Favorite Fictional Character --- Roderick "Rick" Fitzgerald

I am going to try my hardest to keep this post about the character, not the movie he's in.  That's going to be really hard for me because The Uninvited is by far, my favorite ghost movie of all time.  The movie is brilliant and still sends chills up my spine every time I watch it, despite it being made in 1944.  The cast is brilliant, the cinematography is award worthy, and the story itself is superb.  So I'm going to try and separate Ray Miland's character, Rick Fitzgerald, from the rest of the movie.

Rick Fitzgerald is a London based composer, but makes his living as a music critic.  On vacation, with his sister, they fall in love with Windward House.  I don't blame them really, it's a lovely old house sitting on a bluff overlooking the sea.  The decide the best thing to do is buy the house, move to the country, and start life all over again.  Rick hopes it will give him a fresh start on his music.

Once they are settled in, they meet the granddaughter of the man who sold them the house.  Through her, they learn of the home's tragic past and her connection to the home.  Rick and the young woman, quickly form an attachment, one that you could easily see going towards the romantic side.  Their relationship is the first real glimpse into Rick as a human being.  He's a gentleman through and through, the kind the we all dream about meeting ourselves one day.

He's driven, but easily distracted.  He's considerate, but once he has his mind on something, he will do what needs to be done.  He plays the gallant well, when the young lady gets into trouble, Rick rides off like a White Knight.  He handles the paranormal with a bit of skepticism at first, but allows himself to belief once he has no choice.

I think that it helps he was played by Ray Miland, who was such a gorgeous man.  He had a air of distinction around him that highlighted all the best traits of the character.  If any of you have not seen the movie, please do so.  Discover for yourself what a truly scary ghost story should be like.  Hopefully you will enjoy Rick and the rest of the characters as much as I do.