Blithe Spirit

"Elvira is the kind of gal who can turn an evening into a night you'll never forget!"

1945 1h 36m EN

👍

7.0

SOLID

🍅

78%

FRESH

⭐

IMDB

★7.0TMDB · 171🍅78%Rotten Tomatoes★7IMDB · 8,445

ComedyFantasy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

While holding a séance for skeptical novelist Charles Condomine, self-proclaimed 'spiritualist medium' Madame Arcati inadvertently summons the spirit of his deceased first wife Elvira, leading to an increasingly complex love triangle with Ruth, his current wife of five years.

“Elvira is the kind of gal who can turn an evening into a night you'll never forget!”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Rex Harrison
Charles Condomine
Constance Cummings
Ruth Condomine
Kay Hammond
Elvira Condomine
Margaret Rutherford
Madame Arcati
Hugh Wakefield
Dr. George Bradman
Joyce Carey
Violet Bradman
Jacqueline Clarke
Edith
Marie Ault
Cook (uncredited)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: David Lean
Writers: Noël Coward, David Lean, Ronald Neame
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

81 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by David Lean, shot by Ronald Neame. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Richard Addinsell. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Jack Harris shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Rex Harrison and Constance Cummings and Kay Hammond carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Elvira is the kind of gal who can turn an evening into a night you'll never forget!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0038363 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

David Lean directs. Ronald Neame behind the camera. Richard Addinsell scores. Jack Harris cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

181 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by David Lean, shot by Ronald Neame. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Richard Addinsell. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Jack Harris shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Rex Harrison and Constance Cummings and Kay Hammond carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Elvira is the kind of gal who can turn an evening into a night you'll never forget!".
7IMDB entry: tt0038363 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 15 themes, including "love triangle", "married couple", "exorcism", "medium".

The technical file

Cinematography: Ronald Neame
Original score: Richard Addinsell
Editing: Jack Harris
Makeup / hair: Tony Sforzini
Runtime: 96 min · 1h 36m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Blithe Spirit (1945)
Rotten Tomatoes: 78% 🍅 Fresh
IMDB rating: 7/10 · 8,445 votes
MPAA: Approved

Awards

Won 1 Oscar. 1 win & 1 nomination total

Academy Award for Best Special Effects

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

David Lean

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2022-07-01
★ 7/10
You can't really go wrong with David Lean adapting Noël Coward in a film about poor old Rex Harrison ("Charles") and three on-form women: two of whom he married - Constance Cummings ("Ruth)" and Kay Hammond ("Elvira") and the other is the source of most of his woes - spiritual medium Margaret Rutherford ("Madama Arcati"). Right from the start, the pace of the dialogue is witty and engaging. Harrison - who can be terribly wooden on occasion, is well up for this spiritual lark as a seance at his home - under the supervision of the dotty Rutherford - releases his former wife "Elvira" back into his life where only he can see her; and she decides to cause the maximum amount of mayhem for her former husband and his new wife "Ruth". The nature of the story keeps the cast small, and the action is end-to-end with plenty to make you smile as well to appreciate the dynamics of wedded "bliss". It's a dream - though more of a nightmare for Rex!

Production companies