Blithe Spirit

This review may contain spoilers!

Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit is a script I have always really loved and enjoyed, this film adaptation is a decent take that flounders somewhat in the final act. I would give Blithe Spirit a 6.5/10.

Blithe Spirit is an adaptation of the Noel Coward play of the same name, in which struggling writer, Charles Condomine, is pressed for time and stuck with no ideas for his upcoming screenplay. A chance meeting with an eccentric spiritual medium provides him with inspiration for his work, unfortunately the medium's work has the unexpected consequences of summoning Charles' dead ex-wife back from the dead. What I really admire about this script more than anything else is the uncanny handle it has on the humour of Noel Coward; dialogue has this dry and immensely clever nature of being told and presented that left me laughing out loud in my seat. The approach to this really unique love triangle between Charles and his two spouses is fascinating to see and I like watching Charles ineptly navigating his relationship with either wife in what becomes a horrific struggle for normality, love and success. As the film heightens and Elvira becomes more of a malicious presence you really feel the subtle change as her methods go from playful to increasingly violent towards Charles and his new wife, Ruth. It clearly finds the charm and novelty in Coward's work and a lot of the heart behind the original piece is here if you come looking for it. The cinematography for the film isn't always the most polished thing but there's certainly a masterful eye at work here; framing is often bold and captures the exquisite sets and colour palette of the film nicely. The score is a sincere celebration of the Jazz Age of music, a lot of thrilling riffs and blasts of intensity that suit the chaotic nature of this comedy.

 

Dan Stevens, who played Charles Condomine, does an exemplary job as the film's leading character; Stevens lends a layer of charm to the role but constantly stays true to the fact that Charles is a self-pitying and self-centred fop at the best of times. Leslie Mann, who played Elvira Condomine, is an absolutely dark and chaotic spectral figure; yet what I most liked about this performance was Mann's ability to reflect on her role's life and how she loved when she was alive. Judi Dench, who played Madame Arcati, is a lot of fun to watch as this very eccentric spiritualist figure; Dench's role has this quiet pain or heartache to her as she misses her deceased love and Dench plays to this extremely well throughout the feature.

However, the best performance came from Isla Fisher, who played Ruth Condomine. This role was an immense amount of fun because Ruth has this strong sense of ownership over her household but really has to grapple with having a rogue spirit sow chaos through a space that used to be hers. Fisher is extremely funny as this character who can go from being haughty or uptight to these sudden gushing moods of love and infatuation. Ruth is a character who likes to maintain things to the status quo as she sees it, she has this vision for how her house, her garden and her relationship with her husband should look. Yet despite this nature of Ruth, Fisher brings this really vulnerable gentle side to the character; she's wounded emotionally by the fact her husband almost seems to care more for Elvira than her at times and it's a jealousy that consumes her at times.

A lot of the charm of Noel Coward's work is caught in this film but it is far from a perfect adaptation of the famous play. The struggle between Charles, Ruth and Elvira is at it's core treated as a simple one in the feature; leaving Charles caught between two women he loves and being unable to truly be faithful to either. Unfortunately the film struggle to expand on the relationship much more than that and often devolves into comedic hi-jinks rather than exploring the trio or twisting scenes to send the narrative down exciting paths. Even when Ruth meets her accidental demise at the hands of Elvira the twist doesn't land as strongly because it's abrupt, the moment happens quickly and with little impact. Meanwhile, a lot of the runtime is filled up with the strange spiritual adventures of Madame Arcati, who upon learning that she summoned Elvira successfully, goes on a rather dull adventure to learn how to banish her. This all culminates in a final act that goes a little absurd with an overly stylised banishing ritual and the rather hurried death of Charles at the hands of his now jilted spectral ex-wives. The editing for the film also left much to be desired, setting a sluggish pace and having some offbeat transitions at times.

Emilia Fox and Julian Rhind-Tutt, who played Violet Bradman and Dr Bradman respectively, are quite genric period performers in this piece; they are staples to the setting and barely function in their roles as friends to the leading characters. Aimee-Ffion Edwards and Michele Dotrice, who played Edith and Edna respectively, are quite odd sorts of comedic relief scattered throughout the film but they often feel like afterthoughts; Edwards especially is given a lot of rope to garner a laugh but as the film wears on it becomes clear her characters merely exists to be laughed at rather than seen as a role.