IMDb > Bell Book and Candle (1958)
Bell Book and Candle
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Bell Book and Candle (1958) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
6.8/10   3,170 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 9% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
John Van Druten (play)
Daniel Taradash (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for Bell Book and Candle on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
January 1959 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
A bewitching comedy about an enchanting subject!
Plot:
A modern-day witch likes her neighbor but despises his fiancee, so she enchants him to love her instead... only to fall in love with him for real. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 nominations more
NewsDesk:
User Comments:
Bewitching Romantic Comedy -- Sunday Afternoon Delight! more (66 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

James Stewart ... Shepherd 'Shep' Henderson

Kim Novak ... Gillian 'Gil' Holroyd

Jack Lemmon ... Nicky Holroyd

Ernie Kovacs ... Sidney Redlitch
Hermione Gingold ... Bianca de Passe

Elsa Lanchester ... Aunt Queenie Holroyd
Janice Rule ... Merle Kittridge
Philippe Clay ... French Singer at the Zodiac Club
Bek Nelson ... Tina - Shep's Secretary
Howard McNear ... Andy White - Shep's Co-Publisher
The Brothers Candoli ... Musicians at the Zodiac Club
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Bell, Book and Candle (USA) (poster title)
more
Runtime:
106 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Sound Mix:
Stereo (RCA Sound Recording)
Certification:
Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:Approved (PCA #19072) | USA:PG (TV rating) | Finland:S | UK:U | West Germany:12

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The play opened on Broadway in New York City on 11/14/50 and closed on 6/2/51 after 233 performances. The opening-night cast consisted of Rex Harrison as Shepherd Henderson, Lilli Palmer as Gillian Holroyd, Jean Adair as Miss Queeny Holroyd, Larry Gates as Sidney Redlitch and Scott McKay as Nicky Holroyd. There were no other characters in the play. more
Goofs:
Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): In the scene in which Gil makes a pot of tea, she puts six or seven spoons of loose black tea into a small two-cup pot. This would result in tea as thick as tar and about as palatable. more
Quotes:
Shepherd 'Shep' Henderson: That girl you know, Gillian Holroyd, she's one.
Merle Kittridge: A witch?
Shepherd 'Shep' Henderson: Yes!
Merle Kittridge: Shep, you just never learned to spell.
more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
Deck the Halls more

FAQ

Why would Nicky offer to expose himself as a warlock to Sidney Redlitch?
Is "Bell Book and Candle" based on a book?
How does the movie end?
more
15 out of 24 people found the following comment useful.
Bewitching Romantic Comedy -- Sunday Afternoon Delight!, 28 November 2004
Author: mdm-11 from United States

Kim Novac is wonderful as the 'good witch' falling in love with mortal James Stewart. The special treat with this film is that there is a complete 'underground society' (literally) of witches and warlocks, of whom we get to know Elsa Lanchester and Jack Lemon, both recommending Kim Novak quickly forget her romance with the mortal man.

This film is a visual feast with some tidbits of 1950s Jazz music in the score. Complete with black cat, spell-book and magic tricks. Who can blame Jimmy Stewart for falling for Kim Novak's spell? The International cast of supporting actors includes an authentic Parisian Night Club Act, as well as the ultra-eccentric Hermione Gingold (of Gigi/Moulin Rouge fame). Elsa Lancaster is an absolute delight as the intuition-plagued Auntie Queenie. Don't miss this bewitching piece of light entertainment!

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (66 total)

Message Boards

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The Christmas Tree jessicaviscariello
French song performed in the Zodiac cajundancr
What is the music and who performs it in the Zodiac Club? boliver-4
Does anyone know... le-fantome
That poor cat!!! shaun_sayre
theme song this_side_of_paradise
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