Blithe Spirit is a 2020 British comedy film directed by Edward Hall and starring Dan Stevens, Leslie Mann, Isla Fisher, Judi Dench, Emilia Fox, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Adil Ray, Michele Dotrice, and Aimee-Ffion Edwards. The film was based upon the 1941 play of the same name by Noël Coward, adapted for the screen by Nick Moorcroft, Meg Leonard, and Piers Ashworth.
| Blithe Spirit | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster with original release window | |
| Directed by | Edward Hall |
| Screenplay by |
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| Based on | Blithe Spirit 1941 play by Noël Coward |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Ed Wilde |
| Edited by | Paul Tothil |
| Music by | Simon Boswell |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Sky |
Release dates |
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Running time | 95 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $890,492[1][2] |
Blithe Spirit had its world premiere at the 2020 Mill Valley Film Festival, and was released in the United Kingdom on 15 January 2021. The film received generally negative reviews from critics.[3][4]
Plot summary
editSuccessful playwright Charles Condomine is suffering from depression and writer's block. After a performance by popular medium Madame Arcati ends in fiasco, as a kind of publicity act, the medium performs a private séance at Charles's home and accidentally summons the spirit of Elvira, his deceased first wife.
Conflict follows as Elvira becomes jealous of Ruth, Charles's new wife, and attempts to drive her away. Charles now has to balance between the two women, and protect Ruth from Elvira as he is the only one who can actually see her.
Cast
edit- Dan Stevens as Charles Condomine
- Leslie Mann as Elvira Condomine
- Isla Fisher as Ruth Condomine
- Judi Dench as Madame Arcati
- Emilia Fox as Violet Bradman
- Julian Rhind-Tutt as Dr. George Bradman
- Adil Ray as Mandeep Singh
- Michele Dotrice as Edna
- Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Edith
- Issy van Randwyck as Margot
- Dave Johns as Harold
- Simon Kunz as Henry Mackintosh
- Peter A. Rogers as Alfred Hitchcock
- Colin Sinton as Cecil B. DeMille
- Stella Stocker as Greta Garbo
- Jaymes Sygrove as Clark Gable
- Georgina Rich as Hedda Hopper
Production
editIn May 2019, it was announced Dan Stevens, Isla Fisher, and Judi Dench had joined the cast of the film, with Edward Hall directing from a screenplay by Piers Ashworth, Meg Leonard and Nick Moorcroft.[5] In June 2019, Leslie Mann, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Emilia Fox, Dave Johns and James Fleet joined the cast of the film.[6][7]
Principal photography began near Sydney in June 2019.[8]
Release
editThe film premiered on 8 October 2020 at the Mill Valley Film Festival,[9] and was screened later in the same month at the San Diego International Film Festival.[10] The film was scheduled to be released in the United Kingdom on 1 May 2020, but was delayed to 4 September 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was then further delayed to 25 December 2020.[11] In November 2020, Sky acquired the British distribution rights, and the film was released on the Sky Cinema channel on 15 January 2021.[12] IFC Films distributed the film in the United States.[13]
Home media
editBlithe Spirit was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on 26 April 2021 by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment under Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, which includes interviews from the cast and additional bonus features. The movie was released and distributed in the Nordic countries as My Better Halves.
Reception
editBox office
editIn its opening weekend in the United States, the film grossed $98,100 from 239 theaters. It was also the most-rented title on the Apple TV's indie movie chart, and ninth overall.[14]
Critical response
editReview aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports an approval rating of 29% based on 77 reviews, with an average rating of 4.7/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "An indifferent adaptation of classic source material, Blithe Spirit puts a star-studded cast through the motions without capturing the story's screwball spark."[3] According to Metacritic, which sampled 16 critics and calculated a weighted average score of 26 out of 100, the film received "generally unfavorable reviews".[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Blithe Spirit (2020)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
- ^ "Blithe Spirit (2020)". The Numbers. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Blithe Spirit (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
- ^ a b "Blithe Spirit Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- ^ Grater, Tom (15 May 2019). "Judi Dench, Dan Stevens, Isla Fisher to star in UK comedy 'Blithe Spirit' for Protagonist (exclusive)". Screen International. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
- ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (17 June 2019). "Leslie Mann To Star In Noel Coward Adaptation 'Blithe Spirit'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas (18 June 2019). "'Blithe Spirit': StudioCanal Among Buyers Of Comedy With Dan Stevens & Judi Dench, Shoot Under Way". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
- ^ "Dame Judi Dench, Dan Stevens, and Isla Fisher Will Lead BLITHE SPIRIT Film Re-Imagining". Broadway News. 15 June 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
- ^ Anderson, Erik (September 10, 2020). "43rd Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF) 'Drive-In Cinema' kicks off October 8 with 'Blithe Spirit'". awardswatch.com. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
- ^ "The Re-Imagined 2020 San Diego International Film Festival Announces Festival to Feature Virtual Village & Drive-In Movies! | San Diego International Film Festival". 2020-09-23. Archived from the original on 2021-01-09. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
- ^ Brew, Simon (24 June 2020). "Blithe Spirit: trailer, and new December release date". filmstories.co.uk. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- ^ "Downton Abbey's Dan Stevens summons a ghost in exclusive Blithe Spirit clip". Digital Spy. 5 January 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
- ^ Ray-Ramos, Dino (11 June 2020). "IFC Films Acquires Comedy 'Blithe Spirit' Starring Leslie Mann, Dan Stevens, Isla Fisher And Judi Dench". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
- ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (February 21, 2021). "'Blithe Spirit', 'Silk Road' And 'The Violent Heart' Post To Specialty Box Office Board; 'Promising Young Woman' Crosses $5M". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 24, 2021.