Americans, Mr. and Mrs. Otis, their teenage daughter Virginia, and the Otis twins move into Canterville, ignoring warnings that the house is haunted by Sir Simon de Canterville.
Despite the ghost's efforts and guises, the family refuses to be frightened, with the twins playing tricks on the poor ghost. leaving Sir Simon humiliated.
​Sir Simon sees that Virginia, is different from the rest of the family and confides in her his past and inability to transition to the afterlife.