Jessie Taylor
Bell, Book and Candle is a 1958 American romantic comedy film starring Kim Novak, James Stewart, Jack Lemmon, Ernie Kovacs, Hermione Gingold, Elsa Lanchester, and Janice Rule. The film is an adaptation of a 1950 Broadway play of the same name by John Van Druten. It tells the story of Gillian Holroyd, a witch and owner of an art store in Greenwich Village, New York City, who takes an interest in her new neighbour, publisher Shep Henderson, and casts a spell on him. The movie is noted for its mix of fantasy and comedy, with Novak's character using her Siamese cat, Pyewacket, to cast a spell on Stewart's character.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Release date | 1958 |
| Genre | Comedy, Fantasy, Romance |
| Director | Richard Quine |
| Screenplay | Daniel Taradash |
| Based on the play by | John Van Druten |
| Starring | James Stewart, Kim Novak, Jack Lemmon, Ernie Kovacs |
| Supporting cast | Hermione Gingold, Elsa Lanchester, Janice Rule |
| Plot | A witch casts a spell on her neighbour |
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What You'll Learn
Bell Book and Candle is a 1958 film starring Kim Novak and James Stewart
Bell, Book and Candle is a 1958 American romantic comedy film starring Kim Novak and James Stewart. It was directed by Richard Quine and based on the 1950 Broadway play of the same name by John Van Druten. The film is a mix of fantasy and comedy, with a charming set that replicates New York. It is considered Stewart's final role as a romantic lead.
Novak portrays Gillian Holroyd, a witch and owner of a rare ethnological art store in Greenwich Village, New York City. Bored with her routine life, she takes an interest in her new neighbour, publisher Shep Henderson (Stewart). On Christmas Eve, Shep arrives home to discover Gillian's aunt, Queenie, inside his apartment. Gillian then casts a spell on Shep, and he falls in love with her.
The film also stars Jack Lemmon, Ernie Kovacs, Hermione Gingold, Elsa Lanchester, and Janice Rule. Lemmon plays Gillian's warlock brother, while Kovacs portrays a rumpled and boozy author. The real star of the film, however, is Pyewacket, Novak's handsome seal-point Siamese cat.
Bell, Book and Candle was released on Christmas Day 1958 and was considered a "blockbuster" by Columbia. It received favourable write-ups in major magazines and was promoted on the November 24, 1958, cover of Life magazine. The film made its world premiere in Los Angeles at the Warner Beverly Theatre.
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The film is based on the 1950 Broadway play of the same name
The 1958 romantic comedy fantasy film "Bell, Book and Candle" is based on the 1950 Broadway play of the same name. The film was directed by Richard Quine and stars Kim Novak, James Stewart, Jack Lemmon, Ernie Kovacs, Hermione Gingold, Elsa Lanchester, and Janice Rule. The screenplay was written by Daniel Taradash, with the play having been written by John Van Druten.
In the film, Novak portrays Gillian Holroyd, a witch and the owner of a rare ethnological art store in Greenwich Village, New York City. Bored with her routine life, she takes an interest in her new neighbour, publisher Shep Henderson (Stewart). On Christmas Eve, Shep arrives home to discover Gillian's aunt, Queenie, inside his apartment. Queenie, also a witch, has cast a spell on Shep's phone, prompting him to go downstairs and use Gillian's phone. As he dials a number, Queenie urges Gillian to steal Shep away from his fiancée.
Gillian proceeds to cast a spell on Shep, using her Siamese cat, Pyewacket, to make him fall in love with her. The film also features Lemmon as Nicky, Gillian's brother, and Kovacs as an author character named Redlitch. Other notable scenes include one in which Shep goes to Miss De Passe's house to get "de-spelled" and is forced to drink a disgusting potion, and another in which Pyewacket jumps through Shep's office window, leading to a romantic reconciliation between him and Gillian.
The film is generally recognized as Stewart's final romantic leading role and was acknowledged as part of the inspiration for the television series "Bewitched." It is known for its charming set design, good use of Technicolor, and pleasant score by George Duning. The real star of the film, however, is often considered to be Pyewacket, Novak's handsome seal-point Siamese cat.
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It is a romantic comedy with elements of fantasy
"Bell, Book and Candle" is a 1958 American romantic comedy film with elements of fantasy. It is based on the 1950 Broadway play of the same name by John Van Druten. The film stars James Stewart, Kim Novak, Jack Lemmon, Ernie Kovacs, Hermione Gingold, Elsa Lanchester, and Janice Rule.
In the film, Novak portrays Gillian Holroyd, a witch and the owner of a rare ethnological art store in Greenwich Village, New York City. Bored with her routine life, she takes an interest in her new neighbour, publisher Shep Henderson (Stewart). On Christmas Eve, Shep discovers Gillian's aunt, Queenie, inside his apartment. Queenie, also a witch, urges Gillian to steal Shep away from his fiancée. Gillian casts a spell on Shep, and he falls in love with her. However, in doing so, she also falls in love with him, leading to a romantic complication.
The film features a mix of comedy and fantasy, with a charming set that replicates New York. It includes a great cast of comic actors and is considered Stewart's final role as a romantic lead. The film is also known for its use of Technicolor and a pleasant score by George Duning.
"Bell, Book and Candle" is a delightful spoof on witchcraft, with entertaining performances by the cast. It is a fun and light-hearted movie that combines fantasy and comedy effectively, offering a pleasant and fluffy entertainment experience.
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The plot involves a witch who casts a spell on her neighbour
The plot of Bell, Book and Candle (1958) involves a witch who casts a spell on her neighbour. The film is a romantic comedy that stars Kim Novak as Gillian Holroyd, a witch and owner of a rare ethnological art store in Greenwich Village, New York City. James Stewart plays the role of her new neighbour, Shep Henderson, a publisher who moves in upstairs. Gillian, bored with her routine life, takes an interest in Shep, who is engaged to her old college nemesis. On Christmas Eve, Shep arrives home to find Gillian's Aunt Queenie in his apartment.
Gillian puts a spell on Shep, using her Siamese cat, Pyewacket, and he falls in love with her. However, as witches cannot fall in love, she ends up falling for him, creating a romantic complication. The film also stars Jack Lemmon as Gillian's warlock brother, as well as Elsa Lanchester, Ernie Kovacs, Hermione Gingold, and Janice Rule.
The film is based on the 1950 Broadway play of the same name by John Van Druten. It is considered Stewart's final role as a romantic lead. The movie is a delightful spoof on witchcraft, with a charming set that replicates New York. It is a fun mix of fantasy and comedy, with a great cast of comic actors.
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The film features a famous Siamese cat named Pyewacket
The 1958 American romantic comedy film "Bell, Book and Candle" features a famous Siamese cat named Pyewacket. The film stars Kim Novak, James Stewart, Jack Lemmon, Ernie Kovacs, Hermione Gingold, Elsa Lanchester, and Janice Rule. It is based on the 1950 Broadway play of the same name by John Van Druten.
In the film, Gillian Holroyd (Novak) is a witch who runs an African curios shop in New York City. She takes an interest in her new neighbour, publisher Shep Henderson (Stewart), and uses her powers and her familiar, Pyewacket, to bewitch him into falling in love with her. Pyewacket is a major part of the story, helping Gillian cast her spells. The cat's real name was never made public, but it is said that Novak bonded with her feline co-star and was given Pyewacket at the end of filming.
Pyewacket was played by multiple cats, with some sources stating that as many as eleven cats were used. The cat's voice was dubbed over, which led to some controversy among Siamese cat enthusiasts. Despite this, Pyewacket won a PATSY award for the role and is considered one of the most notable cinema cats.
The film received positive reviews for its cast, comedy, and fantasy elements, as well as its camera work, set design, and use of colour. It was nominated for two Academy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. "Bell, Book and Candle" is recognised as Stewart's final romantic leading role and has become a rare movie that is hard to find.
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Frequently asked questions
The movie is about a witch, Gillian Holroyd, who casts a spell on her neighbour, Shep Henderson, after taking an interest in him.
The movie stars Kim Novak, James Stewart, Jack Lemmon, Ernie Kovacs, Hermione Gingold, Elsa Lanchester and Janice Rule.
The movie was released on Christmas Day, 1958.
The movie is a supernatural romantic comedy.
Yes, the movie is based on the 1950 Broadway play of the same name by John Van Druten.
