Product Details

• Actors: Kim Novak James Stewart, Ernie Kovaks, hermione Gingold, Janice Rule, Elsa Lanchester Jack Lemmon
• Directors: Richard Quine
• Producers: Julian Blaustein
• Format: Full Screen, NTSC, Color
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Columbia TriStar Home Video
• Run Time: 103.0 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• ASIN: B000AARQHU
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #267,626 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

BELL, BOOK AND CANDLE is set at Christmastime, New York City, 1958. Gillian Holroyd (Novak) is a young, blonde witch with a passion for primitive art and the study of man. She runs a small primitive art store on the first floor of her apartment building. She longs for a regular life, as it is Christmas Eve and she feels lonely. She watches Shep Henderson (James Stewart), a publisher who also lives in the same building with Gillian, her Aunt Queenie (Elsa Lanchester), and brother Nicky (Jack Lemmon), get out of a cab and go upstairs. She tells her familiar, a Siamese cat named Pyewacket, that she'd like the man upstairs for Christmas. Aunt Queenie invites Gillian to the very beat and hip Zodiac Club where beatnik jazz and a smokey club environment prevail. Before long, Gillian finds herself hopelessly and helplessly in love with Shep who is already promised to another. But can Gillian win Shep's love and affection in return without resorting to the use of witchcraft (unfairly) to win his true heart? BELL, BOOK AND CANDLE is a perfect movie to watch, especially during the holiday months, but anytime for its delightful storyline. An obvious inspiration to the BEWITCHED television series that came a few years later, BELL BOOK AND CANDLE has its own magical charm that you'll delight in watching.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FUNNY & MAGICAL....what could be better?, October 20, 2005

By 

Vicki Peck "vixx666" (Marlborough, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bell, Book and Candle (VHS Tape)

Has there ever been a better actress to play a witch so wickedly

glamourous? Could another actor be an unsuspecting boob so

perfectly? Or have two of the biggest bumblers as relatives?

Happily not! Kim Novac delivers a completely believeable

performance as Gillian, the beautiful lonely witch who wants a

"normal" life and can anyone top Jimmy Stewart as her clueless

prey? These two should have done more movies together! As for

the supporting cast, Elsa Lancaster (better known as the "Bride

of Frankenstein") is perfect as Queenie, Gillian's aunt, Jack Lemmon in a surprising role as Gillian's beatnik brother who befriends a writer (played by Ernie Kovacs) and offers him an "inside look" at the witchcraft crowd, the head of which is none other than Hermione Ginghold (in a particularly hilarious

scene with Jimmy Stewart - his facial expressions are priceless).

This movie offers comedy, sadness, sweetness and a tiny bit of

spooky plus a very crossed-eyed Siamese named Pyewacket. Great

movie to see anytime of the year but certainly Halloween and

Christmas fits best. This was not the first movie produced

with this kind of storyline (Veronica Lake in "My Favorite Wife"

for instance) but altho made in the 50's still holds it's own

today. Even the fashions are timeless...as is this love story.

So Ring the bell, close the book and light the candle - you may

find yourself humming a little tune to your own cat or putting

out all the street lamps just for fun!