Blithe Spirit

1945
Approved
1h 36m

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

8.5K

YOUR RATING

Play trailer2:28

1 Video

84 Photos

Dark Comedy Screwball Comedy Comedy Fantasy

A man and his second wife are haunted by the ghost of his first wife.A man and his second wife are haunted by the ghost of his first wife.A man and his second wife are haunted by the ghost of his first wife.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

8.5K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 1 Oscar
- 1 win & 1 nomination total

Trivia
Writer and director Sir David Lean and cinematographer Ronald Neame decided not to use double exposure to create Elvira's ghostly appearances. Instead, Lean created an enormous set that allowed Kay Hammond to move freely in each shot. Hammond wore fluorescent green clothes, make-up, and a wig, with bright red lipstick and fingernail polish. Each time she moved, a special light would be directed on her, allowing her figure to glow even in dimly-lit scenes and giving her an otherworldly appearance.

Goofs
After the séance, when Elvira first appears, she flops onto the settee by the fire. As her dress billows, it can be seen that the green ghostly makeup ends half-way up her leg, showing normal skin above the makeup line.

Quotes
Charles Condomine: It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit.

Crazy credits
The voice at the end of the credits page that utters, "We are quite, quite WRONG!" is Noël Coward's.

Connections
Featured in Truly Miss Marple: The Curious Case of Margaret Rutherford (2012)

Soundtracks
Always
(uncredited)
Written by Irving Berlin
Sung by Jacqueline Clarke

User reviews93

Review

Featured review

Another Lean classic

Has David Lean made a bad film? Not to my knowledge, no! This one is quite fun, I revisited the picture recently and even though I don't like it as much as the masterpiece Oliver Twist, Blithe Spirit is excellent fun for the whole family.

The acting is tremendous, it's mindblowing. Although the dialogue is rather upper class, I quite enjoy it. Margaret Rutherford as Madame Arcati is the star of the film, perfect, perfect and perfect.

The direction is sublime as usual by Lean.

There's plenty to enjoy here, a nice film for everyone.