Bell, Book and Candle
| Bell, Book and Candle | |
|---|---|
 Promotional film poster | |
| Directed by | Richard Quine |
| Written by | Daniel Taradash |
| Produced by | Julian Blaustein |
| Starring | James Stewart Kim Novak Jack Lemmon Janice Rule Elsa Lanchester Ernie Kovacs Hermione Gingold |
| Music by | George Duning |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date | December 25, 1958 |
Running time | 106 minutes |
| Language | English |
Bell, Book and Candle (1958) is a romantic comedy directed by Richard Quine based on the hit Broadway play by John Van Druten. It starred James Stewart and Kim Novak in their second on-screen pairing (after the Alfred Hitchcock classic Vertigo, released earlier the same year). The film, adapted by Daniel Taradash, was Stewart's last film as a romantic lead. Columbia Pictures head Harry Cohn allowed Novak to appear in Vertigo (as a last-minute replacement for pregnant Vera Miles) in exchange for Stewart appearing in this film with Novak.
Fans of the film point to similarities between it and the earlier I Married A Witch (1942) and especially the 1960s television series Bewitched (produced by Columbia's television division), speculating that this film may have been an inspiration. The original 1950 play starred Rex Harrison, his then wife Lilli Palmer, Jean Adair, and Larry Gates.
Plot
Greenwich Village witch Gillian Holroyd (Kim Novak), a free spirit with a penchant for going barefoot, has been unlucky in love and restless in life. She admires from afar her neighbor, publisher Shep Henderson (James Stewart), who one day walks into her gallery of primitive art to use the telephone. When she learns he is about to marry an old college enemy of hers, Merle Kittridge (Janice Rule), she takes revenge by casting a love spell on him while falling for him herself. She must eventually make a stark choice, as witches who fall in love lose their supernatural powers. Gillian's cat and familiar, Pyewacket, becomes agitated and leaves her when she decides in Shep's favor.
Meanwhile, the author of a best-selling book, Magic in Mexico, whom Shep has expressed an interest in meeting, arrives on the scene (thanks to a little magic). Sidney Redlitch (Ernie Kovacs), who is researching a book on witches in New York, acquires an "inside" collaborator when Gillian's warlock brother Nicky (Jack Lemmon) volunteers his services—in exchange for a portion of the proceeds.
Gillian uses her magic to make Shep lose interest in Nicky and Redlitch's book and then confesses her identity as a witch to Shep. He becomes angry, believing that she enchanted him just to spite Merle, and the two fight. Gillian threatens to cast various spells on Merle (such as making her fall in love with the first man that walks into her apartment and sending her around the world), but finds that she has lost her powers because of her love for Shep. Meanwhile, he finds that he literally cannot leave Gillian, because of the spell. To escape, he turns to another witch, Bianca de Passe (Hermione Gingold), who breaks the spell. Shep confronts Gillian and leaves her heartbroken. He then tries unsuccessfully to explain to Merle that Gillian is a witch. Months later, Shep returns and discovers that Gillian has lost her magic powers because of her love for him. The two reconcile.
Reception
When first released in 1958 by Columbia Pictures, Bell, Book and Candle was a moderate success. The soundtrack, featuring Philippe Clay and The Brothers Candoli who appeared in the film in cameo appearances, also found success.
Cast
- James Stewart as Shepherd 'Shep' Henderson
- Kim Novak as Gillian Holroyd
- Jack Lemmon as Nicky Holroyd
- Ernie Kovacs as Sidney Redlitch
- Hermione Gingold as Bianca de Passe
- Elsa Lanchester as Queenie Holroyd
- Janice Rule as Merle Kittredge
Soundtrack
- "Stormy Weather", performed by Jack Lemmon on the bongo drums with the band at the Zodiac Club (the Brothers Candoli on trumpets, and an unknown guitar player)
- "Deck the Halls", performed by James Stewart by whistling
- "Jingle Bells", played during the opening credits
Awards
Nominated:[1]
Nominated:
References
- ^ "NY Times: Bell, Book and Candle". NY Times. Retrieved 2008-12-23.