 |  This movie, ostensibly about witchcraft, is largely a thinly veiled reference to pre-stonewall "gay" life in 1950's beatnik New York. "If a witch falls in love with a mortal, she looses all her supernatural powers." Kim Novak is at her absolute best in this cinematic treat. Camille Paglia praises this as one of her favorite movies. From TCM:
"New York City has played host to a lot of esoteric fringe groups over the years so it's not hard to believe that witchcraft covens could thrive in that metropolis. And Bell, Book and Candle (1958), Richard Quine's film version of John Van Druten's popular play, has great fun with the idea that witches could blend in quite easily with the other kooks and weirdos living in the "Big Apple." Kim Novak plays an art shop owner named Gillian who takes a fancy to publisher Shepard Henderson (James Stewart) when he visits her store on Christmas Eve. Shepard quickly finds himself falling under Gillian's spell even though he is engaged to be married to Merle (Janice Rule). Romantic complications ensue before arriving at a happy ending without the aid of sorcery. Along the way we're treated to a picturesque tour of Manhattan, a beguiling music score by George Duning, James Wong Howe's atmospheric Technicolor cinematography and an assortment of oddball characters including Gillian's brother, Mickey (Jack Lemmon), a jazz-loving warlock who agrees to help an alcoholic author (Ernie Kovacs) write a book on witchcraft." |
