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Veronica Lake and Cecil Kellaway are witches who have been sealed up in a tree for about 300 years. They are NOT nice witches and are thrilled when a bolt of lightning shatters the tree and releases them to do evil! The first thing they want to do is destroy the descendants of the man who persecuted them during the witch trials. His most direct descendant is Frederick March and he is about to marry the woman he loves. So, Veronica plans on meeting him and placing a love potion in his drink so he becomes attracted to her instead--with the intention of then dumping him and leaving him miserable. Of course, being a comedy, she accidentally drinks the potion and falls head over heels for March! The acting is excellent (particularly Kellaway who is uncharacteristically EVIL in this movie) and the writing superb in the short little picture.

Pleasing comedy fantasy. There are some moments where watching Lake perform is really nice -- I love the bitchy look and how she puts her arms out when she slams the door with her magic in anger. Lake plays a witch who accidentally casts a love spell on herself, and therfore ends up domesticating herself and adopting moral attitudes her warlock father is opposed to. Fun and slightly meaningful in the Sturges mold.

I see that they are making a remake of this movie so I expect the original will be getting some publicity and more people will be introduced to it. Whimsical fantasy movies were popular in the 1940's and this is a fine example of that genre. French Director René Clair did a few fantasy films, The Ghost Goes West, that he made in the UK and It Happened Tomorrow, his other Hollwood fantasy flick. This film has a great cast in Veronica Lake, Fredric March, Susan Hayward and Cecil Kellaway. This is one of Lake's best movies and a good comic vehicle for her. She only made a dozen movies as a leading lady but I always liked Veronica Lake and I like her here. Fredric March who was a great actor seems a little miscast in this. It seems like he's just going through the motions to get this filmed at times and there really is no great chemistry between him and Lake. Cecil Kellaway is perfect and turns in a fine performance as Lake's father. Susan Hayward like March seems far too serious in this movie. It's a good, fun story and I've always liked this movie. I would give this a 8.5 on a scale of 10 and definitely recommend this.

The summary line only applies to the film, however.

This movie was intended by the studio for Joel McCrea. After making Sullivan's Travels, McCrea informed the top brass that he could not make another film with Veronica Lake. The role instead went to Fredric March, who declared "I Married a Witch" the most horrendous experience he'd ever had. It should be added that McCrea did work with Lake again 5 years later, after he had time to heal.

I have no idea why these actors had problems with this tiny, beautiful woman. "I Married a Witch" is a delightful light comedy which I suppose is the basis for "Bewitched." Apparently these Salem witches cursed an entire family so that they would be unlucky in love, and the movie quickly takes us through the generations of miserable men (all March in assorted wigs) until it gets to the present when March, a gubernatorial candidate, is set to marry a human witch (Susan Hayward). When lightning strikes a tree which was grown over the ashes of burned witches, Lake and her father escape. She takes human form and March "saves" her from a fire (that her father started). Then she mistakenly drinks a potion intended for him, and the situation really takes off.

Lake was 23 when this film was made; March was 45, and McCrea, had he made the movie, was 37. The very dignified March made a great politician, as the character in this film is - but he comes off as too old to be marrying Hayward or getting involved with Lake. Yes, we all know it happens. But this type of film was not March's métier. Eight years younger and ever boyish, of course, McCrea was more suited to the role in looks and acting.

My favorite scene is the botched wedding in which the soprano has to sing the beginning of "I Love You Truly" over and over as Susan Hayward becomes increasingly outraged. It's a young Hayward, but all the feistiness and strength is apparent.

Cecil Kellaway is Lake's father, and he gives a fine performance. Although her costars may not have agreed, I found Lake funny and beautiful in this movie, and it's a shame the last years of her life were spent as they were. She had a lovely screen presence.

Rene Clair directed this clever comedy that stars Frederic March as several generations of the Wooley family, starting with Jonathan Wooley, who has condemned two witches named Daniel & Jennifer(played by Cecil Kellaway & Veronica Lake) who are father & daughter. Their spirits are trapped beneath a tree, but in 1942, are freed by a lightning strike, and resume their mischievous ways by tormenting the current Wooley, named Wallace, who is running for governor. The male Wooleys were cursed into marrying the wrong women, which is certainly the case for him, as he is marrying a newspaper publisher's daughter(played by Susan Hayward), a spoiled brat. Jennifer tricks Wallace into saving her from a hotel fire her father started, and plans to ruin him, but instead mistakenly drinks the love potion he was supposed to drink! Now in love with him, she tries desperately to save him from the curse and her vengeful father...

Veronica Lake was perfectly cast here, stunningly beautiful and alluring, aided by a witty script and effective direction. Just don't think about logic too much(it doesn't apply here!)