I Married A Witch (**Updated**)

Derek’s recent post about the classic film 12 Angry Men reminded me of the times I have sat down with Turner Classic Movies to just watch, with no preconceived notions about old films I had never seen.

One night, a few years ago, my husband and I had a big fight. I was angry, but decided the best course of action would be to disengage for a while; let the fury subside. So, I bolted upstairs and turned on TCM just in time to catch the beginning of something. I must have been pretty quiet, because a little later, my husband called up the stairwell:

“Are you okay?”
“Yes”
“What are you doing?”
“Watching I MARRIED A WITCH!”

After a few moments of silence, he called up again, “Are you kidding…, or is that really a movie?”

She’s a witch (and we do mean witch) who gets what she wants with hex appeal!

This tagline, from the 1942 black and white film, I Married A Witch, does not adequately convey the true charm of this movie. Starring Frederic March and Veronica Lake, along with Susan Hayward (who nearly steals the movie), I Married A Witch is an old-fashioned comedic gem.

In short, the movie is about a witch and her father who had been convicted and executed during the 1700s. They cursed their prosecutor and his descendents to forever marry the wrong woman. Fast forward to the 20th century, where the witch and her sot of a father’s spirits are freed, they conjure up some bodies and set out to take revenge upon the latest male in the family line who happens to be running for governor and planning his wedding to a political backer’s daughter.

Very Minor Spoiler Follows:
One of the reasons that I love this movie is that it is a solid example of how well actors can use their facial expressions, rather than their naked breasts, to draw us into the story. At one point in the story, woman about to lose her man, as portrayed by Susan Hayward shoots a look at Veronica Lake that conveys every ounce of her disgust toward the other woman. It was priceless – a look frozen in celluloid for all to see.

I read somewhere that Frederic March did not want to work with Veronica Lake in this project because he was trained in the theater and viewed her as an amateur. Regardless, they were able to get past any animosity and deliver solid, engaging performances.

If you are looking for something not too involved, with a touch of humor and sarcasm (my favorite), then try to catch this flick. The other fun part is catching a glimpse of the characters that inspired the family members in the television show Bewitched.

Update: Turner Classic Movies website says it is showing this film on Tue, Sep 16, 2008 at 11:45 AM EDT.  Eerie coincidence:  September 16th is my wedding anniversary.  Ha!