Bell, Book and Candle

Released Oct 26, 1958

1h 43m

Comedy

List

76%

17 Reviews

Tomatometer

66%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In the late 1950s, Gillian Holroyd (Kim Novak) is a modern-day witch living in New York City's Greenwich Village. When she encounters charming publisher Shepherd Henderson (James Stewart), she decides to make him hers by casting a love spell. Gillian takes added pleasure in doing so because Henderson is engaged to her old college rival (Janice Rule). However, Gillian finds herself actually falling for Shepherd, which poses a problem: She will lose her powers if she falls in love.

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Audience Member

A really good one here with James Stewart and Kim Novak. Yes I recommend this one James Welch, Henderson, Arkansas September 22, 2023.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/22/23

Full Review

Matthew D

Mesmerizing cat eyes and magic spellcasting with a cute romance! Director Richard Quine's fantasy romantic comedy Bell, Book, and Candle (1958) is wonderful. I particularly found Kim Novak's forlorn witch spellbinding. Her beauty and elegance charm with a performance that is equally enchanting and moving. Quine's direction captures the imagination with cool witch hexes, cute cat shots, and sweet romantic gestures. Original writer John Van Druten's story is fantastic with a bored witch falling in love with a human man. I appreciate how the story wants them together under normal tenderness and affection without the lover's spell being cast still on James Stewart's bumbling lover. The empathy writer Daniel Taradash gives to Kim Novak's witch heroine Gil is wonderful. James Stewart is excellent as the non-believer book publisher Shep Henderson. He's a nice love interest for Novak because he plays the spellbound lover a bit well. Jack Lemmon is funny as the bongo playing nightclub warlock Nicky Holroyd. Him turning out street lights and putting on a sinister grin is fun. Ernie Kovacs is fascinating as the author Sidney Redlitch, who is interested in witches and warlocks in New York. Kim Novak is gorgeous and endearing as the lovable, lonely witch Gil Holroyd. Her petting the adorable cat Pyewacket and yearning for James Stewart with her cat eyes is enchanting. Novak can play the alluring femme fatale, the playful flirt, and the devastating depressed woman seeking excitement and love in life. Elsa Lanchester is a scream with her zealous giggle and constant meddling as the naughty witch Aunt Queenie Holroyd. Janice Rule plays the stern busybody girlfriend of Stewart's named Merle Kittridge. She plays mean well. Hermione Gingold is great as the older witch gossip Bianca De Pass. Editor Charles Nelson has these smooth cuts to keep you engaged within scenes and creates a brisk pace. 106 minutes passed by like 20 for me. Cinematographer James Wong Howe shoots with startlingly smooth and refined panning shots. His close-up shots of Kim Novak and Pyewacket's eyes are mesmerizing. Cary Odell's art direction creates a cozy home and seedy jazz nightclub with wondrous magic spell effects. The green flame, light dousing, and eyeball focus shots are neat. Set decorator Louis Diage's set decoration is miraculous as I wish I could live in Novak's apartment slash witch artifact shop. Composer George Duning's film score is dreamy with romantic melodies and stunning orchestration. I really loved the romance theme and the cool spells. Costume designer Jean Louis crafted dazzling backless gowns, leopard shawls, black leather gloves fitted for Kim Novak's voluptuous figure. I think Bell, Book, and Candle has some of the prettiest outfits in Old Hollywood pictures. In all, Bell, Book, and Candle is marvelous with resplendent effects, cute cat, quirky parrot, amusing humor, cool witchcraft, compelling acting, sterling direction, and an intriguing romance.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/07/23

Full Review

Farah R

Bell, Book, and Candle is a funny and pleasant romantic comedy owing to Jimmy Stewart, Kim Novak, and Jack Lemon's performances.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/20/23

Full Review

Vicky M

This movie is so funny. Jimmy Stewart, Jack Lemmon, and Kim Novak play their typical characters and the result is hilarious. I've seen this movie several times and have been waiting for it to be on tv again. I'm so happy that I only have to wait a week. Thank you, TCM!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/18/22

Full Review

robert p

I know this movie is based on fantasy, but how could a gal that looks like her fall in love with Jimmy Stewart? Thus I degraded the film to *3 and 1/2* star rating!!!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

lanfranco c

The real magic is Love

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

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Richard Quine

Director

James Stewart

Shep Henderson

Kim Novak

Gil Holroyd

Jack Lemmon

Nicky Holroyd

Ernie Kovacs

Sidney Redlitch

Hermione Gingold

Bianca de Passe

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

Is 1958’s Bell Book and Candle the greatest Christmas-set supernatural rom-com ever made?

Rated: 4/4

Dec 14, 2023

Full Review

George Bourke

Miami Herald

Director Richard Quine has extracted a lot of laugh-filled moments from all this nonsense.

Aug 19, 2021

Full Review

Michael Sragow

New Yorker

Stewart, playing the foil, deserves better material, and the movie's midsection is perfunctory. But the fun quotient is high ...

Apr 20, 2015

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Director Richard Quine gives the witches an almost beatnik sensibility, a real Greenwich Village subculture hanging out in underground clubs and smart curio shops.

Sep 10, 2022

Full Review

Florence Epstein

Modern Screen

Kim's no ordinary witch; and the movie itself has a delightfully magical air.

Jan 14, 2021

Full Review

Clyde Gilmour

Maclean's Magazine

On the screen, it retains some funny moments but suffers gravely from the inadequacies of Kim Novak in the central role...

Nov 14, 2019

Full Review

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Synopsis

In the late 1950s, Gillian Holroyd (Kim Novak) is a modern-day witch living in New York City's Greenwich Village. When she encounters charming publisher Shepherd Henderson (James Stewart), she decides to make him hers by casting a love spell. Gillian takes added pleasure in doing so because Henderson is engaged to her old college rival (Janice Rule). However, Gillian finds herself actually falling for Shepherd, which poses a problem: She will lose her powers if she falls in love.

Director: Richard Quine
Screenwriter: John Van Druten, Daniel Taradash
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Phoenix Pictures, Columbia Pictures Corporation
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 26, 1958, Original
Release Date (DVD): Mar 28, 2000
Runtime: 1h 43m
Sound Mix: Stereo
Aspect Ratio: 35mm, Flat (1.85:1)

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