Bell, Book and Candle
US (1958): Comedy
John Van Druten's literally bewitching stage comedy Bell Book and Candle starred Rex Harrison and Lilli Palmer on Broadway. The 1958 version stars James Stewart and Kim Novak, fresh from their successful teaming in Hitchcock's Vertigo. While arguably not in Harrison and Palmer's league, Stewart and Novak work together beautifully, instilling a great deal of credibility in Van Druten's incredible storyline. Novak plays Gillian Holroyd, a genuine, bonafide witch. Falling in love with publisher Sheperd Henderson (Stewart), Gillian casts a spell on him, obliging him to dump his fiancee and rush to her side. All of this goes against the grain of Gillian's Endora-like mentor Mrs. De Pass (Hermione Gingold), who does her best to counterract the love spell. Meanwhile, Gillian's wacky warlock brother Nicky (Jack Lemmon) courts disaster by coauthoring a book on black magic with pompous, bibulous novelist Sidney Redlitch (Ernie Kovacs). With Novak, Lemmon, and Kovacs on hand, Bell Book and Candle is virtually the definitive late-1950s Columbia production: attractively produced, smoothly paced and adroitly acted. Adapted for the screen by Daniel Tadarash, the film was a major success in 1958; if it doesn't play as well today, it may be because its novelty value has been blunted by endless reruns of "Bewitched." Richard Quine directs. (Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide)
2 nominations
· Art Direction/Set Decoration 1958: Cary Odell - Art Direction, Louis Diage - Set Decoration
· Costume Design 1958: Jean Louis