Bewitched (2005)

Thinking he can overshadow an unknown actress in the part, an egocentric actor unknowingly gets a witch cast in an upcoming television remake of the classic sitcom Bewitched (1964).

Director:

Nora Ephron

Writers:

Nora Ephron, Delia Ephron

Stars:

Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Shirley MacLaine

2 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nicole Kidman	...	Isabel Bigelow / Samantha
Will Ferrell	...	Jack Wyatt / Darrin
Shirley MacLaine	...	Iris Smythson / Endora
Michael Caine	...	Nigel Bigelow
Jason Schwartzman	...	Ritchie
Kristin Chenoweth	...	Maria Kelly
Heather Burns	...	Nina
Jim Turner	...	Larry
Stephen Colbert	...	Stu Robison
David Alan Grier	...	Jim Fields
Michael Badalucco	...	Joey Props
Carole Shelley	...	Aunt Clara
Steve Carell	...	Uncle Arthur
Katie Finneran	...	Sheila Wyatt
James Lipton	...	James Lipton

Storyline

Out in California's San Fernando Valley, Isabel is trying to reinvent herself. A naïve, good-natured witch, she is determined to disavow her supernatural powers and lead a normal life. At the same time, across town, Jack Wyatt, a tall, charming actor is trying to get his career back on track. He sets his sights on an updated version of the beloved situation comedy Bewitched (1964), re-conceived as a starring vehicle for him in the role of the mere-mortal Darrin. Fate steps in when Jack accidentally runs into Isabel. He is immediately attracted to her and her nose, which bears an uncanny resemblance to the nose of Elizabeth Montgomery, who played Samantha on Bewitched (1964). He becomes convinced she could play Samantha in his new series. Isabel is also taken with Jack, seeing him as the quintessential mortal man with whom she can settle down and lead the normal life she so desires. It turns out they're both right, but in ways neither of them ever imagined.

---

Plot Keywords:

watching tv | neo screwball comedy | flying broomstick | witch | actor | 

---

Taglines:

Be warned. Be ready.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some language, including sex and drug references, and partial nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Columbia Tristar [France] Sony Pictures [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

24 June 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bewitched

Filming Locations:

510 S Lucerne Blvd., Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$85,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$20,131,130, 26 June 2005

Gross USA:

$63,313,159

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$131,426,169

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Red Wagon Entertainment, Bewitched

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie was originally planned as a traditional television-to-movie adaptation, directed by Ted Bessell (Donald on That Girl (1966)). The movie property was in pre-production with producer and director Penny Marshall's team at Paramount Pictures in the mid 1990s. Marshall first hired former Laverne & Shirley (1976) staff writer Monica Johnson to come up with a script. Eventually, Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)) took a crack at the story, as did Broadway playwright Douglas Carter Beane. His 1996 stage reading cast Melanie Griffith as Samantha, and was supposed to be a vehicle to revive Griffith's career. After the sudden and unexpected death of Mr. Bessell from an aortic aneurysm on October 6, 1996, all Bewitched theatrical movie plans were halted until Penny Marshall teamed with producers Lucy Fisher and Douglas Wick's Red Wagon Entertainment at Sony and Columbia Pictures.

---

Goofs

When Isabelle is shopping in Bed, Bath & Beyond and is talking to her father, she selects and adds one brand of pizza cutter to her cart but then selects and adds another brand as well.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Isabel Bigelow: [Outside a house at which Isabel has just landed and made available for rent, furnished, with an open house today] It's perfect!
Realtor: Oh, great!
Isabel Bigelow: I'll take it.

---

Connections

References I Dream of Jeannie (1965)

---

Soundtracks

R.C.4
Written by Max Weinberg and Jimmy Vivino (as James Vivino)
Performed by Max Weinberg and The Max Weinberg 7
Courtesy of Brass Ring Music and Vivino Bros. Music

User Reviews

It had so much potential...

It had so much potential... but they really blew it. They had so many great actors but a bad script. I had wanted to see this movie for so long because I had loved the TV show. And while I was sitting there I was waiting for moment where I thought it would get better but it never came. It seemed to go downhill with every passing moment. The movie dragged and dragged on. Shirley McLaine and Michael Caine's story was never resolved and the appearance of Uncle Arthur was forced and ridiculous. Aunt Clara was also another character that just wasn't written well at all. The special effects were done well but there wasn't enough of them...and considering this was about a witch, I expected more. If you loved the TV show, then you will be disappointed. If you never watched the TV show, you will be clueless and completely bored. The only good thing... Nicole Kidman was cute. And her clothes were nice. But cute and nice weren't enough.