Bell Book And Candle (1958)
Gillian Holroyd (Kim Novak) is a modern-day witch living in Greenwich Village. A publisher named Shep Henderson (James Stewart) moves into the apartment above hers and she becomes interested in him. When Gillian learns that Shep is going to marry her college nemesis, Merle Kittridge (Janice Rule), the next day, Gillian uses her cat, Pyewacket, to cast a love spell on Shep. Shep is immediately enamored with Gillian and breaks up with Merle on the morning of their wedding. With a potion given to her by her warlock brother, Nicky (Jack Lemmon), Gillian summons best-selling author Sidney Redlitch (Ernie Kovacs), in whom Shep expressed interest, to New York. Redlitch visits Shep without knowing why, but says he'd like Shep to publish his new book about witches in New York, though Shep is skeptical. Shep and Gillian take Redlitch to a club where Nicky works. Gillian tells Nicky to stop Redlitch's book, but instead Nicky reveals his powers to Redlitch and offers his help on the book in exchange for a share of the profits. Shep proposes to Gillian, but she is reluctant to accept because she will lose her powers if she falls in love. She does accept which upsets Nicky. To prevent Shep from learning she is a witch, Gillian hexes Redlitch's manuscript. But she is overcome by feelings of guilt and confesses her nature to Shep. Shep is upset and is determined to break Gillian's spell, though she does love him.
Getting here is half the fun...
Shepherd 'Shep' Henderson: Hasn't this cat got anything better to do? Couldn't you give him something to read?
Flatiron Building - 175 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
5th Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
7 Sutton Square, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
(used for Merle's apartment building - Queensboro Bridge is seen in the background)
Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
(ice skating rink)
Cary Grant actively sought the lead role.
This was James Stewart's final appearance as a romantic lead. This was because many of the leading ladies that were playing his romantic interest were becoming younger and a few were half his age. The critics in 1958 felt that Stewart was miscast as a suave New York businessman, and he apparently agreed. After this film he would concentrate more on roles that portrayed him as an everyman or as a father figure.
Kim Novaks hair color had a touch of lavender in it to make her blonde hair unique. Her color was "lavender blonde."
The film's title is a reference to exorcising a witch; 'ring the bell, close the book, quench the candle."
James Stewart celebrated his 50th birthday during filming.
Continuity
When James Stewart, Jack Lemmon, and Ernie Kovacs get out of the cab, Stewart gets out twice.
Factual errors
There are only ten signs of the zodiac decorating the doorway into the Zodiac Club.
Revealing mistakes
In the Zodiac Club, when The Brothers Candoli begin playing "Stormy Weather", the soundtrack features trumpets with cup mutes, but the performance on screen is without mutes.
When Bianca de Passe mixes the brew for Shep to drink, she hands him a large bowl, then removes the hot brew pot from the stove with a pot holder. Her right index finger is shown touching the hot pot, yet she does not react to this.
The door to Shep's apartment has a deadbolt mechanism, yet when the door is opened it can be seen that there is no actual deadbolt on the edge of the door. The "lock" is purely decorative. This is a shortcut studio carpenters often make in films.
Audio/visual unsynchronized
When Pyewacket meows, it never moves its mouth. This is especially noticeable when the cat is supposed to be agitated.
Crew or equipment visible
When Queenie throws back the curtain to join Gillian in the back room for the "summoning", the thread that keeps the curtain back so that the camera can follow Queenie can be seen.
Errors in geography
Gillian and Shep live in Greenwich Village, but at one point Gillian tells Shep about Nicky turning off all the street lights on 57th St., which is over 3 miles from where it happened.