Bell, Book and Candle

"Getting here is half the fun..."

1958 1h 46m EN

👍

6.6

SOLID

🍅

81%

FRESH

⭐

6.8

IMDB

★6.6TMDB · 263🍅81%Rotten Tomatoes★6.8IMDB · 13,615

ComedyFantasyRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Gillian Holroyd, a modern-day witch, becomes smitten with her handsome upstairs neighbor, Shep Henderson. Using her magical powers, she casts a love spell on him, only to face unexpected complications when genuine feelings emerge, threatening her supernatural abilities.

“Getting here is half the fun...”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

James Stewart
Shep Henderson
Kim Novak
Gillian Holroyd
Jack Lemmon
Nicky Holroyd
Ernie Kovacs
Sidney Redlitch
Hermione Gingold
Bianca de Passe
Elsa Lanchester
Aunt Queenie Holroyd
Janice Rule
Merle Kittridge
Philippe Clay
French Singer at the Zodiac Club

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Richard Quine
Writers: Daniel Taradash
Languages: English, French, Italian
Countries: United States of America

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 / 8

ERA

Did you know

68 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, French, Italian.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

AWARDS

Did you know

Directed by Richard Quine, shot by James Wong Howe. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

James Stewart and Kim Novak and Jack Lemmon carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Getting here is half the fun...".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0051406 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Richard Quine directs. James Wong Howe behind the camera. George Duning scores. Charles Nelson cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English, French, Italian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

168 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, French, Italian.
3Directed by Richard Quine, shot by James Wong Howe. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by George Duning. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Charles Nelson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6James Stewart and Kim Novak and Jack Lemmon carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Getting here is half the fun...".
8IMDB entry: tt0051406 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 9 themes, including "witch", "love of one's life", "cat", "beatnik".

The technical file

Cinematography: James Wong Howe
Original score: George Duning
Editing: Charles Nelson
Costume design: Jean Louis
Makeup / hair: Ben Lane
Runtime: 106 min · 1h 46m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Bell, Book and Candle (1958)
Rotten Tomatoes: 81% 🍅 Fresh
IMDB rating: 6.8/10 · 13,615 votes
MPAA: Approved

Awards

Nominated for 2 Oscars. 4 nominations total

Also by

Richard Quine

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2018-12-09
★ 5/10
Pyewacket Pudding. It's one of those films that we all have, the movie that features actors you simply adore, but no matter how many times you watch it in the mystical hope that it will change and get better, but it never does. Bell Book & Candle is my pet frustration. Fronted by James Stewart and Kim Novak, supported by Jack Lemmon & Elsa Lanchester, this screen version of the theatre play has a modicum of charm befitting the story of a publisher who falls under the love spell of a modern day witch, but ultimately it plays out as dull. It looks nice, both in art direction and colour photography, Jimmy and Kim are pleasant of course, and Elsa, Hermione Gingold and Pyewacket the cat are bundles of fun, yet the belly laughs are missing, a need to care about the lovelorn and the restless sadly some place else. I have a framed still of Jimmy & Kim from this movie hanging in my hallway, every time I pass it I point my finger at it and swear with sadness in my heart. I love those guys you see, the movie not so much... 5/10

Production companies