Why see it: The first installment in our annual Not Exactly Christmas Classics series, this sophisticated holiday charmer set in 1950s Greenwich Village follows Kim Novak as a modern-day witch who casts a spell on Jimmy Stewart—with a little help from her feline companion, Pyewacket. Witches, beatniks, bongos, a thoroughly besotted book publisher, and one unforgettable Siamese cat in 1950s Greenwich Village. It all adds up to some mid-century holiday magic.
Bell, Book and Candle
1958
Color, 103 minutes (NR - not rated)
1.85:1 Widescreen, HD 1080p, DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Columbia Pictures
Directed by Richard Quine
Screenplay by Daniel Taradash based on the play by John Van Druten
Cinematography by James Wong Howe (featuring a distinct late-50s beatnik/Manhattan aesthetic)
Music by George Duning
Starring Kim Novack, Jimmy Stewart, Jack Lemmon, Ernie Kovacks, Elsa Lanchester, Hermione Gingold
plus Pyewacket the Cat
Read The Blog "Bewitched by Bell, Book and Candle"
More Mid-century Magic
Released in 1958, just two years after Charles and Ray Eames introduced their celebrated Lounge Chair and Ottoman, Bell, Book and Candle belongs to the same remarkable era of American design that gave us Mary Blair’s imaginative illustrations and the sleek sophistication of mid-century modernism. From Kim Novak’s striking wardrobe to the film’s art-filled interiors and atmospheric Greenwich Village nightclubs, it’s a fascinating glimpse into the style and sensibility of an era we’re celebrating in our exhibitions Eames & Eames and Mary Blair: Mid-Century Magic.
1956: Charles and Ray Eames introduce their celebrated Lounge Chair and Ottoman.
1958: Bell, Book and Candle arrives in theaters, capturing the sophistication and bohemian spirit of mid-century Manhattan.
1964: Mary Blair’s it’s a small world debuts at the New York World’s Fair, bringing her distinctive artistic vision to one of Disney’s most beloved attractions.
