Mr. Wrong (1985 film)

Lore & Background

The film follows Meg, a young woman who moves to Wellington and buys a Jaguar. She experiences supernatural phenomena, including a dream of a woman walking in the rain, and later picks up a hitchhiker who matches that dream. The hitchhiker vanishes, and a threatening male passenger appears. Meg discovers the car's previous owner, Mary Carmichael, went missing years ago. The male hitchhiker stalks Meg, and the film builds to a confrontation where Mary's ghost intervenes to kill her murderer, saving Meg.

Reader's Guide

Mr. Wrong is significant as an early New Zealand horror film that reworks a traditional ghost story into a feminist narrative. The original short story ended with the protagonist murdered; the film instead delivers a cathartic ending where the female ghost avenges her own death. Critics noted its blend of thriller and comedy, with mixed overseas reception but positive local reviews. Film historians have compared it to Melanie Rodriga's Trial Run (1984) for its feminist themes. The film won Most Popular Film at the 1986 Créteil International Women's Film Festival and earned Heather Bolton a Best Female Performance nomination at the New Zealand GOFTA Awards.

Did You Know?

• It was released in the US as Dark of the Night.
• The original short story had a grim ending where the protagonist is murdered; the film changed this to a more upbeat conclusion.