Blithe Spirit (1945)

Adapted from a play by Noel Coward, Charles and his second wife Ruth, are haunted by the ghost of his first wife, Elvira. Medium Madame Arcati tries to help things out by contacting the ghost.

Director:

David Lean

Writers:

David Lean (adapted for the screen by), Ronald Neame (adapted for the screen by),

Stars:

Rex Harrison, Constance Cummings, Kay Hammond

Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Rex Harrison	...	Charles Condomine
Constance Cummings	...	Ruth Condomine
Kay Hammond	...	Elvira Condomine
Margaret Rutherford	...	Madame Arcati
Hugh Wakefield	...	Dr. George Bradman
Joyce Carey	...	Violet Bradman
Jacqueline Clarke	...	Edith (as Jaqueline Clarke)

Storyline

Adapted from a play by Noel Coward, Charles and his second wife Ruth, are haunted by the ghost of his first wife, Elvira. Medium Madame Arcati tries to help things out by contacting the ghost.

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Plot Keywords:

ghost | medium | author | ectoplasm | dinner party | 

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Taglines:

One Wife Too Many

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 May 1945 (UK)

Also Known As:

Uma Mulher do Outro Mundo

Filming Locations:

D&P Studios, Denham Studios, Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Two Cities Films, Noel Coward-Cineguild

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Margaret Rutherford and Kay Hammond played Madame Arcati and Elvira, respectively, in the original West End production. Jacqueline Clarke played Edith in the original Broadway production.

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Goofs

When Ruth leaves Charles and Elvira to go to bed, the camera pulls back into the drawing room, the door closes, and in the gloss paintwork the ghostly reflection of the crew can be seen.

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Quotes

[first lines]
words on a Victorian sampler: "When we are young / We read and believe / The most fantastic things. / When we are older / We learn with regret / That these things cannot be"
Narrator: We are quite, quite wrong!

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits: When we are young We read and believe The most Fanastic Things When we grow older and wiser We learn, with perhaps a little regret, That these things can never be.

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Connections

Version of Geisterkomödie - Eine unwahrscheinliche Komödie (1965)

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Soundtracks

"Always"
(uncredited)
Written by Irving Berlin
Sung by Jacqueline Clarke

User Reviews

A refreshing and humorous movie

This is one of my favorite movies.

Margaret Rutherford comes from a time in movie history when character actors added significant interest to the plot. And she was one of the very best. Rex Harrison has an everyman appeal,no matter what his role he is credible.

This story is charming,straightforward and unique.

Unlike half of the current movie plots today coming from Hollywood this is original.

It proves that good story lines will stand the test of time. It has humor,with a simple story line,and the strong directing,and acting carries it through.

It has more grace that some movies coming out of Hollywood today. Which is why I watch it again and again.