Ma femme est une sorcière

The Salem Witch Trials have long had a hold on the American imagination, possibly because they offer a potential riposte to the oft-heard European jibe that America is a new country with no history to speak of. ("Whaddya mean, Bud, no history? Listen, Bud, we Americans go so far back into the Middle Ages that at one time we used to burn witches!") The trials have given rise to a number of serious works of literature, such as Hawthorne's "The House of the Seven Gables" and Arthur Miller's "The Crucible", but they have also inspired some lighter offerings, such as television series like "Bewitched", "Charmed" and "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" (which featured a cat named Salem).

"I Married a Witch" is an earlier example of using the witch trials as a source of comedy. In seventeenth century Salem a warlock named Daniel and his beautiful daughter Jennifer are denounced for witchcraft by a Puritan minister, Jonathan Wooley, and burned at the stake. In revenge, Jennifer places a curse Wooley and all his male descendants, who are doomed to make miserably unhappy marriages.

Years pass, and generation after generation the Wooley men marry women who make them miserable. Finally, in 1942, a bolt of lightning splits the tree beneath which Jennifer and Daniel have been buried, thus freeing their spirits. They discover that history is about to repeat itself again. Wallace Wooley, the latest scion of the clan and a politician running for the governorship of Massachusetts, is about to marry the domineering and bitchy Estelle Masterson. Things take a strange turn, however, when Jennifer falls in love with Wallace, much to the disgust of her father, who wants to use his unexpected freedom as an opportunity to wreak further vengeance on the Wooley family. (The film, with its theme of a witch falling in love with a mortal, was the inspiration for "Bewitched").

This was one of Veronica Lake's early star vehicles. Although only 19, she had shown earlier the same year in "This Gun for Hire" that she was a gifted actress in film noir, and in "I Married a Witch" she showed that she could also turn her hand to comedy, making Jennifer a delightfully playful and sexy heroine. Another noted Hollywood beauty, Susan Hayward, plays Estelle. It is notable that although Hayward was five years older than Lake, and a more experienced actress, she was cast in an unsympathetic supporting role while it was the younger girl who took the lead. In the long run, however, it was to be Hayward who proved the more durable; Lake's career was all but over by the end of the forties, whereas Hayward was to remain a leading lady throughout the fifties and into the sixties.

There is another good performance from Cecil Kellaway as the drunken old reprobate Daniel, but the weak link is Fredric March who makes Wallace too much of a stuffed shirt for the hero of a romantic comedy film. I was disappointed in his contribution to this film, as I had previously always admired his work; possibly comedy was not his forte. March had previously called Lake "a brainless little blonde sexpot, void of any acting ability", so it is hardly surprising that they did not get on with one another and that there is little chemistry between their characters. (The relationship between the two leads in this film reminded me of that between Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe in "The Prince and the Showgirl", another film where a middle-aged heavyweight actor dismissed his younger female co-star as a lightweight, only for her to prove herself more gifted at light comedy than him).

The film might have worked better with a younger leading man closer in age to Lake, although that might have entailed some rewriting of the script. (A twenty-something state governor is hardly plausible). The original choice for Wallace was Joel McCrea, but he turned the role down, having also fallen out with Lake on the set of "Sullivan's Travels". (Lake's fiery temper and her gift for making enemies were among the reasons why her career was to be a short one).

Overall, "I Married a Witch" is one of those forties comedies which still remains watchable today, largely because of an often humorous script and a vivacious leading lady. I felt, however, that it could have been better with a different leading man. 7/10

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.

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!)

Veronica Lake and Cecil Kellaway seem to get into the spirit of this whimsical comedy about witchcraft--while Fredric March (who reportedly disliked working with Lake whom he considered an inferior actress) does not come off well in comedy. Lake plays a witch whose ancestors burned her at the stake 300 years ago. March is engaged to Susan Hayward, but with the entry of Lake into his life, everything goes haywire. March is a gubernatorial candidate whose election to office is threatened by Lake's dexterity with broomstick magic.

Based on an unfinished novel by Thorne Smith (creator of "Topper"), the film emerges as a screwball romantic comedy well directed by Rene Clair and benefits from some good trick photography. The video print I have is on the murky side--I'm sure the original print featured better overall photography than the video version. With a cast that includes Robert Benchley among the supporting players, this is a comedy treat ideal for viewing on Halloween.

Warning: More enjoyable if the print quality is good!

Utterly entrancing comic fantasy with a captivating Veronica Lake.

The film is a light as air concoction directed by Rene Clair at breakneck speed which suits the material perfectly. The brief running time doesn't allow for any superfluous characters or dialogue and the film is cast with performers that make every second on screen count.

Robert Benchley is a scream as March's increasingly befuddled best friend while Elizabeth Patterson shows up doing the flustered housekeeper that she did so well. The only other two parts aside from the leads of any importance are filled by Cecil Kellaway as Veronica's father, a basically cruel character who he makes seem more impish than mean by the jaunty air he brings to the part. Then there's Susan Hayward, in a role that really moved her forward and one that she attacks with great relish, the beauty who would be a prize where she not a total shrew.

While all those players are excellent the two who make the picture great are the leads. They are a beguiling pair seemingly completely swept away with their adoration of each other. Their chemistry is delightful which is extraordinary since behind the scenes they openly loathed each other. Veronica was a complicated woman burdened with extreme psychological problems which led her to have a prickly personality and causing her to often have conflicts with both actors and crews. However in this case she was probably justified. March although a great actor was a notorious hot pants putting the make on anything that moved, when she rebuffed him he spent the remainder of the film treating her like dirt under his talented feet. She struck back by various methods probably the best being placing weights under her dress during a scene where he had to carry her repeatedly. Be that as it may both were too professional to allow their animosity to show on screen.

This is probably the best showcase Veronica ever had, This Gun for Hire is a close second, she is at all times seductive, alluring, humorous and seems to carry a gossamer glow with her wherever she goes. A pity she didn't have a chance to do more comedies during her brief heyday since she was so adept at them.

A gem of a film, see it!