Bell, Book and Candle

Rating:
Summary: The Magical Ms. Novak
Review: "Bell, Book and Candle" ( BBC ) is a very pleasant comedy, given an enormous boost from a formidable cast. In fact, much of my four-star rating is based on the actors involved, and their performances. Notwithstanding many glowing reviews, this is not a classic film and all of the key actors have made better movies.

I understand that BBC is based on a play. I hope that the stage version also had a strong cast, because the plot is really very slight. Jimmy Stewart is a book publisher who doesn't know that his apartment building is inhabited by a couple of witches played by the gorgeous Kim Novak and her nosy "aunt", Elsa Lanchester. When Kim finds that she is attracted to Jimmy, and discovers that his fiancee is a nasty former school mate, she decides to seduce him. Don't worry Mom and Dad--this is 1958--the "seduction" is totally "PG". We also meet Kim's "warlock" brother in a local night club--a bongo-playing Jack Lemmon, as droll as ever. Then we have Ernie Kovacs as an author with a big interest in witchcraft and booze, not necessarily in that order ! Such a shame that Mr. Kovacs passed away at an early age--a major loss for film and television comedy. Finally, as the "grande dame" of witches, Hermione Gingold steals scenes in her gloriously theatrical way.

I'm convinced that Jimmy Stewart could have read a telephone book for two hours, and still be watchable and entertaining. His character is required to look befuddled, perplexed, indignant and incredulous--qualities that Mr. Stewart could raise to an art form. He also has a number of scenes where he is "required" to kiss Ms. Novak passionately--and to think he got paid for this as well ? !

Many beautiful women became movie stars in the 50s--Marilyn Monroe is a legend--Elizabeth Taylor--Ava Gardner--Rhonda Fleming--Grace Kelly--it's a long list. For this reviewer though, Kim Novak was the most stunning woman on screen. In this film--and others--her presence is electric. Jimmy Stewart doesn't have a chance ! I should add that Ms. Novak was a recent guest on "Larry King Live"--yes, guys--she is still a knockout !

The DVD is nice, rather than outstanding--the colours exhibit some haziness here and there--mono sound, of course. This is not a great film, but if you want to spend a couple of pleasant, undemanding hours with this delightful cast--Stewart, Lemmon, Kovacs, Lanchester, Gingold and the truly magical Ms. Novak--you will not be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: The Magical Ms. Novak
Review: "Bell, Book and Candle" ( BBC ) is a very pleasant comedy, given an enormous boost from a formidable cast. In fact, much of my four-star rating is based on the actors involved, and their performances. Notwithstanding many glowing reviews, this is not a classic film and all of the key actors have made better movies.

I understand that BBC is based on a play. I hope that the stage version also had a strong cast, because the plot is really very slight. Jimmy Stewart is a book publisher who doesn't know that his apartment building is inhabited by a couple of witches played by the gorgeous Kim Novak and her nosy "aunt", Elsa Lanchester. When Kim finds that she is attracted to Jimmy, and discovers that his fiancee is a nasty former school mate, she decides to seduce him. Don't worry Mom and Dad--this is 1958--the "seduction" is totally "PG". We also meet Kim's "warlock" brother in a local night club--a bongo-playing Jack Lemmon, as droll as ever. Then we have Ernie Kovacs as an author with a big interest in witchcraft and booze, not necessarily in that order ! Such a shame that Mr. Kovacs passed away at an early age--a major loss for film and television comedy. Finally, as the "grande dame" of witches, Hermione Gingold steals scenes in her gloriously theatrical way.

I'm convinced that Jimmy Stewart could have read a telephone book for two hours, and still be watchable and entertaining. His character is required to look befuddled, perplexed, indignant and incredulous--qualities that Mr. Stewart could raise to an art form. He also has a number of scenes where he is "required" to kiss Ms. Novak passionately--and to think he got paid for this as well ? !

Many beautiful women became movie stars in the 50s--Marilyn Monroe is a legend--Elizabeth Taylor--Ava Gardner--Rhonda Fleming--Grace Kelly--it's a long list. For this reviewer though, Kim Novak was the most stunning woman on screen. In this film--and others--her presence is electric. Jimmy Stewart doesn't have a chance ! I should add that Ms. Novak was a recent guest on "Larry King Live"--yes, guys--she is still a knockout !

The DVD is nice, rather than outstanding--the colours exhibit some haziness here and there--mono sound, of course. This is not a great film, but if you want to spend a couple of pleasant, undemanding hours with this delightful cast--Stewart, Lemmon, Kovacs, Lanchester, Gingold and the truly magical Ms. Novak--you will not be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: As cool as you get....
Review: ...is this 1958 comedy-romance, which in my opinion is usually vastly underrated and unjustly dismissed, considering how much fun it is. Firstly, it stars that improbable romantic team from Hitchcock's "Vertigo", James Stewart and Kim Novak-only this time they get a happy ending-and what a blast getting there. The cast is simply superb-every actor milks his part to the hilt.

Kim is a very modern, hip(almost a neo-beatnik)witch living in Greenwich Village, happily alone with her gorgeous siamese "familiar", Pyewacket(a note: Kim-a real-life animal lover-fell in love with the cat "actor" who plays her pet in this film-and adopted him from the trainer! True story)...until unsuspecting publisher Stewart moves into the apartment upstairs. Taking a shine to this affable man(who wouldn't?), she not only fancies an affair with him, but discovers he's engaged to a "real" witch-with-a-capital-'B'--an old college foe played deliciously and believably by Janice Rule. This means war, so Kim decides to hex Jimmy...only, things go awry. A terrific plus is the second-banana pairing of two real life friends(and then frequent costars)Jack Lemmon and Ernie Kovacs. This may be Kovacs' best performance ever(his films were never quite up to his talents); Jack and he have a chemistry that's truly delightful to watch, and also-is it just me? Or does Jack Lemmon look, move and sound a heck of a lot like-Daffy Duck? It's an almost uncanny resemblance...although I suspect Jack's mannerisms were "borrowed" somewhat by Chuck Jones, rather than the other way around. There's great production design here, great music(some by the jazz trio of Pete Candoli-fyi Kovacs' widow Edie Adams married Candoli for a while in the 70s!), and the direction by Novak's then-boyfriend Richard Quine is excellent. I've never met someone who was sorry for sitting through this film, although a few were skeptical beforehand-the magic worked on them too-watch it and laugh!

Rating:
Summary: Bewitching....
Review: A curious little movie...made, I think around the same time as Vertigo, this is great fun. James Stewart is at his usual befuddled best and Kim Novak is just gorgeous - there is a shot of her walking towards camera at the top of the trailer which is worth the price of the disc alone...

Rating:
Summary: Magic in the Plot, Magic Onscreen
Review: A few months after they made 'Vertigo' together, Kim Novak and Jimmy Stewart made 'Bell, Book and Candle.' Two movies could hardly be more dissimilar, but this one shines as brightly as the Hitchcock film, in a very different way.

Kim's a witch, and Jimmy's a publisher with whom she falls in love. Complications set in when it becomes obvious that Kim is becoming humanised by the experience, and is beginning to lose her witchly powers. Will she give them up? Of course she will, but not without a fight- and it's the battle that's such comic fun to watch.

'Vertigo'- in a class by itself- aside, this is Novak's most complete and engaging performance. She's gorgeous, she's funny, and she's a woman you'll remember for a long time. It probably helped that she'd learned to adore and respect Jimmy Stewart when they worked for Hitchcock; her comfort level with him is highly evident. It probably also helped that she was doing her first Columbia film after the death of her boss and nemesis, Harry Cohn. Kim was calling a lot of shots on this one, and you can see her blossoming. Her touch is perhaps most evident in her spectacular Jean Louis wardrobe; her most beautiful dress is severely high-necked in front, but completely backless. It's a WOMAN's idea of sexy, not Harry Cohn's, whose tastes ran more to the frontless.

Stewart's impeccable touch with comedy is every bit as awe-inspiring as his dramatic work for Hitchcock. How did one actor get so much talent? He's backed up with a terrific supporting cast, too. Hermione Gingold and Elsa Lanchester are two witches, Jack Lemmon is Kim's warlock brother, and Ernie Kovacs is a tippling writer trying to sell Jimmy an idea. Lemmon is especially good here; this movie was one of the performances that made him a star.

The George Duning score is one of the chief delights of 1950's film; it's what we think Kerouac-era beatnik jazz was- and probably wasn't. Jazz fans will recognise the playing of Pete and Conte Candoli, hired specially for this movie, in the combo playing in the Zodiac nightclub Kim uses for a hangout. For those who appreciate truly esoteric performances, there's also French singer Philippe Clay performing his famous "Assassine", with Hermione Gingold providing a hilarious- and accurate- translation. One of the few disappointments around 'Bell, Book and Candle' is the fact that its soundtrack is not currently available, despite the enormous popularity of the old LP version-used copies sell for a fortune. Rhino owns the rights, I believe, and they could do a lot worse than to do a CD release (hint, hint).

From its witty opening- full of a king's ransom worth of African and Oceanic art used to symbolise the cast members in the title sequence- to its end, this one is sheer elegant delight. At the film's close, Kim gives up her powers in favour of her romance with Stewart, and I've heard a few people say that maybe that was a 1950's cop-out. I see it differently- all her friends want her to be a witch, and Kim chooses what she wants instead of meeting anyone else's expectations. The power of choice trumps mere black magic, and that, to me, is as it should be.

What you should choose is to see this charming artifact of a time when Hollywood still knew what it was doing. "Bell, Book and Candle" has gorgeous people, places and things, it's got wit and heart, and it effortlessly merges art both high and low. See it as soon as you can- you'll be very glad you did.

Rating:
Summary: Charming, colorful, quirky.....bewitching.
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: OF WITCHES AND LOVE
Review: After their teaming just 5 months prior, in the Hitchcock masterpiece VERTIGO, this movie may seem small potatoes, but it's a little charmer with fun performances from all. An entertaining film which offers the exquisite beauty of Kim Novak and the droll talents of the likes of Jack Lemmon, Ernie Kovacs, Elsa Lanchester (as Gillian's delightfully giddy Aunt Queenie) and Hermoine Gingold. On stage, the Van Druten play had served the then-married Rex Harrison and Lilli Palmer well, and, while granted, Novak was no Palmer, she nonetheless offers her own style in this very nice little comedy about witches, magic and spells. For Stewart, it must have been a pleasant and relatively easy assignment, and in the listing of his films, it's interesting as the point where he ceased to be a romantic leading man; in his movies, he would court no more. With the exception of THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE, in which he would win and marry Vera Miles, Stewart would either be a married man or a loner. Jimmy was now 50, and he agreed with the critics that it was a little off-putting for actors of that age to be cast opposite much - obviously - younger actresses. The gorgeous colour photography was done by the great James Howe Wong while George Duning (who did the score for TV's THE BIG VALLEY) provided the witty musical score.

Rating:
Summary: Bewitched by Bell Book & Candle
Review: Although not as well executed as the John Van Druten play on which it is based, this is a charming film highlighted especially by the supporting performers. You'll see why BEWITCHED was spawned!

Rating:
Summary: Bewitched!
Review: An underground society of Witches and Warlocks reside in the darkness of the big apple, congregating at a secret swank night club known as "The Zodiac". Stewart plays an unassuming publisher living in a posh apartment building just above a witch {Kim Novak} who takes a liking to the mortal, and thus casts a love spell on him, to which he is powerless to refuse, to his eventual delight. Bit by bit, to his initial disbelief, he begins to realize that these magical people are a reality, and together with an author {who himself was summoned from Acapulco by enchanted luminous paper, which strongly reminded Me of the immolation of the parchment}, they begin to uncover this occult world of witchcraft, seduction, and intrigue.

Enjoyable scenes include the justified mental torture of Stewart's temporary financee', with a combination of blasting horns, strobe lights, and a well-timed shriek by Novak's lokian warlock brother. And he is quite a character himself, primarily using his powers for flipping street lights on and off, changing traffic lights, and sexual conquests. It seems that because of her pretentious nature, she was also terrified by storms conjured by Novak in an art class, for being a critical lying sneak. All justified recourse. An author becomes wise to this secret society of witches and warlocks {yes, the film does make an appropriate distinction}, thus, with the suprising cooperation from Novak;s brother, decides to publish a book on the subculture, much to the chagrin of Novak, who was planning on marrying the mortal Stewart, even though it is allegedly against "witch policy" to do so. She fears that his knowledge of her true being would frighten him away.

Another thing that witches are supposedly unable to do is shed tears {LIE}, which is thwarted in a scene when her feline familiar "Piwacket" takes to the street, and much to her surprise, tears flow down her face. Novak casts a spell with the use of her familar and a memorable little tune she humms, wherein she prevents the publication of the revelaing book for the good of urban witchdom. She does, however, reveal what she is to him, and after some convincing events, finally accepts her and has actually truly fallen in love with her. despite the initial charm. They are finally wed, and could not be happier, even though she does end up losing her 'powers'.

A delightful film overall; the characters are cultured, the accounts about Witches and Warlcoks are about 70% correct, which can be overlooked for the fictional plot, which is devoid of the demoralization process. Also, I Am sure that this film did in large part inspire the Bewitched series.

Rating:
Summary: "What would you say if I told you I was a witch?"
Review: BELL, BOOK AND CANDLE must have been pretty hip when it came out. Although made in 1958, I would recommend it now to anyone looking for a devilishly good romantic comedy. It's also the perfect Christmas movie for the offbeat.

Featuring Kim Novak as Gillian Holroyd, a "spellbinding" witch who is itching for a more "humdrum" existence, and Jimmy Stewart as Shep Henderson, the sophisticated publisher who becomes the object of her "affections", BELL, BOOK AND CANDLE takes you on a very cool journey with the Greenwich Village contingent who like a little jazz with their witchcraft.

This film is full of clever, "witchy" moments that are quite sly, not cheesy. Gillian's legendary Siamese cat, Pyewacket is mesmerizing as he prowls around Gillian's "anthropology" shop/dwelling and is later used to great hypnotic effect in some key scenes that I won't spoil by revealing them here. Gillian's childlike Aunt Queenie (played magnificently by former BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, Elsa Lanchester) can't seem to stay out of trouble, particularly when she taps Shep's phone, causing it to produce "goblin" noises. Jack Lemmon is loads of fun as Gillian's beatnik brother, Nicky. Nicky plays bongos, intends never to fall in love and has a talent for turning out street lights, the sound of which I will always associate with this film. The moments in the Zodiac club are quite charming as are the scenes in head witch, Mrs De Passe's home, where Shep may have to venture to remove a love spell. Keep your eyes open for the standout scenes that take place in Gillian's apartment; one, when the witches exchange Christmas gifts (Gillian lights silver paint in a summoning spell) and equally noteworthy, the moment Gillian and Pyewacket cast their spell on Shep. Gillian's transformation from icy to sensitive is never dull.

As with many films of the 50's, all the characters and settings are luxurious and stylish. Manhattan becomes the perfect backdrop for the romantic whirlwind that Shep and Gillian embark on. Shep's office (and secretary) say a lot about the kind of man Shep is. So does his fiancee.

I am delighted that more people don't seem to know about this film (if only to keep Hollywood from remembering it's charm and trying to do a lame remake of it). It's a great find. If you like a little Halloween with your Christmas, this film is essential.