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Blithe Spirit (1945)

96 min  -  Comedy | Drama | Fantasy   -  14 May 1945 (UK)
7.1
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Ratings: 7.1/10 from 1,971 users  
Reviews: 46 user | 22 critic

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), and 3 more credits »
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Won Oscar. Another 1 nomination See more awards »
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Cast

Complete credited cast:
Rex Harrison ...
Constance Cummings Constance Cummings ...
Kay Hammond Kay Hammond ...
Margaret Rutherford Margaret Rutherford ...
Hugh Wakefield Hugh Wakefield ...
Joyce Carey Joyce Carey ...
Jacqueline Clarke Jacqueline Clarke ...
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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. Written by Colin Tinto <cst@imdb.com>  

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Ghost | Medium | Author | Empty Chair | Convertible  | See more »

Taglines:

One Wife Too Many

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

(UK) See more »

Also Known As:

Noel Coward's 'Blithe Spirit' See more »

Company Credits

Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

David Lean and cinematographer Ronald Neame decided not to use double exposure to create Elvira's ghostly appearances. Instead, Lean created an enormous set that allowed Kay Hammond to move freely in each shot. Hammond wore fluorescent green clothes, makeup, and a wig, with bright red lipstick and fingernail polish. Each time she moved, a special light would be directed on her, allowing her figure to glow even in dimly-lit scenes, and giving her an otherworldly appearance. See more »

Goofs

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): After requesting, and drinking "Dry Martinis" the liquid in the glasses is distinctly brown instead of clear. See more »

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!
See more »

Connections

References Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) See more »

Soundtracks

"Always"
Written by Irving Berlin See more »