bell book and candle

the year: 1958

the genre: comedy


the cast: James Stewart (Shepherd "Shep" Henderson); Kim Novak (Gillian "Gil" Holroyd); Jack Lemmon (Nicky Holroyd); Ernie Kovacs (Sidney Redlitch); Hermione Gingold (Bianca de Passe); Elsa Lanchester (Queenie Holroyd)


the plot: Gillian Holroyd is an average, modern-day, witch, living in a New York apartment with her Siamese cat, Pyewacket. But one day a handsome publisher, Shep Henderson walks into her building and Gillian decides she wants him--especially as it turns out he's marrying Merle Kittridge, an old poison penpal from Gillian's college days. So, Gillian casts a spell over Shep. But her powers are in danger of being exorcised by something stronger than the bell-book-and-candle routine: Love.


don't miss: the Stormy Weather scene.



listen for: "I sit in the subway sometimes, on buses, or the movies, and I look at the people next to me and I think..."What would you say if I told you I was a witch?"



did you know: James Stewart celebrated his fiftieth birthday during filming.



extra bonus points: if you know which characters were in the original Broadway play.


also listen for: "Are you trying to say you're... *jilting* me?" "W-well, that's a very heavy word, Merle. It's a very heavy word. Let's just say that we're... uncoupling."

the legend of bagger vance

the year: 2000

the genre: drama


the cast: Will Smith (Bagger Vance); Matt Damon (Rannulph Junuh); Charlize Theron (Adele Invergordon); Bruce McGill (Walter Hagen); Joel Gretsch (Bobby Jones); J. Michael Moncrief (Hardy Greaves)


the plot: A disillusioned war veteran, Captain Rannulph Junah, reluctantly agrees to play a game of golf. He finds the game futile until his caddy, Bagger Vance, teaches him the secret of the authentic golf stroke which turns out also to be the secret to mastering any challenge and finding meaning in life.


don't miss: the beautiful score/soundtrack.


listen for: "Yep... Inside each and every one of us is one true authentic swing... Somethin' we was born with... Somethin' that's ours and ours alone... Somethin' that can't be taught to ya or learned... Somethin' that got to be remembered... Over time the world can, rob us of that swing... It get buried inside us under all our wouldas and couldas and shouldas... Some folk even forget what their swing was like..."


did you know: Although the film is based on fiction, both Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen were real golfers. Jones was the more famous because, among other things, he founded the US Masters tournament in Augusta.


extra bonus points: if you know who played the uncredited Narrator. (It was his last film.)


also listen for: "This is getting embarassing." "Oh no sir, this has been embarassing for quite some time."

the great race

the year: 1965

the genre: comedy

the cast: Tony Curtis (The Great Leslie); Jack Lemmon (Professor Fate); Natalie Wood (Maggie Dubois); Peter Falk (Max); Keenan Wynn (Hezekiah)




the plot: In 1908 in New York City, the villainous Professor Fate challenges The Great Leslie to a New York-to-Paris automobile race. Fate and his assistant Max enter their black Hannibal 8 against the white Leslie Special.


count: the number of times Professor Fate says, "Push the button, Max!"

don't miss: the best pie fight EVER.



check out: Maggie's fabulous hats

listen for: “Oh, of course I'll keep it to myself. Until the water reaches my lower lip, and then I'm going to mention it to *somebody*!”