The House Of The Spirits 1993. Jeremy Irons, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Winona Ryder, Antonio Banderas, Vanessa Redgrave Based on Isabel Allende's best-selling novel, The House of the Spirits is a hauntingly romantic epic tale spanning three generations of the Trueba family. At its core is the stormy yet passionate relationship between the supernaturally gifted Clara and her controlling husband Esteban, who resists change both politically and personally.