Blithe Spirit (2020)
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208 8 15 0
Listed by
Imon Reza
Updated
September 22, 2024
Movie Info
Year Released
Directed by
Top Cast
Runtime
99 Mins.
Release date
November 10, 2020
Budget (In USD)
Unknown
Revenue (In USD)
$964,832
Movie Overview | Blithe Spirit (2020)
Movie Title: Blithe Spirit (2020)
Tagline: True Love Never Dies.
Tagline: True Love Never Dies.
Synopsis
A spiritualist medium holds a seance for a writer suffering from writers block but accidentally summons the spirit of his deceased first wife which leads to an increasingly complex love triangle with his current wife of five years.
Other Info
Writer
- Noël Coward (based upon 'Blithe Spirit' 1941 play)
Screenplay
- Nick Moorcroft,
- Meg Leonard,
- Piers Ashworth
Producer
- Hilary Bevan Jones,
- Meg Leonard,
- Martin Metz,
- Nick Moorcroft,
- Toni Pinnolis,
- Adrian Politowski,
- Peter Snell,
- James Spring
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User reviews
Not So Blithe After All
(Updated: January 04, 2025)
Overall rating
3.6
Entertainment Factor
3.0
Story
4.0
Actors Performance
3.0
Cinematography
4.0
Sound Track
4.0
Blithe Spirit, based on the 1941 play by Noel Coward, is about a writer, Charles Condomine (played by a lacklustre and hammy Dan Stevens), who gets a fake medium, Madame Arcati (superbly performed by the inimitable Judi Dench), to hold a séance at his house. Although a successful writer, he needs some inspiration for a film script that has stalled. To everyone’s amazement, especially Madame Arcati, she conjures up the spirit of Charles’s first wife Elvira, now deceased, played with over-the-top venom by the exquisite Leslie Mann. The problem is Charles has remarried and his new wife is Ruth (played with tight anguish by Isla Fisher). She is very much alive. Charles is the only person who can see Elvira who wants her old life back… and her husband. She sets out to wreak havoc in Charles’s life and succeeds. Charles must banish Elvira, but how?
It’s hard to explain why this movie did not work for me. I have seen the black and white version, as well as the stage play several times, and really enjoyed them. The supporting cast has some notable and excellent actors – Emilia Fox, James Fleet, Michelle Dotrice, et al. Judi Dench/Madam Arcati was just stupendous as the well-meaning but incompetent medium who succeeds by accident just when she should not have done. The costumes were truly fabulous, and I loved the styles which could be worn today quite easily. The sets were sumptuous as well. All the ingredients for an exceptional movie and yet around the first third, the pace dragged. I feel that Dan Stevens is the weak link in an otherwise strong chain. The variety of dangerous/dramatic supernatural events was too many and the developing relationship between Elvira and Charles as she reignites his creativity also palled. Because I so enjoyed the original, I was disappointed that I did not love this movie. But I’d advise viewers who love something fun and supernatural to still give it a try. There is a lot to enjoy and some really surprising twists. 3/5
Blithe Spirit (2020): A Spirited But Uneven Adaptation
(Updated: January 04, 2025)
Overall rating
3.4
Entertainment Factor
3.0
Story
3.0
Actors Performance
4.0
Cinematography
3.0
Sound Track
4.0
Noel Coward's classic comedy "Blithe Spirit" has seen numerous adaptations over the years, but the 2020 film version starring Dan Stevens, Isla Fisher, and Judi Dench brings a fresh dose of charm and zaniness to the haunting tale.
The story follows Charles (Stevens), a writer who inadvertently conjures the spirit of his late wife Elvira (Fisher) during a séance, much to the dismay of his current spouse, Ruth (Dench). What ensues is a delightful battle of wits and wills as the two wives vie for Charles's affection, with hilariously chaotic consequences.
Director Edward Hall's adaptation captures the witty banter and farcical elements that made Coward's play a hit, thanks to the stellar performances from the lead cast. Fisher is a standout as the mischievous Elvira, injecting the right amount of playfulness and pettiness into her ghostly antics. Dench, as always, is a delight, delivering her lines with impeccable timing and a deliciously dry wit.
However, the film's pacing occasionally lags, and some of the supporting characters feel underdeveloped. The visual effects used to depict Elvira's spectral form are also hit-or-miss, sometimes feeling a bit too cartoonish for the otherwise grounded tone.
Despite its flaws, "Blithe Spirit" is a charming and entertaining romp that pays homage to Coward's witty writing while injecting a touch of modern flair. If you're in the mood for a lighthearted haunting filled with laughter and clever quips, this spirited adaptation is worth a watch.
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