‘BELL, BOOK AND CANDLE’ IS A LIGHTHEARTED ATMOSPHERIC FILM!
As the week is an ideal one to take a look at a witch-y kind of comedy, for the first time I’m seeing Bell, Book and Candle, a favorite classic for so many.
Bell, Book and Candle (1958) Film Review
To most, Gillian Holroyd (Kim Novak) may seem like a normal woman. But hiding under her pretty businesswoman exterior, she hides a secret – and loneliness. Something that her new unsuspecting neighbor Shepherd Henderson (James Stewart) doesn’t know. Turns out, Gillian takes a liking to Shep, only to learn he’s about to marry Merle (Janice Rule), the college nemesis Gillian still dislikes. It’s time for Gillian to do something she herself promises not to do and demands her relatives not do, she uses her powers…
You see Gillian is a witch and with a little help from her sinister brother Nicky (Jack Lemmon), Gillian plots to make Shep love her. She brings to his office an author Shep would like to do business with, and she works to enchant him all the while.
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‘BELL, BOOK AND CANDLE’ IS A LIGHTHEARTED ATMOSPHERIC FILM! #JamesStewart stars in the #Halloween coded flick! #Movies #ClassicMovies Share on X
Bell, Book and Candle is tagged as being a holiday film (it begins with snow coming down!), this one is quite fun. It has “just enough” of a sinister (spooky is the better term) element while still being lighthearted and fun. This said, the setting is actually Christmas through New Year’s and then into January. Despite this, the subject and “concept” of the movie is more All Hallows Eve coded. Or I think so! It’s got a witch as a heroine and talk of spells which all make this more of a now holiday film.
The cast is good too and this isn’t the first time that Steward and Novak have teamed up. They’ve also been together in the Hitchcock flick Vertigo. Stewart plays his most often repeated character, which is the good guy while Novak is just mysterious enough to play the role of Gillian. All in all, I did enjoy this film. It’s different than what I normally see, but also lighthearted and cute enough to be an ideal atmospheric kind of film for this time of year.
Stream, at publication, Bell, Book and Candle on Tubi; or digitally purchase on places like Prime Video
Photos: Alamy
Content: this one has little to mention if you watch PG-13 films of today. There are kisses and a brief mention of an affair, but the film is very “PG” in comparison to today’s cinema. There are spells and talk of witch-y things, but it never gets “over the top.”
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