Winchester
Winchester: Helen Mirren talking about her ghostly experience in the movie
Winchesterbelongs to the genre of supernatural horror movies but Hele Mirren calls it a ghost story. Millen is playing the lead character in the movie. She’s Sarah Winchester, a billionaire widow who constructed a large mansion to placate ghosts.
The real Sarah Winchester
Sarah Lockwood Winchesterwas widow of William Wirt Winchester treasurer of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. The couple had a daughter who died after one month. Wirt Winchester died at the age of 43 leaving behind a large estate and billions of dollars for her wife Sarah Winchester. Also Sarah got 50% holding in the arms company. She was one of the wealthiest women of her times but she spent her time in seclusion and money in building what is today called Winchester Mystery House.
Movie Sarah Winchester
The movie talks about the later part of real Sarah. After the sudden demise of her newborn child and middle aged husband, she started feeling cursed and that ghosts of the people killed by the gun made by her husband are haunting her family. She believed that she needed doing something to placate those spirits.
It is said that Sarah goes to a medium which suggests construction of a large mansion to placate the ghosts. Also it is advised that the construction shouldn’t stop. The film explores the reasons behind making of the multistory mansion. Helen Mirren made the interesting character live on film and also she’s much to say about the story and the movie.
Helen Mirren on the movie
“I don’t believe in ghosts”, said an elated Mirren when talking about the story but she also reveals having spooky experience on her wedding night. Sarah was a wealthy woman but she bore personal losses that money can’t fulfill.
Some facts about the movie
- The sprawling Winchester house is a tourist attraction
- It has bizarre features like door to nowhere
- Visitors feel it is haunted
- The house was damaged in the infamous earthquake of 1906
Winchester Mystery House
Winchester First Look & Poster
It is a bookish poster painted with dark color and a ghostly face is show emerging from dark. The veiled face is Sarah Winchester and she looks bright in the dark background and her eyes are starting nowhere. Name of the movie and other details are provided on the bottom.
Movie Trailer
Why watch the movie?
It is the story of the famous Sarah Winchester who died in reclusion at the age of 82. She was rich with money but poor in relations. She spent a large sum of her inheritance in building a large mansion for no one because she has no family. The movie shows the latter part of Sarah Winchester and sheds light on making of the mansion.
Trivia:
- Only a small part of the movie was shot in the real mansion
- The mansion with doors opening to walls and stairs going to ceiling was built for 20 years
- Helen Mirren is in mourning attire in the poster
- Mirren is half inch taller than the real Sarah Winchester