I Married a Witch (1942)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

René Clair

Writers:

Thorne Smith (story)
Norman Matson (story)

Release Date:

30 October 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Horror | Romance

Tagline:

She's a witch (and we do mean witch) who gets what she wants with hex appeal!

Plot:

A beautiful 17th-century witch returns to life to plague politician Wallace Wooley, descendant of her persecutor.

Plot Keywords:

Witch | Wedding | Puritan | Potion | Hospital

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Fredric March	...	Jonathan Wooley / Nathaniel Wooley / Samuel Wooley / Wallace Wooley
Veronica Lake	...	Jennifer
Robert Benchley	...	Dr. Dudley White
Susan Hayward	...	Estelle Masterson
Cecil Kellaway	...	Daniel
Elizabeth Patterson	...	Margaret
Robert Warwick	...	J.B. Masterson

Runtime:

77 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | UK:U (re-rating) (2006) | Finland:S | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #8351) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Company:

Rene Clair Productions

Trivia:

Several cast members listed in studio records did not appear in the movie. These were (with their character names): Reed Hadley (Young Man), Jan Buckingham (Young Woman), Florence Gill (Woman Playing Chess) and Walter Soderling (Man Playing Chess).

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The film opens with a scene of Puritans in the Massachusetts colony burning witches. No-one was ever burned for witchcraft in America. The accused witches of Salem, Massachusetts, and its environs were hanged, with the exception of Giles Corey, who was pressed to death with rocks.

Quotes:

Daniel: Pistol, pistol, let there be/Murder in the first degree

Movie Connections:

Featured in Monsterama Sci-Fi Late Night Creature Feature Show Vol. 1 (1996) (V)

Soundtrack:

A Hot Time in the Old Town

Whimsical comedy with wonderful Lake...wooden March...

Veronica Lake and Cecil Kellaway seem to get into the spirit of this whimsical comedy about witchcraft--while Fredric March (who reportedly disliked working with Lake whom he considered an inferior actress) does not come off well in comedy. Lake plays a witch whose ancestors burned her at the stake 300 years ago. March is engaged to Susan Hayward, but with the entry of Lake into his life, everything goes haywire. March is a gubernatorial candidate whose election to office is threatened by Lake's dexterity with broomstick magic.

Based on an unfinished novel by Thorne Smith (creator of "Topper"), the film emerges as a screwball romantic comedy well directed by Rene Clair and benefits from some good trick photography. The video print I have is on the murky side--I'm sure the original print featured better overall photography than the video version. With a cast that includes Robert Benchley among the supporting players, this is a comedy treat ideal for viewing on Halloween.

Warning: More enjoyable if the print quality is good!