Film Snail

Bell, Book and Candle
Bell, Book and Candle

6.5

Bell, Book and Candle

NR·1958·106m

Summary

A modern-day witch likes her neighbor but despises his fiancée, so she enchants him to love her instead... only to fall in love with him for real.

Crew

Director

Richard Quine

Screenplay

Daniel Taradash

Theatre Play

John Van Druten

Reviews

John Chard

John Chard

December 9, 2018

5

Pyewacket Pudding.

It's one of those films that we all have, the movie that features actors you simply adore, but no matter how many times you watch it in the mystical hope that it will change and get better, but it never does. Bell Book & Candle is my pet frustration.

Fronted by James Stewart and Kim Novak, supported by Jack Lemmon & Elsa Lanchester, this screen version of the theatre play has a modicum of charm befitting the story of a publisher who falls under the love spell of a modern day witch, but ultimately it plays out as dull.

It looks nice, both in art direction and colour photography, Jimmy and Kim are pleasant of course, and Elsa, Hermione Gingold and Pyewacket the cat are bundles of fun, yet the belly laughs are missing, a need to care about the lovelorn and the restless sadly some place else.

I have a framed still of Jimmy & Kim from this movie hanging in my hallway, every time I pass it I point my finger at it and swear with sadness in my heart. I love those guys you see, the movie not so much... 5/10

Media

Status:

Released

Original Language:

English

Budget:

$0.00

Revenue:

$0.00

Keywords

witch
love of one's life
cat
beatnik
witchcraft
screwball comedy
love potion
fantasy
romantic fantasy