Bell, Book and Candle

Granted only the first twenty or so minutes really are set during Christmas Eve and Day, nonetheless, “snowy New York” (well sets that mimic New York) is represented well in this wonderful find for the Holiday Season. I actually watched a little bit of this during October but just felt it was better suited for December! So I rightfully waited until tonight to give it a whirl. Jimmy Stewart would go away from romantic leading man status (this, at that time, was a decision receiving mixed response depending on who you might ask) after this, but he’s in fine form. He stars as a successful publisher who has an apartment located near practicing witch Kim Novak (sizzling and fetching) and her “auntie”, Queenie (Elsa Lanchester; her casting had me all giddy), also a witch. Novak’s brother, playing the bongo drums at a club catering to witches and warlocks, called The Zodiac, is Nicky (Jack Lemmon). Nicky likes to cast a spell that turns off the lights on the street of the club. Ernie Kovacs steals all his scenes as an author of the occult who thought he hit it big in Mexico, learning the secrets of witchcraft, although Novak admits that what he wrote was essentially gobbledygook. Kovacs is “lured” to New York to meet with Stewart through a spell as a favor while getting revenge on a rival from college (played by the delicious Janice Rule, who kills it in that green dress when following Stewart to the Zodiac club at his encouragement and curiosity) by Novak. Novak, also out of revenge, uses a love spell to draw Stewart into a fake romance (witches can’t feel love, cry, or even get angry), away from Rule. Stewart dumps Rule on Christmas Day (ouch!) right before the two were going to marry. Stewart as the lovestruck publisher, his happy-go-lucky, aww-shucks departure and retreat from Rule is hilarious while she is left bewildered at his complete turnaround from her. Just all smiles and “oops, sorry”, oblivious to the spell cast on him, while Novak gradually finds herself losing the witch and gaining affection for him. It does play like a May-December romantic comedy. It is so fun to look at and the witches and warlocks in the film aren’t malevolent or sinister at all. In fact Novak is so sexy and alluring, I could see how this lifestyle might be influential. Novak, although remaining quite sullen and a bit melancholy, walking barefoot, mostly in dark colors with her hair style quite modern chic, kept my attention, for sure! I couldn’t take my eyes off her…what a woman. Gillian does question if those feelings ordinary folks have would be worth giving up the powers of a witch, as Queenie and Nicky consider that undesirable. Stewart’s Shep eventually learning of the bewitching and how Gillian does indeed have power over him (and she can work magic to prevent him from things like actually publishing Kovacs book when he gets help from her brother in the true arts of witchcraft), all that reactionary acting cracked me up. Like when he tries to leave the apartment but she has him return to her shop against his will or how her cat, Piwacket, actually draws him back to her before they finally (of course) embrace at the end, wondering if it was always real all along. What makes this so entertaining to me is that those who practice witchcraft aren’t green-faced, pimple-nosed, cackling heretics with cauldrons and a giant spoon. They certainly are deprived of specific human emotions that are considered quite meaningful in life, but their lifestyles are at least in the film more attractive and less eerie. Maybe that is just the lust talking because of Novak…I know I was bewitched! ****/*****

*I almost failed to mention Hermoine Gingold as the flamboyant witch, Bianca, who Stewart goes to in his time of need, as she spends plenty of time at the Zodiac describing performance art on the club's stage or promoting the work of her "kind" and lifestyle. She has the house out of the city that could very well pass for the old school witch's habitation. Her parrot, colorful attire and personality, and superior powers make for a fun alternative to Novak. She's quite chatty and is quite the opposite of the miserable Novak...she loves being a witch. Queenie is similar to Bianca in certain ways, especially in enjoying who they are instead of lamenting being a witch.