Movies - Bell Book and Candle

Home > Listing Index > Movies > Bell Book and Candle

	Movies - Bell Book and Candle

Bell, Book and Candle is a 1958 romantic comedy directed by Richard Quine and starring James Stewart and Kim Novak in their second on-screen pairing (after the Alfred Hitchcock classic Vertigo). The film, based on a play written by John Van Druten and adapted by Daniel Taradash, was Stewart's last film as a romantic lead.

Fans of the film point to similarities between it and I Married A Witch and especially the television series Bewitched, speculating that this picture may have been an inspiration. The portrayal of witches as having a subculture with slightly artistic or Bohemian dress and decor is also evocative of the atmosphere of the wizarding world in Harry Potter.

Plot

Bell, Book and Candle follows Greenwich Village witch Gillian Holroyd (Kim Novak) who has been unlucky in love and restless in life. When publisher Shep Henderson (James Stewart) walks into her gallery of primitive art to use the telephone, she becomes immediately infatuated with him. When she discovers he's about to marry an old college friend of hers, she casts a spell on him, but must eventually make a choice between true love and witchcraft. In this story, witches can't fall in love and retain their supernatural powers.

Reception

When first released in October of 1958, Bell, Book and Candle was a moderate success. In early 1959, the film received Academy Award nominations for Best Art Direction and Costume Design, as well as a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Comedy. The soundtrack, featuring Philippe Clay and The Brothers Candoli who appeared in the film in cameo appearances, also found success.

Awards

Academy Awards

Nominated:

Best Art Direction - (Cary Odell and Louis Diage)
Best Costume Design - (Jean Louis)

Golden Globes

Nominated:

Best Motion Picture - Comedy

Cast

James Stewart as Shepherd 'Shep' Henderson
Kim Novak as Gillian 'Gil' Holroyd
Jack Lemmon as Nicky Holroyd
Ernie Kovacs as Sidney Redlitch
Hermione Gingold as Bianca de Passe
Elsa Lanchester as Queenie
Janice Rule as Merle Kittridge

Bell, Book and Candle Bell, Book and Candle

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Bell Book and Candle ]

This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article Bell Book and Candle; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.

Searches on eBay