Bell, Book and Candle
October 22, 2008
BELL, BOOK AND CANDLE is set at Christmastime, New York City, 1958. Gillian Holroyd (Novak) is a young, blonde witch with a passion for primitive art and the study of man. She runs a small primitive art store on the first floor of her apartment building. She longs for a regular life, as it is Christmas Eve and she feels lonely. She watches Shep Henderson (James Stewart), a publisher who also lives in the same building with Gillian, her Aunt Queenie (Elsa Lanchester), and brother Nicky (Jack Lemmon), get out of a cab and go upstairs. She tells her familiar, a Siamese cat named Pyewacket, that she’d like the man upstairs for Christmas. Aunt Queenie invites Gillian to the very beat and hip Zodiac Club where beatnik jazz and a smokey club environment prevail. Before long, Gillian finds herself hopelessly and helplessly in love with Shep who is already promised to another. But can Gillian win Shep’s love and affection in return without resorting to the use of witchcraft (unfairly) to win his true heart? BELL, BOOK AND CANDLE is a perfect movie to watch, especially during the holiday months, but anytime for its delightful storyline. An obvious inspiration to the BEWITCHED television series that came a few years later, BELL BOOK AND CANDLE has its own magical charm that you’ll delight in watching.
Customer Review: Who is to say what love really is?
This is a Christmas story that may have a more Halloween feel. Shep Henderson takes a new apartment. Little does he know that the other residences are witches. Gil Holroyd Kim Novak sort of likes Shep and wonders if she can get his affection without witchery. She also finds that Shep’s girlfriend (Janice Rule) is an old adversary. Now the fun begins.
Will Gill Get Shep?
Will Shep find out that Gill is a witch?
Who is to say what love really is?
Kim Novak “Boys’ Night Out”
Jack Lemmon “The Apartment”
Elsa Lanchester “The Bride of Frankenstein”
I have seen the play several times and the movie is just as good if not better. My favorite scene is when Shepherd Henderson (James Stewart) is forced to drink a discussing liquid. And Bianca De Pass (Hermione Gingold) says, “Drink it while it still has strength.” The look on is face is priceless.
Speaking of Hermione Gingold she was good in this movie however I think of her in “The Music Man” where as Eulalie Mackechnie Shinn, she returns a book to the library and says, “It’s a smutty book” with that Gingold look.
Ernie Kovacs plays another character, Sidney Redlitch. You do not see many films with him in them. However if you can get your hands on it “Wake me when it’s over” is a great comedy that he is a fighter pilot. He also stared in North to Alaska (1960) as a sort of Snidely Whiplash.
After watching this movie, can you imaging how many people now have cats named Pywackett?
Customer Review: FUNNY & MAGICAL….what could be better?
Has there ever been a better actress to play a witch so wickedly
glamourous? Could another actor be an unsuspecting boob so
perfectly? Or have two of the biggest bumblers as relatives?
Happily not! Kim Novac delivers a completely believeable
performance as Gillian, the beautiful lonely witch who wants a
“normal” life and can anyone top Jimmy Stewart as her clueless
prey? These two should have done more movies together! As for
the supporting cast, Elsa Lancaster (better known as the “Bride
of Frankenstein”) is perfect as Queenie, Gillian’s aunt, Jack Lemmon in a surprising role as Gillian’s beatnik brother who befriends a writer (played by Ernie Kovacs) and offers him an “inside look” at the witchcraft crowd, the head of which is none other than Hermione Ginghold (in a particularly hilarious
scene with Jimmy Stewart - his facial expressions are priceless).
This movie offers comedy, sadness, sweetness and a tiny bit of
spooky plus a very crossed-eyed Siamese named Pyewacket. Great
movie to see anytime of the year but certainly Halloween and
Christmas fits best. This was not the first movie produced
with this kind of storyline (Veronica Lake in “My Favorite Wife”
for instance) but altho made in the 50’s still holds it’s own
today. Even the fashions are timeless…as is this love story.
So Ring the bell, close the book and light the candle - you may
find yourself humming a little tune to your own cat or putting
out all the street lamps just for fun! Buy from here…
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