Three Live Ghosts

An investigator is asking Mrs. Gubbins about a William Foster, who was a friend of her stepson Jimmy. Both are listed as killed in action during the Great War. It is Armistice Day, 1918, and the war is over. Who should be strolling down the street but Jimmy Gubbins, Bill 'Jones' and another man who has lost his memory. They are ghosts as the official records list them as dead and not as escaped P.O.W's. Jimmy's mother is not happy to see that Jimmy is still living as she has been spending the death benefits, but she is happy to see Bill as there is a large reward for him. No one knows much about the third one, called 'Spoofy', except that he can steal anything at anytime and that gets everyone is trouble.

Directed by Thornton Freeland, Three Live Ghosts leans on a strong ensemble — Beryl Mercer, Joan Bennett, Robert Montgomery — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1929.