MovieChat Forums > Bell Book and Candle (1958) Discussion > A reverse mirror to 'Vertigo'

A reverse mirror to 'Vertigo'

posted 18 years ago by joekiddlouischama
12 replies | jump to latest

Bell Book and Candle (Richard Quine, 1958) is a mystically romantic, utterly charming comedy co-starring Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak. The frivolously fantastical nature of its ostensible subject matter (witchcraft and black magic) makes it a less than substantial film, and yet it's memorable just the same. It's the kind of movie that we remember not because it's some brilliant classic, but because of its beguiling allure. And while Bell Book and Candle is silly in places, that silliness serves as a forum through which to explore relevant themes such as social isolation, emotional and psychological detachment, and the paradox of human passion, which is both to be yearned for and disdained, something that can be painful both in its presence and in its absence. The film's romantically comic milieu doesn't invite a hard-hitting exploration, and yet the subtext is rather sophisticated and thoughtful. It thus gives what could have been a completely inane affair some poignant gravity and light pathos. In other words, the movie carries some soul. Richard Quine’'s direction, meanwhile, is visual and makes rich use of color and mise-en-scene. While perhaps lacking in power, his direction maintains a sensible middle ground, never taking itself too seriously but refusing to become a full-fledged parody. The film is humorous, playful, and yet heartfelt, aided by a wintry New York setting and diegetic cool jazz that’s exotic and dazzling. In short, the movie has atmosphere. Stewart and Novak turn in vivid, emotionally dexterous performances, and Jack Lemmon is a comic joy as always.

Bell Book and Candle may be most intriguing, though, in comparison to Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958), released earlier that year. Certainly, the quality of Bell Book and Candle doesn’t match up to Hitchcock’s haunting masterpiece, but both films posit the earthy Jimmy Stewart and the ethereal Kim Novak as star-crossed lovers in mystical romances. Both individuals, in both films, are vulnerable yet independent and thus uncannily drawn to one another. In both movies, the Novak character turns out to be duplicitous and manipulative in her seduction of the Stewart character, not what she seems and yet sympathetic and inwardly earnest. In both cases, the somewhat gullible, unassuming Stewart falls head-over-heels in love and yearns to make the relationship permanent before realizing that in some way, he'’s been had. However, Bell Book and Candle follows a much more optimistic and redemptive trajectory than Vertigo, for in this case the duplicity and manipulation are essentially benign. There’'s outrage and angst in Quine'’s film, but ultimately, it’'s a romantic comedy, not a tragedy. Bell Book and Candle is thus a movie that allows the compulsive yet tenuous Stewart-Novak romantic pairing, lost to darkness in Vertigo, to finally escape to daylight.

[–] ecarle 18 years ago

The release of "Vertigo" and "Bell, Book, and Candle" in the same year with the same two leads (Stewart and Novak) is one of those great little "mystical coincidences" that the movies sometimes bring us.

As I recall, the twin castings reflected studio business. Columbia boss Harry Cohn loaned his star Kim Novak to Paramount for "Vertigo" and got MCA client James Stewart assigned to Columbia for "BBC" in exchange. It has also been written that Cary Grant wanted the lead in "Bell, Book, and Candle" (it certainly would have fit him better than Jimmy Stewart in its suave Manhattan-man-about-town-ism), but MCA stood to make more money off of Stewart in the role.

I agree with all your points about the "reverse mirror" aspects of the two films, joekidd. "Vertigo" came out first (May), with "BBC" as a late Christmas attraction (fitting, what with all that holiday snow in the movie)...one can almost see the lighter "BBC" as a "alternate happy ending" to "Vertigo."

The key reason that I think "BBC" can even be compared to "Vertigo" is director Richard Quine, who specialized in a kind of plush-looking filmmaking and usually made sure that his movies had lovely, sophisticated musical scores. "BBC" is never less than ravishing to look at in its color schemes (check out the overall "whiteness" of everything in the final scene in Novak's studio), with a smoothly jazzy Johnny Keating score. While hardly in Hitchcock's iconic league, Richard Quine WAS in Hitchcock's ballpark as a maker of visually stylish, sophisticated entertainment. I recommend Quine's "How to Murder Your Wife" and "Hotel" as hidden pleasures of the 60's.

Quine was reportedly having an affair with Kim Novak during the filming of "BBC" and she's much more sexy and gorgeous looking in that film than "Vertigo," because whereas in "Vertigo," Hitchcock required Novak to wear clothing and hair-styles that did not suit her (but that DID fit her characters), Richard Quine most willingly dressed and coiffed Kim exactly how she liked to look -- and in "BBC," its great.

For James Stewart, "BBC" was his last film as a romantic, single leading man. He got old looking faster than other stars; his later roles would be family men, cowboys, and ornery loners. On this last occasion, however, Stewart does pull off his slight miscasting in what is really a Cary Grant role (Rex Harrison played it on Broadway.) The key is Stewart's beautifully tailored and elegant ensemble of suits and overcoats, befitting the New York publishing ace he plays (the guy suggests what Jimmy Stewart's version of Roger Thornhill in "North by Northwest," a role he coveted, might have been like.)

The supporting cast gathered round Stewart and Novak is one of the best of the fifties. Jack Lemmon is here, in what was really his final supporting role before becoming a star the next year in "Some Like It Hot." Lemmon plays Novak's warlock brother, and his impish, bright-eyed, mischeivious way with a line-reading is most in evidence. Lemmon would work with director Richard Quine many times; Quine was Lemmon's second favorite director to work with after Billy Wilder. Quine AND Wilder were Lemmon's Best Men at his marriage to Felicia Farr in the 60's. One of Lemmon's movies for Quine was "The Notorious Landlady" (1962) in which Lemmon would move up from playing Kim Novak's brother to playing her romantic leading man.

Lemmon is wonderfully paired here with the legendary short-timer Ernie Kovacs. The big, mustachioed Kovacs was a TV star of celebrated, rather abstract creativity. But he was a funny guy, too, he had a compelling "character guy" look and Columbia booked him to play a series of funny character roles in the late fifties. This one is his best: Sidney Reditch, a shambling, unmade bed of a writer on witches, who enters "BBC" rather late and steals every scene he's in with his low-key mumbles and lightly soused good humor. In real life, Jack Lemmon and Ernie Kovacs became fast friends. Lemmon identified Kovacs body after a car crash killed Kovacs at age 42 in 1962. It's great to see them here together in better days, having fun.

Two British actresses with spectacularly rich, funny voices and eccentric personalities complete the program: Elsa Lanchester and Hermoine Gingold.

One great shot about mid-movie has Stewart bringing "witch expert" Ernie Kovacs over to meet three people whom Stewart doesn't know ARE witches. Director Quine gives us a great shot of gorgeous Novak, funny Lemmon, and eccentric Lanchester sitting together warily on a couch as Kovacs talks about the secrets of witches and Stewart looks on in amusement. Great shot, great staging, great stars.

"Vertigo" has the classic status which comes with a film of great weight, meaning, and power. That "Bell, Book, and Candle" isn't at that level in no way takes away from what it IS: a pitch-perfect example of smooth late fifties filmmaking entertainment, gorgeous to look at and relaxing to listen to, with a group of assembled stars the likes of which we will, honestly, never see again.

[–] joekiddlouischama 18 years ago

"BBC" is never less than ravishing to look at in its color schemes (check out the overall "whiteness" of everything in the final scene in Novak's studio)

Overall, white is the most memorable color from Bell Book and Candle. I recall first seeing the film in Georgia in October 2003 and it suddenly felt like a December in Massachusetts (where I grew up). The film's wintry atmosphere and visual look are rather transformative and transportive.

"Vertigo" has the classic status which comes with a film of great weight, meaning, and power. That "Bell, Book, and Candle" isn't at that level in no way takes away from what it IS: a pitch-perfect example of smooth late fifties filmmaking entertainment, gorgeous to look at and relaxing to listen to, with a group of assembled stars the likes of which we will, honestly, never see again.

Nicely summarized. However, Hollywood will often try to recature what can't be recaptured. Rumor has it that Beyonce Knowles might star in a remake ...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0830866/

[–] ecarle 18 years ago

A remake is also rumored with Alicia Keys.

Well, this tale has been told before. I think remakes are generally unstoppable, but the remakers seem to miss a key thing about movies, summed up in a quote from -- how fitting -- James Stewart:

"Movies are pieces of time..."

You can re-stage the STORY "Bell, Book, and Candle" -- it is an old play after all -- but you cannot bring back 1958 and the feelings of that year in America, and the particular nature of such particular stars as Stewart, Novak, Lemmon, Kovacs, and Lanchester.

After all, wasn't that the message of "Vertigo"? You can't recreate the past.

But you can revisit the past. In movies. They're our "20th Century Time Machines."

[–] maisonvivante 18 years ago

Excellent analysis, guys---one of the best I've read on imdb.

I too am grateful for the "happy accident" of BBC's thematic concerns offering a mirror of the tragic "Vertigo." The films work beautifully as companion pieces.

[–] eden_echo 18 years ago

[–] ethan1138 18 years ago

It was probably just a coincidence that James Stewart's character was from San Francisco.

[–] eden_echo 18 years ago

Don't forget when they were on the rooftop; the complete opposite of him fearing heights, his acrophobia in "Vertigo" and I guess a bit ironic.

"I promise you, before I die I'll surely come to your doorstep"

[–] NovakVertigo 18 years ago

.....and the only thing that fell was his hat when he tossed off the Flatiron
Building.

[–] eden_echo 18 years ago

Ohh, another one..

When he is climbing up a stool ladder in his office in BBC as opposed to him climbing one in the beginning of "Vertigo", and looking down, his acrophobia coming back to him and then falling into Midge's arms.

"I promise you, before I die I'll surely come to your doorstep"

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] MissBuffaloGal 17 years ago

joekiddlouischama.

I couldn't have said it better myself!!

I see some similarites, has anyone else noticed too? (Spoilers):

- the shot of the bridge in New York is similar to the famous shot in the Golden Gate scene in "Vertigo", Scottie follows Madeleine, in BB&C before Shep goes to see Merle.

- When Shep goes under the magic spell, the way he walks over to her and puts his hands on her face and then kisses her is quite similar to when Madeleine emerges from the bathroom in Scene D'Amour in "Vertigo", how he holds her face..

-When they were on the rooftop; the complete opposite of him fearing heights, his acrophobia in "Vertigo" and I guess a bit ironic.

-When he is climbing up a stool ladder in his office in BB&C as opposed to him climbing one in the beginning of "Vertigo", and looking down, his acrophobia coming back to him and then falling into Midge's arms.

----
"I'll give you the moon, Mary." - George Bailey

[–] ecbush 13 years ago

Also, returning to the old girlfriend's apt, who's been spending her time painting, while he's all worked up about Kim Novak.
And the scenes where he tries to rationalize the supernatural things that Kim Novak's character tells him: In Vertigo, about the horses in the barn at the mission, and in BBC, in his office, that the spells are all a coincidence.