Blithe Spirit

A spiritualist medium holds a seance for a writer suffering from writers block but accidentally summons the spirit of his deceased first wife which leads to an increasingly complex love triangle with his current wife of five years.

It would be wrong to simply recreate the original film/play and copy the excellent performance of Margaret Rutherford and I’m delighted that this film does not. It takes the premise of Noel Coward’s and, with tongue firmly planted in its cheek, improves upon it immensely.

The characters are all fleshed out far more than in the original. For example, Ruth in the play and original film is dull, boring and flat. Isla Fisher brings a more believable portrayal and relishes the character. Judi Dench’s Madame Arcarti is less chaotic than Rutherford but equally enjoyable. Leslie Mann’s Elvira brings true threat born from jealousy but keeps it within the realms of the comedic nature of the film

Yes, it’s a farce and it’s supposed to be. No, this is nothing like the original, but what would be the point? Both versions have their merits and can be enjoyed equally.