Looking back at all the films Patrick Swayze starred in, it’s like flipping through a collection of cinematic gems. The Outsiders, Dirty Dancing, Point Break – and of course, Ghost from 1990.
The film centers on Sam (Patrick Swayze), a murdered banker whose ghost sets out to save his girlfriend, Molly (Demi Moore), from the person who killed him, with the help of the psychic Oda (Whoopi Goldberg).
Personally, I think it’s a truly fantastic movie: the romance is incredibly touching, the comedy is downright hilarious, the supernatural element is captivating, and the corporate crime angle is surprisingly well-done. And for those of you who saw it in theaters, you’ll definitely remember all the sniffles — yes, from both the guys and the girls! True emotions from the heart.
Even though this film is nearly perfect, there are still a few goofs and small mistakes that only the most eagle-eyed viewers will catch.
Swayze cried six times
Before Ghost hit theaters, the cast gathered at a Beverly Hills hotel for a press event. Patrick Swayze made an entrance in blue jeans and a simple shirt, True cigarette in hand.
The hair was bleached blond — a change he explained was for his role in the upcoming film Riders on the Storm. With a dancer’s physique and a cowboy’s voice, Swayze was unmistakably the star of the room. He shared plenty of entertaining insights about making the film.
One standout moment was when the Texas-born actor revealed just how deeply the story resonated with him.
“I cried six times when I read the script for Ghost,” he admitted.
He also talked about his determination to land the role. “I felt I had to do this role, and I wanted to get an appointment, but I couldn’t get one. They were going in a different direction with casting. They were going with Kevin Kline,” Swayze said.
“I was going, ‘No!’ Wrong! He can’t do it. He’s going to be funny, and it’s got to be real!”
Swayze quickly added, “Not that he couldn’t make it real. I just felt it needed romance.”
”Over my dead body”
Director Jerry Zucker was far from charmed by the idea of Patrick Swayze taking on the role.
“Over my dead body will Patrick Swayze play this role,” he reportedly said when Swayze’s agent called to express the Dirty Dancing star’s interest in the lead role.
When asked later if this was true, Zucker responded, “Oh, I don’t think they were my exact words,” but then paused and reconsidered.
“Well, now that I think about it, maybe he’s correct.”
Patrick Swayze’s personal connection
Patrick Swayze had a deeply personal reason for being drawn to the role in Ghost: the memory of his late father, Don, who everyone knew as Big Buddy.
Don was a rodeo rider and amateur boxer, and Patrick described him as a “gentle cowboy” in his autobiography. Losing his father in 1982 hit Patrick hard, so the story of love and loss in Ghost really struck a chord with him.
”I thought of my father being dead and I loved the idea of maybe him being right there with me,” he said.
Later, Swayze admitted that playing Sam Wheat was the hardest role of his career. The challenge lay in having to be an observer of the action rather than an active participant, a unique aspect that tested his emotional range and acting skills.
How Swayze helped cast Whoopi Goldberg
Patrick Swayze definitely stole the show in Ghost, and after landing the lead role, he even got involved in some behind-the-scenes moments.
The role of Oda Mae Brown wasn’t originally written for Whoopi Goldberg, but after seeing her one-woman Broadway shows, Patrick Swayze was so convinced she was perfect for the part, he made sure she got the role.
Swayze even went as far as to give producer Jerry Zucker an ultimatum.
“I get a phone call from my agent, Ron Meyer, who says, ‘Patrick Swayze has been hired for this movie. Patrick is not going to do this if you don’t do it. Can you make some time for him and the director to come up?’” Goldberg told The Hollywood Reporter in 2024.
Zucker and Swayze flew to Goldberg, and when they met, it felt like they were old friends. About 40 minutes into their conversation, Swayze asked her to do the movie with him, and she agreed. That’s how it all came together.
By the way, Ghost writer Bruce Joel Rubin originally pitched Oda Mae as an actual psychic. But the producers thought it would be way funnier if she were a total charlatan who suddenly starts hearing Sam.
Truth behind the ”dark shadows”
Remember that creepy scene when the demons take Willie and Carl? As a kid, it totally freaked me out, and even now, it still gives me chills. Here’s a fun fact: the sound editors really nailed it with the specters — they sound straight out of a horror movie.
But did you know that the terrifying noises made by the ”dark shadows”” are actually baby cries played in reverse at an incredibly slow speed.
Definitely one of the creepiest moments in movie history!
Demi Moore – cost of success
The film Ghost not only solidified its place in cinematic history but also transformed Demi Moore’s career, making her the highest-paid actress in Hollywood at the time.
While she was already a recognized name, Moore wasn’t considered a bankable star until this role catapulted her to new heights. However, the milestone came with its own set of challenges. The focus on her record-breaking pay led to criticism, with detractors labeling her as greedy and coining the nickname “Gimme Moore.”
“It was as if I had betrayed men,” Moore reflected, speaking with Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet.
Even years later, she struggled to understand the backlash that followed her success. “It’s interesting that the choice to take me down came when I became the highest-paid. Why did that happen at that exact moment?”
Swayze chewed ice
Filming the intense chase scene in Ghost came with unique challenges, especially during the cold New York City nights. While the crew and other actors were bundled up against the chill, Patrick Swayze, playing Sam Wheat, faced a different problem.
Because Sam was a ghost, the filmmakers wanted to ensure his breath wouldn’t be visible in the cold air — something that could ruin the illusion. To solve this, they had Swayze chew ice before filming, which kept his breath from showing.
The pottery scene
The pottery scene in Ghost is undeniably one of the most iconic and romantic moments in movie history. With their hands intertwined, Sam (Patrick Swayze) and Molly (Demi Moore) created a tender moment that has become synonymous with passion and connection. The beautiful soundtrack Unchained Melody only adds to the magic, making it feel like the most romantic scene ever captured on film.
Interestingly, what many don’t know is that the scene was originally supposed to be followed by a sex scene on the floor.
But after some reflection, the filmmakers realized that the pottery moment was all they truly needed. Sometimes less is more!
As director Jerry Zucker recalls, “We decided to cut it after I interviewed about twelve body doubles for Demi.”
The pot actually broke
Here’s some more fun, little-known facts about the pottery scene in Ghost!
First off, Patrick Swayze once said it was the sexiest thing he’d ever done on film.
And here’s something I had no idea about — originally, the scene wasn’t meant to end with the pot falling apart, but as Swayze and Demi Moore were filming, the pot actually broke! Instead of stopping, they just kept going, and it turned into one of the most iconic moments in cinematic history. Pretty cool, right?
Pottery scene goof you probably missed
When Sam and Molly are playing around with the pottery wheel, they’re totally covered in clay — like, up to their elbows! But then, in the next love scene, their hands and arms are squeaky clean.
Guess the magic of love includes a quick cleanup, huh? A little goof that most people probably didn’t catch.
Unchained Melody exploded
Ghost is now officially older than Unchained Melody was when it was featured in the film… Feel old yet?
The song, recorded by The Righteous Brothers in 1965, got a huge boost in popularity after the film’s release in 1990. Radio stations were flooded with requests to play the classic tune, and fans were going crazy trying to buy the single.
The only problem? Many record stores were completely unprepared for the demand! When the movie soundtrack sold out, people ended up grabbing Righteous Brothers’ Greatest Hits just to get their hands on Unchained Melody. Bonus: they also got to enjoy You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’, which was featured in Top Gun, another blockbuster.
The closing credits
Here’s a little mistake that probably flew under the radar for most people – and hey, who am I to judge? But if you watch the movie again and stick around during the closing credits, keep an eye out for a funny slip-up.
The spelling of “Cemetery Ghost” is wrong. The credits list it as Cemetary Ghost, but the correct spelling should be CEMETERY. Oops!
When Sam gets shot
When Sam and Molly are attacked by the thug Willie Lopez, Sam is tragically killed by a gunshot.
Many viewers probably remember the intense scene where Molly holds Sam in her arms, his blood soaking her sleeves. But when we see her later at the police station, her sleeves are mysteriously clean.
This might not have been intentional, but there’s a likely explanation: the police probably asked her to clean up before her interview, which makes sense given the circumstances.
It’s one of those little details that likely flew under the radar for most viewers.
