The Good Witch (2008) (TV)

Director:

Craig Pryce

Writer:

Rod Spence (written by)

Release Date:

18 January 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Family

Plot:

A mysterious woman comes in to town and inhabits the local haunted mansion, making everyone wonder if she's a witch or "The Grey Lady". |

Plot Keywords:

Witch | Father Son Relationship | Bully | Vandalism | Dog

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Catherine Bell	...	Cassandra Nightingale
Chris Potter	...	Jake Russell
Catherine Disher	...	Martha Tinsdale
Peter MacNeill	...	George O'Hanrahan
Allan Royal	...	Walter Cobb
Matthew Knight	...	Brandon Russell
Paula Boudreau	...	Nancy Perkins
Hannah Endicott-Douglas	...	Lori Russell
Jesse Bostick	...	Kyle
Noah Cappe	...	Deputy Derek Sanders
Murray Oliver	...	Bill Perkins
Alexander De Jordy	...	Dillon Tinsdale
Paul Miller	...	Mayor Tom Tinsdale
Nathan McLeod	...	Michael Tinsdale
Aaron Berg	...	Rusty

Runtime:

USA:89 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Dundas, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Whizbang Films Inc.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Cassie gives George a pendant containing what she calls a shamrock however, it holds a four-leaf clover. The shamrock, a traditional symbol of Ireland, has only three leaves. It was used to explain the concept of The Trinity by St. Patrick.

Movie Connections:

Followed by The Good Witch's Garden (2009) (TV)

My kind of movie

I'll admit, I was predisposed to like this movie -- Catherine Bell and Chris Potter, two of TV's most telegenic actors, and two of my favorites, in the same feel-good family movie -- what could be better! (The grandfather and granddaughter are particularly well-cast as well.)

Although the script follows a typical stranger-in-town plot, combining mystery, conflict, and redemption, the whole thing is very well executed with nary a misstep. The explanations regarding the title character's background make total sense when revealed, and can even let viewers who don't analyze by thinking ahead enjoy a surprise or two.

If TV movies were all there were, I'd rate this a 10, but in the larger context -- after all, it's not "great art" -- I gave it an 8.

(Note: When I originally wrote this comment, the running time for this movie was not yet listed, so I noted here that, as shown on the Hallmark Channel, it runs for 89 minutes, plus commercials to fill out the two-hour time slot. The running time has since been added where it belongs.)