But one day a handsome publisher, shep henderson walks into her building and gillian decides she wants himespecially as it turns out hes marrying merle kittridge, an old poison penpal. Kim novak and jimmy stewart from the movie bell book and candle. In the film, novak plays gillian holroyd, a stylish new yorker and successful store owner with a knack. Bell, book and candle an erratic light comedy with a spellbinding wild streak, centered on occult rites, new york city at christmastime, and a magical cat named pyewacket. Witches in new york in 1958, kim novak, a young jack lemmon, kim novak, magic, ernie kovacs, hermoine gingold, elsa lanchester, magic, kim novak. The film was adapted from a 1958 broadway play that continues to be produced in community theatres, with pyewacket played by kim novaks reallife cat. Bell, book and candle, however, was only issued in mono in 1958, and did not premiere in stereo until a 1980 citadel lp reissue. Gillian holroyd kim novak is a woman who runs an african curios shop in new york city underneath the apartment building where she and her aunt queenie elsa lanchester. Elsa lanchester as queenie in bell, book and candle. Bell, book, and candle, in roman catholicism, a ceremony formerly used in pronouncing the major excommunication or anathema see excommunication. The familiar can be assigned tasks to complete for the owner which in the film pyewacket performs plenty. Thats what happens when you fall in love with a witch.
Bell, book and candle soundtrack jimmy stewart on the air. Pyewacket s success in bell, book, and candle led to other famous siamese cats in television and movies. In the movie, that darn cat 1965, haley mills and dean jones had their hands full with a siamese. Today wed call it a romcom, as gillian sets her sights on stewarts new york publishing executive shep henderson, but. Presented in eye popping technicolor transfer that beautifully captures james wong howes stunning cinematography, bell, book and candle costarring jack lemmon, erniekovacs, hermione gingold and. Bell book and candle also gives us a glimpse into the alternative lifestyle of new yorks greenwich village neighborhood during that era. James stewart is shep henderson, the mortal publisher whose personal life she decides to wreck initially to settle an old score with a former enemy by casting a spell to make him fall in. According to one release, as many as 12 cats were needed to perform the number of stunts in the film. Before it was released, the movie got heavy promotion. The soundtrack music was written and conducted by george dunning. Pyewacket is a very popular name for siamese cats, unsurprisingly. Despite that, i still remember a good part of it so. However, as the narrative goes on, and her relationship with shepherd develops, bell book and candle makes an interesting use of this character trait.
Bell, book and candle was a 1958 film starring stewart, kim novak, jack lemmon and ernie kovacs. Okay, kim novak is a witch living in 1958 new york, owns. Kim novak plays gillian holroyd, a greenwich village witch. Pyewacket became known in modern times through the charming film of 1958, bell, book, and candle, starring jimmy stewart and kim novak, in which ms novak plays a manhattan witch a most elegant one and her siamese cat familiar is called pyewacket. Kim novak and james stewart starred in two movies together in 1958. The twilight time bluray of bell, book and candle follows up on a sony dvd that came in a 2010 kim novak set. Remastered version with same original artwork as colpix cover. It is opened with ring the bell, open the book, light the candle, and closed with ring the bell, close the book, quench the candle. One of the many siamese cats who played pyewacket was named houdini.
It doesnt need to be said, but jimmy plays the suckered fool excellently. Bell, book and candle is a 1958 romantic comedyfantasy film adapted from a 1950 play of the same name by john van druten, directed by richard quine and starring james stewart, kim novak, jack lemmon, and ernie kovacs shep henderson stewart is a book publisher in manhattan who happens to live above a dealer in african art named gillian holroyd novak. A modernday witch likes her neighbor but despises his fiancee, so she enchants him to love her instead, only to fall in love with him for real. Pyewacket cat painting by john lyes as seen in bell book and candle 1958. The supersaturated color replicates the lush look of original technicolor prints. Bell, book, and candle roman catholicism britannica. Bell, book and candle 1958 directed by richard quine.
The dvds lesser resolution hid the slight granularity of the probably slightly faded original film elements, but the full scan of hd for this disc shows more grain. Sans real cat, it would have been infinitely better to dispense with pyewacket s physical manifestation altogether or, at least, make the cat look a bit less emaciated. Bell, book and candle remake progressing dark horizons. Pyewacket books is a bookseller based in oakland, california, specializing in rare and antiquarian books, photographs, tarot cards, and assorted oddities in a variety of areas including the occult, queer history, and history of sexuality. Fsm has gone back to the threetrack colpix stereo album masters for the bestever presentation of this classic score, including the bonus track here correctly. It stars kim novak as a witch who casts a spell on her neighbor, played by james stewart. A familiar for a witch, like gillian in the film bell book and candle, acts as an extension of power. At one time, cary grant and grace kelly were slated to star in bell, book, and candle, with alexander mackendrick directing. John van drutens stage comedy bell book and candle starred rex harrison and lilli palmer on broadway. The title bell, book and candle is a reference to excommunication, which is performed by bell, book and candle. It wouldve been readily apparent why a young witch would cast a love spell over him. Gillian holroyd is just your average, modernday, witch, living in a new york apartment with her siamese familiar, pyewacket. Bell, book and candle bell, book and candle is a 1958 american technicolor romantic comedy film directed by richard quine, based on the successful broadway play by john van druten and adapted by daniel taradash. But the modern day bell, book and candle takes place in 1950s murray hill section of manhattan, with clandestine witches living unsuspected among the population of new yorkers.
When she encounters charming publisher shepherd henderson james stewart, she decides to make him hers by casting a love spell. As it stands, however, pyewacket looks like the corpse of a cat that has died of consecutive weeks of malnutrition and neglect. In the hollywood film bell, book and candle 1958 pyewacket is the name of the brown sealpoint siamese catfamiliar of a witch, gillian holroyd, played by kim novak. The other, now lesser known, was the lightertoned bell, book and candle by director richard quine, based on the hit broadway romantic comedy by john van druten. Available from fine art america were not entirely sure who painted the original pyewacket let us know if you have any information to share in the comments box below but fine art america artist john lyes has faithfully recreated this artwork and is available as a canvas or print. Its origins are not clear, but it dates back certainly to the late 9th century. Gillian holroyd christa meilak is a gorgeous, sultry and exceptionally talented witch with a reputation of powerful and successful spells, although they do seem rather. In 1980 citadelvarese released a neverbeforeheard stereo version but did not amend the album cover to include this information. See more ideas about kim novak, classic hollywood and classic movies.
Cary wouldve been fantastic in the jimmy stewart role because he was suave, sophisticated, and still youthfully handsome. Bell, book and candle i first saw the movie bell, book and candle 1958 on tv one cold, rainy afternoon when i was a teenager. With james stewart, kim novak, jack lemmon, ernie kovacs. Made up my mind some day id have a cat named pyewacket and finally a year ago i got him. Kim novak and pywacket, bell, book and candle kim novak. Apparently pyewacket is a popular name for cats because of this movie. Bell, book and candle is generally recognized as stewarts final romantic leading role.
Bell, book and candle was released on christmas day 1958, and was a hit. Theres an icy distance for much of bell book and candle to the character of gillian, which is very much a hallmark of novaks star persona. Bell book and candle poster1 intro the cat the film intro hands up who has seen bell book and candle. Novak appeared with pyewacket, the cat, on the november 25 cover of life magazine life, along with an article.
The 1958 filmed version stars james stewart and kim novak, fresh from their successful teaming in hitchcocks vertigo. The music has been released several times through the years, beginning with an album in 1958 colpix cp502. Find where to watch bell book and candle and many more fulllength movies from the best streaming services online. One of my favorite movies to watch at christmastime is bell, book and candle. The bell represented the public character of the act, the book the authority of the words spoken by the presiding bishop. Its the story of gillian holroyd kim novak, a witch living in greenwich village with her cat and familiar, pyewacket, who falls for her very normal neighbour, shepherd henderson james stewart.
Novak plays gillian holroyd, a genuine, bonafide witch. Im sure that young people probably never heard of most of the actors in this movie but back then they were hollywood royalty. There were also favorable writeups in other major magazines. Portrait of kim novak and pyewacket for bell book and candle directed by richard quine, photo by robert coburn. Bell book and candle was said to be a blockbuster by columbia pictures. This label is the first stereo release of bell, book and candle. Needs way more of those magical moments, though, especially with pyewacket the cat.
It celebrates the character actors who helped make classic film as great as it was. Bell book and candle in the late 1950s, gillian holroyd kim novak is a modernday witch living in new york citys greenwich village. Bell book and candle 1958 the stars of hitchcocks vertigo reunite for a romantic comedy with a supernatural twist. In the hollywood film bell, book and candle 1958 pyewacket is the name of the brown sealpoint siamese cat familiar of a witch, gillian holroyd, played by kim novak. Early in 1957, producers also launched a somewhat promotional search for siamese cats to play pyewacket. Bell, book and candle simple english wikipedia, the free. In the television show betwiched, samantha elizabeth montgomery has to handle a magical siamese in an early episode.
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