Many others here have commented well on this little movie, and I don't have much to add that hasn't already been said. It's very foggy, it's very atmospheric, and it's extremely dated. I suppose that's why I liked it so much.
The story takes place in a village that is secluded by marshes, and I became fascinated by the location more than anything else. It seemed to be mostly fantasy, but could there really have been a place like this in real life? The characters live in relatively nice houses and seem to even have electricity, yet at one point a family is seen leaving town in a covered horse-drawn wagon. The heroine is a woman who is intent on taking over her deceased grandfather's role as a ferryman, although when she arrives at this town she does not even know the old man is dead, leading me to believe they don't have phones. The ferry itself is a diminutive boat pulled back and forth by a rope fixed over the swamp. Where are these people going? What's on the other side of the swamp? How were the houses built in this swamp if the only access is by a small boat? Is the village located on an island?
There is also a perpetual fog that permeates the film, and this is probably one of the coolest elements of the movie. Even during the day the fog is present, and we see the new female ferryboat operator reclining in some grass while she waits for the next fare, billows of fog drifting over her. I found myself asking a lot of questions, like...Is the swamp not infested with mosquitos? Is the grass dry enough to relax on? What is the weather like in this swampy area anyway that would make it so darn foggy all the time?
The movie has a charmingly stagy look, the swamp set is pretty wonderful and the idea of an entire community existing under these isolated conditions is a great idea. The ghost is actually pretty spooky too, and real for a change (instead of being exposed as a fake at the end). I liked how obscure the film apparently is, although now it's available on DVD, which is where I saw it. I recommend this for all fans of low-budget black & white spooky movies.
