canterville Ghost
The Canterville Ghost
(1997 TV Movie)
Too serious moralistic adaptation with almost none of Wilde's wit
9 June 2015