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Blithe Spirit (1945) DVD

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$9.99
SKU:
Z01212015118
Rating:
5 Stars ( 3 product reviews )
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Product Description

Blithe Spirit (1945)

Director:

 David Lean

Writers:

 David Lean (adapted for the screen by), Ronald Neame (adapted for the screen by)

Stars:

 Rex Harrison, Constance Cummings, Kay Hammond 
 
The Noel Coward/David Lean combination which turned out such dramas as Brief Encounter and This Happy Breed sets its sights on the viewer's funny bone withBlithe Spirit. Rex Harrison plays a novelist, newly married to straight-laced Constance Cummings. Via a seance, Harrisonaccidentally summons the spirit of his first wife, Kay Hammond. Believing thatHammond wants to ruin his marriage, Harrison enlists the services of local medium Madame Arcati (Margaret Rutherford) to exorciseHammond's spirit. She fails, and in time, Harrison's second wife is killed; now he has two playful spirits on his hands! Technicolor is used throughout Blithe Spirit, with the ghosts' shimmering paleness providing contrast to the plain, everyday colors of Harrison's conservative country home. Blithe Spirit was later transformed into the Broadway musical {+High Spirits}, with the original script bent out of shape to turn the character of Madame Arcati (played by Beatrice Lillie) into the leading role.
 
 

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Product Reviews

  1. "This is sheer nonsense. Don't blame me if I get the giggles." 4 Star Review

    Posted by on Apr 19th 2024


    Before he became famous for epics like "Lawrence Of Arabia" and "Doctor Zhivago", David Lean directed this delightful 1945 color film version of Noel Coward's long-running and deservedly celebrated stage fantasy.
    Snobby British novelist Charles Condomine (Rex Harrison) invites eccentric medium Madame Arcati (Margaret Rutherford) over for a seance. Hilarity and havoc ensue when the ghost of Charles' first wife Elvira (Kay Hammond) materializes. Elvira's supernatural shenanigans do not sit well with Charles' current wife Ruth (Constance Cummings).
    Kay Hammond and Margaret Rutherford reprise their stage roles as Elvira and Madame Arcati, respectively. The ghostly Elvira should be impish, mischievous, and fun. Hammond's performance is definitely not "spirited" enough-- pun intended. Hammond's passivity is matched by Rex Harrison, who does his usual job of acting like he is "above" the material.
    With a bored Hammond and disinterested Harrison, the film belongs to the brilliant Margaret Rutherford, who gives a tour-de-force comedy performance as Madame Arcati. Constance Cummings is also excellent as the increasingly exasperated Ruth.
    Elvira remarks, "This is sheer nonsense. Don't blame me if I get the giggles." That is an excellent summation of the whole show. The film zips along at a breezy 96 minutes, with Noel Coward's witty and astringent dialogue thankfully (mostly) intact from the stage play.

  2. Splendid!!! 5 Star Review

    Posted by on Dec 8th 2015

    Margaret Rutherford as Madame Ducati in Blithe Spirit - one of Noel Coward's best screenplays and the movie adaptation. High Brow comedy and timeless. Fortunate to have this 'roaring' comedy in my collection.

  3. blithe spirit 5 Star Review

    Posted by on Sep 20th 2015

    very funny movie from noel coward. Margaret Rutherford steals the show form Rex Harrison and the all British cast. great fun highly recommended

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