Blithe Spirit

Released May 14, 1945

1h 36m

Fantasy

List

77%

22 Reviews

Tomatometer

76%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Skeptical novelist Charles Condomine (Rex Harrison) invites self-proclaimed medium Madame Arcati (Margaret Rutherford) to his home for a séance, hoping to gather material for a new book. When the hapless psychic accidentally summons the spirit of Condomine's late wife, Elvira (Kay Hammond), his home and life are quickly turned into a shambles as his wife's ghost torments both himself and his new bride, Ruth (Constance Cummings). David Lean directed this adaptation of Noel Coward's hit play.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Inasmuch as this is largely a photographed copy of the stage play [by Noel Coward], the camerawork is outstandingly good and helps to put across the credibility of the ghost story more effectively than the flesh and blood performance does.

Nov 6, 2007

Full Review

Time Out

Nifty special effects for the time, and plenty of Coward's inimitable wit and repartee.

Feb 9, 2006

Full Review

Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Worth it just for Margaret Rutherford as a sort of girls' school gamesmistres-style psychic!

Rated: 4/5

Feb 23, 2003

Full Review

Rachel Wagner

Rachel's Reviews (YouTube)

Funny with unique visual effects

Oct 24, 2019

Full Review

Mattie Lucas

From the Front Row

May be a trifle, but it's a glorious trifle, and features one of the great comedic roles in English theatre - the medium Madame Arcati, here memorably embodied by a deliciously batty Margaret Rutherford.

Rated: 3/4

Aug 6, 2019

Full Review

Josh Larsen

LarsenOnFilm

...almost too breezy.

Rated: 3/4

Aug 26, 2018

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michael d

Frightfully fantastic.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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rob b

Subtle, restrained and hilariously funny.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Martin B

Margaret Rutherford stole the movie. Otherwise Rex Harrison was droll, aristocratic and 100% reaction to events. Wife one superficial and unamusing and wife two equally as aristocratic and overly elevated as Harrison's character. The ending about as predictable as you will encounter, unimaginative and leaves the viewer a bit disappointed.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/29/21

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robert p

The remake is *nothing* compared to this original, the remake was laughable at how bad it was, but this is the original and thus the *4* star rating!!!!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Kudos to David Lean! Margaret Rutherford is, as always, a delight! Supporting cast, including Rex Harrison, is wonderful. Loved this movie when I first saw it, and still do, over 50 years later.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

Full Review

joe m

Light and frothy with dialogue that's witty and snappy in that Noel Coward way of an English gentleman (Harrison) who unwittingly summons his first wife (Hammond) back from the beyond, much to the chagrin of his current wife (Cummings). Takes one back to when the Brits were posh and so classy. Lovely country estate setting with great sets. The three leads are all great together. Yet, none holds a candle to the psychic charms of Dame Margaret Rutherford as Madame Arcati. Very enjoyable!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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David Lean

Director

Rex Harrison

Charles Condomine

Constance Cummings

Ruth Condomine

Kay Hammond

Elvira Condomine

Margaret Rutherford

Madame Arcati

Hugh Wakefield

Dr. George Bradman

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Synopsis

Skeptical novelist Charles Condomine (Rex Harrison) invites self-proclaimed medium Madame Arcati (Margaret Rutherford) to his home for a séance, hoping to gather material for a new book. When the hapless psychic accidentally summons the spirit of Condomine's late wife, Elvira (Kay Hammond), his home and life are quickly turned into a shambles as his wife's ghost torments both himself and his new bride, Ruth (Constance Cummings). David Lean directed this adaptation of Noel Coward's hit play.

Director: David Lean
Screenwriter: Noël Coward, Anthony Havelock-Allan, David Lean, Ronald Neame
Distributor: United Artists, Cinema Classics, Classic Pictures Inc.
Production Co: Two Cities Films Ltd., Cineguild
Genre: Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 14, 1945, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 24, 2017
Runtime: 1h 36m
Sound Mix: Mono

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