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Amazon.co.uk Review
Bell, Book and Candle (1958) is a sparkling, exotic and intelligent comedy based on John Van Druten's original play about the unlikely subject of witchcraft in Manhattan. In his last romantic lead role, James Stewart is publisher Shep Henderson, sucked into the underworld of Greenwich Village by the extraordinarily beautiful Gillian Holroyd (Kim Novak). Their liaison kicks off when Gillian employs her skills to indulge in a bit of fun. By the time Shep gets wise and rejects the artificial premise for a relationship, she has sacrificed her powers to emotional awakening and all is set for a happy ending.
Largely thanks to an eccentric supporting cast, which includes Jack Lemmon as Gillian's warlock brother, Hermione Gingold as a fruity nightclub owner and Elsa Lanchester as Gillian's dotty aunt, the film has a delightfully off-centre quality. It's also a bittersweet allegory about being different. "We forfeit everything and then we end up in a little world of separateness from everyone", sighs Gillian. Novak is at the height of her beauty and here, as in her other 1958 triumph Vertigo (also with Stewart), her other-worldly quality fits the character so perfectly that her thespian limitations are well disguised. It's entrancing in every sense.
On the DVD: Bell, Book and Candle's vibrant Technicolor explodes from the screen in this DVD release, which is enhanced for 16:9 widescreen televisions. Everything looks fresh and new--particularly the exotic nightclub scenes--and the mono soundtrack has lasted well. Extras include selected filmographies and original trailers, and detailed background in the booklet notes. --Piers Ford
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DVD Special Features
Trailers
Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish.
Subtitles: Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norweigan, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish.
98 minutes feature run time.
Trailers
Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish.
Subtitles: Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norweigan, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish.
98 minutes feature run time.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Boy meets girl. Girl is actually a witch. Boy dumps fiancee. Boy and girl fall in love. Boy finds out that girl put a spell on him. Let the fireworks begin.
That's the basic plot of "Bell Book and Candle," which tackled the funny witchy-romance story long before Samantha or Sabrina existed, and with more humour and polish than either. It's just a cute romance with a unique twist, a cute cat, and meddling sorcery.
It's Christmastime, and Manhattan witch Gillian Holroyd (Kim Novak) is in a rut. Then she meets hunky publisher Shepherd (James Stewart), who is engaged to her old college nemesis. So with the assistance of her cat Pyewacket, she casts a spell to make Shep fall madly in love with her, and drop backstabbing Merle (Janice Rule). Itr works like a... well, like a charm.
But things start to go wrong when Gil's aunt Queenie (Elsa Lanchester) and her pal Nicky (Jack Lemmon) start talking to a bestselling author on witchcraft -- who decides to write a book on the Manhattan witches. What's worse, Gil is falling in love with Shep -- which means her powers will vanish -- and decides to tell him the truth about the love spell.
"Bell Book and Candle" is not really a romantic comedy, so much as a romance movie with some funny characters. And of course there's a low-key fantasy angle -- basically all the witches and warlocks do is cast a few spells, honk car horns, and occasionally boil something in a cauldron. (Hermione Gingold as a showy old witch)
James Stewart tried out whimsy in the delightful "Harvey," where he's a man who claims to have a companion pooka. He plays the opposite side in "Bell Book and Candle" -- he's the victim of magic weirdness rather than the source. Kim Novak gives a chilly, otherworldly performance as a sophisticated witch. Expect weird romantic sparks to fly.
The plot does come slightly unwound in the last act, after Shep takes his love spell cure (his face as he drinks the potion is the funniest scene of the movie) and leaves the building. But it winds itself back up for a satisfactory finale. It also benefits from snappy dialogue that lasts from the first to the last scene ("That girl you know, Gillian Holroyd -- she's one." "A witch? Shep, you just never learned to spell")
All this "Bell Book and Candle" business creates a charming romance, with solid acting, great script, a dash of humor and newt's liver. Enchanting.
That's the basic plot of "Bell Book and Candle," which tackled the funny witchy-romance story long before Samantha or Sabrina existed, and with more humour and polish than either. It's just a cute romance with a unique twist, a cute cat, and meddling sorcery.
It's Christmastime, and Manhattan witch Gillian Holroyd (Kim Novak) is in a rut. Then she meets hunky publisher Shepherd (James Stewart), who is engaged to her old college nemesis. So with the assistance of her cat Pyewacket, she casts a spell to make Shep fall madly in love with her, and drop backstabbing Merle (Janice Rule). Itr works like a... well, like a charm.
But things start to go wrong when Gil's aunt Queenie (Elsa Lanchester) and her pal Nicky (Jack Lemmon) start talking to a bestselling author on witchcraft -- who decides to write a book on the Manhattan witches. What's worse, Gil is falling in love with Shep -- which means her powers will vanish -- and decides to tell him the truth about the love spell.
"Bell Book and Candle" is not really a romantic comedy, so much as a romance movie with some funny characters. And of course there's a low-key fantasy angle -- basically all the witches and warlocks do is cast a few spells, honk car horns, and occasionally boil something in a cauldron. (Hermione Gingold as a showy old witch)
James Stewart tried out whimsy in the delightful "Harvey," where he's a man who claims to have a companion pooka. He plays the opposite side in "Bell Book and Candle" -- he's the victim of magic weirdness rather than the source. Kim Novak gives a chilly, otherworldly performance as a sophisticated witch. Expect weird romantic sparks to fly.
The plot does come slightly unwound in the last act, after Shep takes his love spell cure (his face as he drinks the potion is the funniest scene of the movie) and leaves the building. But it winds itself back up for a satisfactory finale. It also benefits from snappy dialogue that lasts from the first to the last scene ("That girl you know, Gillian Holroyd -- she's one." "A witch? Shep, you just never learned to spell")
All this "Bell Book and Candle" business creates a charming romance, with solid acting, great script, a dash of humor and newt's liver. Enchanting.
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This charming romantic comedy is set in the world of modern day (1958) witches in New York City. Gillian Holroyd (Kim Novak), art dealer, bohemian, and witch, is attracted to her upstairs (mortal) neighbor, Shep Henderson (James Stewart). With the help of her cat familiar, Gillian casts a love spell on the straitlaced Shep; he is immediately besotted and breaks his engagement to another woman. Gillian likes a lot him, but knows that if a witch falls in love for real, she loses her magic powers. Does she dare give up her witchy ways? Will he love her without magic?
Stewart is very sweet and likeable as the buttoned-down publisher, but this is Kim Novak's movie all the way. She's adorably and seductively mysterious, with her velvety voice, haunting gazes, and stunning wardrobe of red and black. There is no silly hocus-pocus or levitating of objects; they aren't necessary. We believe Gillian is a witch from the start, and her desire to be vulnerable is touching. Novak and Stewart teamed up romantically in another movie that year, "Vertigo," and they look just great together. This is a lightweight fantasy (shades of "Bewitched") with beautiful stars, a sweet romance, and a remarkably talented Siamese cat!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
One of the most under-rated movies of all time. A sublime cast headed by Kim Novak and James Stewart, with great cameos from Jack Lemmon, Ernie Kovacs and, especially, the inimitable Hermione Gingold as head witch Mrs De Pass. A Christmas film that makes perfect viewing all-year-round. Send a copy to everyone you can think of!!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Bell Book & Candle dvd
This film happens to be one of my all time favourites! Having seen it in the cinema many years ago, I was thrilled when I saw the dvd was available and all I needed to know was... Read more
Published 16 days ago by Mrs. K. J. Mills
Exceptional Entertainment!
Bell, Book and Candle is one of the most enjoyable romantic comedy I have ever seen. It's a basic fantasy romantic comedy on the surface but under the predictable formula are few... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Janis Livens
Great Movie
First saw this years ago on TV.
Definately worth the price on DVD.
James Stewart is of course superb with the stunning Kim Novak and young Jack Lemmon adding... Read more
Definately worth the price on DVD.
James Stewart is of course superb with the stunning Kim Novak and young Jack Lemmon adding... Read more
Published 7 months ago by CookeyUK1947
Great
Well I was absolutly surprised at how well the dvd was, it was brand new, very happy with the condition.
Published 10 months ago by missy
Past films
I have a recording of this film from TV .
The DVD gives far better clarity.
The delivery was very prompt.
Great
The DVD gives far better clarity.
The delivery was very prompt.
Great
Published 14 months ago by Dr A J Wilkinson
Enchanting
A bit sedate, but then romantic-comedy films of that era very often were. A bewitching Kim Novak, to my mind, outshone her co-actors and, overall, this was good, clean (if not... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Nostalgia
a young Kim tells you why she became so charming and famous
Kim's play and face are just the movie...I won't say else. I was bewitched when I saw it and I was a child... still bewichted, what I say? more and more
Published 18 months ago by Santi
Bell, Book and Candle
A classic romantic, magic- and magical- comedy. Kim Novak and Jimmy Stewart deploy all their charm in a tale of modern witchcraft in New York. Read more
Published on 12 July 2009 by Peter Ceresole
BBC
One of James Stewart's many classics with very good support from Kim Novak and excellent support from Jack Lemmon, (when he was still viewed as a comedian), and Ernie Kovaks.
Published on 27 Mar 2009 by Mr. P. Bolt
bell,book and candle
Anyone who wishes to see an old fashioned, beautifully crafted and well acted film movie. With quirky,of beat humour, this is the one to see. Read more
Published on 10 Feb 2009 by Colleen A. Firth
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