Stylish Films: Blithe Spirit (2020)

The original Blithe Spirit is an absolute delight. Based on the 1941 play by Noel Coward, this 1945 film stars Rex Harrison, Constance Cummings and Kay Hammond and Margaret Rutherford in the story of a novelist who takes part in a seance in order to get background for the book he is writing, and ends up accidentally bringing back his dead first wife, the glamorous Elvira, much to the chagrin of his second wife. Blithe Spirit is a sparkling, sexy comedy. full of wonderful performances that is still a joy to watch.

It does make you wonder why there was any need to make a new version, but make one they did. The 2020 version of Blithe Spirit only played in selected cinemas due to last years lockdown and received generally poor reviews, but there is actually a lot to recommend it, if we don’t compare it too closely to the original. It is beautifully filmed in what used to be called ‘glorious technicolour’ and totally has all the glamour of the period. The costumes are glorious, both the lead actresses (Leslie Mann and Isla Fisher) are wonderfully attired throughout, as is Emilia Fox in a supporting role.

The performances are fun too. Leslie Mann totally vamps it up as the glamorous Elvira, totally able to seduce her former husband despite the fact that he now has a lovely new wife Ruth, and the fact that she is dead. From the tips of her blonde hair, to her beautiful 1930s threads, she is the epitome of a 30s movie star, and she plays the role so well. Isla Fisher is funny yet suitably irritating as wife number two Ruth, a spoilt rich girl not used to sharing anything, least of all her husband, whilst the husband they are fighting over is Downton’s Dan Stevens, who is at time hilarious, although you do wonder why these women would be fighting over a man who turns out to be a rather wet plagiarist.

In the role of the spiritualist Madame Arcati we have the always wonderful Judi Dench, who plays this less for laughs than Margaret Rutherford, with a sad back story of wanting to contact her sweetheart lost to the ravages of war.

All in all, Blithe Spirit would not be winning any awards, but it is light hearted entertainment that will certainly pass a nice couple of hours in pure escapism. Which, as we are now firmly in dark January, we could all do with.

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