Blithe Spirit (film)

For other uses, see Blithe Spirit (disambiguation).

Blithe Spirit
DVD Cover
Directed by	David Lean
Produced by	Noël Coward
Written by	Noël Coward Anthony Havelock-Allan David Lean Ronald Neame
Starring	Rex Harrison Constance Cummings Kay Hammond Margaret Rutherford
Music by	Richard Addinsell
Cinematography	Ronald Neame
Editing by	Jack Harris
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date(s)	UK 14 May 1945 USA 3 October 1945
Running time	96 minutes
Country	UK
Language	English

The film Blithe Spirit is a 1945 British comedy film of the popular Noël Coward play. It was directed by David Lean and produced by Noël Coward. The screenplay was by Noël Coward based on his play and adapted for the screen by Anthony Havelock-Allan, David Lean and Ronald Neame. The music score was by Richard Addinsell and the cinematography by Ronald Neame.

This was the second of three Noel Coward adaptations made by Lean's new company, Cineguild.

The film stars Rex Harrison, Constance Cummings, Kay Hammond and Margaret Rutherford with Joyce Carey and Noël Coward as narrator.

Unusually for the time, the film is in full colour.

1 Plot
2 Response
3 Cast
4 References

Plot

Seeking material for his exposé about psychics, author Charles Condomine (Harrison) hires a medium named Madame Arcati (Rutherford) to his home to perform a séance. As Condomine, his wife (Cummings) and their guests restrain their laughter, the eccentric Arcati forges ahead with peculiar rituals and a propensity for clichés. Upon conclusion, Arcati is obviously concerned about a twist the séance had taken, although the author and his guests are dubious about anything extraordinary having occurred.

However, during the seance, the spirit of Condomine’s first wife, Elvira (played by Kay Hammond), has been accidentally summoned, and enters the house. The author, who is the only person capable of seeing Elvira, becomes both dismayed and amused at her sudden and unexpected presence. More complications ensue once Condomine’s current wife becomes aware of the ghost. Eventually, the author’s fascination wanes – especially when he learns that Elvira has been plotting his demise. But the spirit miscalculates and ends up dispatching Mrs. Condomine instead, after which the author is haunted by both of his deceased wives.

Arcati is contacted to rid his household of both spirits. Although she appears successful at first, it becomes obvious that one or more spirits have remained invisible in the house, and the plot to bring Charles Condomine into the spirit realm remains. He quickly decides to get out of the household for safety reasons, but his escape ultimately fails.

Response

Due to a delayed release in the U.S., Blithe Spirit won its Oscar for Best Effects/Special Effects in 1947. It was nominated for a Hugo award in 1946 for Best Dramatic Presentation, although the film is thoroughly comedic.

As with most of Coward’s work, Blithe Spirit is renowned for its dialogue. The following comment comes from Charles Condomine when arguing with his wife during a breakfast scene: “If you're trying to compile an inventory of my sex life, I feel it only fair to warn you that you've omitted several episodes. I shall consult my diary and give you a complete list after lunch.” This line, considered extremely risqué by censors of the time, was deleted from U.S. showings of the film.

Although it received positive critical reviews, the film was a box office failure on both sides of the Atlantic. Coward himself was dissatisfied with the result, reportedly asking Lean "How the hell did you fuck up the best thing I ever did?" The film is widely regarded a classic today, although it is unavailable on DVD in the United States. It was released in the UK as part of the David Lean Collection, along with several of Lean's other early films.

Cast

References

Notes

Bibliography

The Great British Films, pp 79-81, Jerry Vermilye, 1978, Citadel Press, ISBN 080650661X

External links

British Film Institute
Blithe Spirit at the Internet Movie Database
Blithe Spirit at Allmovie

v • d • e David Lean

1940s	In Which We Serve (with Noel Coward) \| This Happy Breed \| Blithe Spirit \| Brief Encounter \| Great Expectations (1946) \| Oliver Twist (1948) \| The Passionate Friends

1950s	Madeleine \| The Sound Barrier \| Hobson's Choice (1954) \| Summertime (1955) \| The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

1960s	Lawrence of Arabia (1962) \| Doctor Zhivago (1965)

1970s	Ryan's Daughter (1970)

1980s	A Passage to India (1984)

Television	Lost and Found: The Story of Cook's Anchor (1979)

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