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IMDbPro

Blithe Spirit

  • 1945
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
7.4K
YOUR RATING
Blithe Spirit (1945)
Official Trailer
Play trailer2:28
1 Video
92 Photos
ComedyFantasy

A man and his second wife are haunted by the ghost of his first wife.A man and his second wife are haunted by the ghost of his first wife.A man and his second wife are haunted by the ghost of his first wife.

  • Director
    • David Lean
  • Writers
    • David Lean
    • Ronald Neame
    • Anthony Havelock-Allan
  • Stars
    • Rex Harrison
    • Constance Cummings
    • Kay Hammond
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    7.4K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • David Lean
    • Writers
      • David Lean
      • Ronald Neame
      • Anthony Havelock-Allan
    • Stars
      • Rex Harrison
      • Constance Cummings
      • Kay Hammond
    • 81User reviews
    • 54Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 1 win & 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    Blithe Spirit
    Trailer 2:28
    Watch Blithe Spirit

    Photos92

    In Which We Serve (1942)
    Rex Harrison and Margaret Rutherford in Blithe Spirit (1945)
    Rex Harrison and Kay Hammond in Blithe Spirit (1945)
    Rex Harrison, Constance Cummings, and Kay Hammond in Blithe Spirit (1945)
    Rex Harrison, Constance Cummings, and Kay Hammond in Blithe Spirit (1945)
    Rex Harrison in Blithe Spirit (1945)
    Rex Harrison in Blithe Spirit (1945)
    Rex Harrison and Margaret Rutherford in Blithe Spirit (1945)
    Constance Cummings and Kay Hammond in Blithe Spirit (1945)
    Jacqueline Clarke in Blithe Spirit (1945)
    Jacqueline Clarke and Margaret Rutherford in Blithe Spirit (1945)
    Jacqueline Clarke in Blithe Spirit (1945)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Rex Harrison
    Rex Harrison
    • Charles Condomine
    Constance Cummings
    Constance Cummings
    • Ruth Condomine
    Kay Hammond
    Kay Hammond
    • Elvira Condomine
    Margaret Rutherford
    Margaret Rutherford
    • Madame Arcati
    Hugh Wakefield
    Hugh Wakefield
    • Dr. George Bradman
    Joyce Carey
    Joyce Carey
    • Violet Bradman
    Jacqueline Clarke
    Jacqueline Clarke
    • Edith
    • (as Jaqueline Clarke)
    Marie Ault
    Marie Ault
    • Cook
    • (uncredited)
    Noël Coward
    Noël Coward
    • Narrator
    • (uncredited)
    Johnnie Schofield
    • R.A.C. Man Directing Traffic
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • David Lean
    • Writers
      • David Lean
      • Ronald Neame
      • Anthony Havelock-Allan
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Writer and director Sir 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, make-up, 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.
    • Goofs
      After the séance when Elvira first appears, she flops onto the settee by the fire. As her dress billows, it can be seen that the green ghostly make up ends half way up her leg, showing normal skin above the make up line.
    • Quotes

      Charles Condomine: It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit.

    • Crazy credits
      The voice at the end of the credits page that utters, "We are quite, quite WRONG!" is Noël Coward's.
    • Connections
      Featured in Truly Miss Marple: The Curious Case of Margaret Rutherford (2012)
    • Soundtracks
      Always
      (uncredited)

      Written by Irving Berlin

      Sung by Jacqueline Clarke

    User reviews81

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Ectoplasmic!
    I taped this from UK Channel 4 on 20th Dec '90 - it has a better soundtrack than the admittedly budget DVD from Carlton. The Technicolor is still sumptuous, clever and thought-provoking however and overall it doesn't need remastering - just turn the volume up! Noel Coward's witty play transferred to the ghastly green screen perfectly, in 1945 it was as wildly old-fashioned as "Brief Encounter" was in 1936 on stage as "Still Life". But same as that film and almost everything Coward did from the '20's to the '40's, it remains eminently watchable and a riveting experience.

    Basically Rex Harrison's dead 1st wife is summoned back in a séance to the "real world" much to his and his 2nd wife's consternation. A marvellous cast mainly depicting erudite and splendidly eccentric English so-called "middle-class" - because they had to work for a living hence they were all highly paid working class - an amusing concept Coward would have violently and amusingly disagreed with. Margaret Rutherford takes the prize for the most eccentric performance as ever flailing never failing Madame Arcati the lively spiritualist. The dialogue is urbane, brisk and witty throughout, so a thorough knowledge of English language and English customs up to 1945 is essential to getting the most from this.

    That can also mean that although it helps you don't have to be English and live in England to enjoy it. A previous non-blithe commenter with apparently no sense of humour from the UK displayed a complete non-understanding, non-interest and non-acceptance of anything British and must desire complete separation from anything to do with Britain - probably apart from the passport. What would the ghosts of 1945 say if they could come back today and realise that a classic such as this can be dismissed so negatively?
    helpful•47
    11
    • Spondonman
    • Jan 15, 2006

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    FAQ6

    • What is 'Blithe Spirit' about?
    • Is 'Blithe Spirit' based on a book?
    • What does 'blithe' mean?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 3, 1945 (Canada)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Noel Coward's 'Blithe Spirit'
    • Filming locations
      • The Green, Wooburn Green, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, UK(Madame Arcati on her bike)
    • Production companies
      • Two Cities Films
      • Noel Coward-Cineguild
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 36 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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