Bell, Book and Candle
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Movie Reviews of Bell, Book and Candle
Movie Review: An urban witch
Summary: 5 Stars
Set in New York City, starting on Christmas Eve, this 1958 film has James Stewart playing Shep Henderson, a publisher who has just recently moved into an apartment, and now meets his neighbors. Downstairs there is a shop maintained by Gillian Holroyd (played by Kim Novak), a woman with particular powers to get what she wants, and who has a cat named Pyewacket (Pi for short). Upstairs is Gillian's aunt Queenie (played by Elsa Lanchester) who also has a little power of her own.
Shep is scheduled to marry Merle, who he has known since childhood, but it turns out that Gillian knew Merle in college and hated her. They meet at the Zodiac Club and Gillian starts causing trouble between Shep and Merle. Is it because she despises Merle, or is she in love with Shep? Witches are not allowed to fall in love, or to have other emotions like crying.
Other characters show up on the scene, including Gillian's brother Nicky (played by Jack Lemmon) who uses magic for pranks like turning out streetlights; a writer, Sidney Redlitch (played by Ernie Kovacs), who wants to write about witchcraft in New York; and a rival witch, Mrs. DePass (played by Hermione Gingold).
Shep finds himself attracted to Gillian, but how much of that is magic. Action progresses, with Nicky trying to upset the love match. It is a romantic comedy of sorts. Gillian's final plans for Merle are thwarted (too bad, it would have been interesting to see her throw herself on the exterminator), and Pyewacket seems to run away.
All's well that ends well, and Pyewacket does stick around, having accomplished his mission.
Movie Review: Charming, colorful, quirky.....bewitching.
Summary: 5 Stars
Adapted from the stage comedy of the same name, Bell Book and Candle stars Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak, fresh from their successful teaming in Hitchcock's Vertigo. Novak plays Gillian Holroyd, a genuine, bonafide witch who runs a south seas antiquities shop. Falling in love with her neighbor, publisher Sheperd Henderson (Stewart), Gillian casts a spell on him. With help from her aunt (Elsa Lanchester), she obliges him to dump his fiancee, and ex college rival, and rush to her side. All of this goes against the grain of Gillian's Endora-like mentor Mrs. DePass (Hermione Gingold), who does her best to counterract the love spell. Meanwhile, Gillian's wacky warlock brother Nicky (Jack Lemmon) courts disaster by coauthoring a book on black magic with Sidney Redlitch (Ernie Kovacs). Legend has it that a witch can neither cry or fall in love. If she falls in love, she will lose her powers....can you guess what happens?Rumor has it that this is the inspiration for the televisions series Bewitched. There are several striking, undeniable similarities. This film was released in 1958, and I find it just as enjoyable today as I'm sure it was then. Memorable performances by Novak as the icy-cool Gillian and Stewart in his last "romantic leading man" role drive the film. Jack Lemmon and Elsa Lanchester add a lot of quirky flavor as Gillian's spell casting family. Fast pacing, clever writing, great costumes and fabulous eye-popping technicolor make this a film worth watching over and over. It's sure to cast a spell on you too.
Movie Review: Romantic, fun and quirky
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a delightful film with Jimmy Steward and Kim Novak that tells story of a family of witches in modern day (1950s) America. Kim Novak is the aloof young witch who makes it her task to take Stewart away from his snooty girlfriend who just happens to be an ex-college friend of Novak's. Casting a spell over Stewart is initially easy but Novak soon falls foul of her own powers when her act of revenge becomes an act of real love for her hapless victim. Unfortunately witches who fall in love, loose their powers, and Novak soon finds she can no longer control her cat familiar Pyewacket who is the source of her powers. This causes her real heartaches as she strives to gain Stewart's love by mortal means and there are many rib ticklingly funny moments as the young witch learns that human love can be painful as it is wonderful. Jack Lemmon in one of his earlier roles plays her nutty but likable Warlock brother who spends most of his time in a nightclub banging out funky rhythms on his bongo drums and Ernie Kovics is great as an eccentric author drawn into the plot by his interest in the supernatural. This is a gentle fun film that sparkles even forty years on, with its wry wit, superb photography and cracklingly good music score that has your feet tapping long after the film has ended. Well worth watching if you like a romantic, supernatural comedy.Movie Review: BESPELLED ......
Summary: 5 Stars
KIM NOVAK! Boy, she ignites the screen [with feline companion] as the elegant gowned [courtesy of artiste Jean-Louis] Witch Gillian - seducing the befuddled, bemused and bewildered James Stewart - what a LADY and what appeal! Just a delight to watch this innocent tale of Witchery set in mid fifties Manhattan where everything seems possible - and is! Kind of a pre-curser to "Bewitched", and the rest of the delightful followers this is the counterpoint to the innate darkness of "Rosemary's Baby".James and Kim are perfectly cast - aslo teamed in the different "Vertigo" - others? Hermoine Gingold as the rival Witch, Elsa Lanchester as the dotty Aunt, and Jack Lemon as the playful sprightly bongo-playing young warlock is a dream - also Ernie Kovacks- so funny and brilliant as the bumbling, slightly intoxicated author.
BUT it is the utter charm and devine beauty of Miss Novak [especially in those backless creations by Jean-Louis] that entraps and enspells all - not forgetting the feline Piewacket!
DVD is great - presenting widescreen and cropped format on the menu - no disc flipping. etc - neat!
Movie Review: What A Cast!!! & What A Spell They Cast!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
This little gem boasts one of the great casts of the 1950s. Jimmy Stewart who had become the leading man to go to after Cary Grant and Kim Novak who was soon to become indelible in the publics mind in Vertigo, again with Stewart, led an ensemble that worked their magic everybit as dexterously as the witches in the movie. Jack Lemmon young and kinetic, bouncing around with that comic energy that would make him a supertar. Stellar support from Elsa Lanchester and Hermione Gingold, two old pros slyly stealing scenes from Jimmy and Kim while charming their way into their good graces no doubt. But the real jewell here is Ernie Kovacs who was at this time still searching for his movie persona. He never quite found it before his untimely death, but his genius shines through in every little scene he outright hijacks in this movie.
When you have all this talent working with a tale of romance, the supernatural, and human folly you can't go wrong. It's funny, it's heart-tugging, and thanks to Lemmon and Kovacs, it's outright hilarious. Fun for the family.