Bell, Book And Candle Details

The play on which this spoof of witchcraft films such as Rosemary's Baby is based was a theatre hit for the elegant pairing of Rex Harrison and Lilli Palmer. Although James Stewart and Kim Novak — reunited from the same year's Vertigo — are pleasant enough in this screen version, they are left struggling in a lush but charmless adaptation sadly lacking the right witches' brew. Novak was director Richard Quine's muse (and lover), but both did better work apart, particularly Quine, who also paired this film's co-stars Jack Lemmon and Ernie Kovacs to far better effect in Operation Mad Ball. Still, the Oscar-nominated art direction/set decoration is strikingly effective, there's a fine performance from Pyewacket the cat, and rival witches Hermione Gingold and Elsa Lanchester are good fun.

A gossamer stage comedy has been fatally flattened in translation; most of the actors are miscast, and sentiment soaks the script. But it remains a civilized entertainment.