Latest ‘Blithe Spirit’ adaptation is a ghost of its former self
8PM
Noel Coward’s 1941 play “Blithe Spirit” is classic material: a comic screwball play about a mystery novelist who is haunted by his ex-wife, summoned by a medium while trying to work through his writer’s block. The play has been staged numerous times on the West End and on Broadway since its debut, adapted to a musical (“High Spirits”) and filmed as a movie in 1945, starring Rex Harrison. The ongoing revival continues with Edward Hall’s film version, starring Dan Stevens, Isla Fisher and Leslie Mann.
In this particular adaptation, the play has been given a Hollywood twist, with the novelist, Charles Condomine (Stevens), struggling to write the screenplay of one of his works for the producer father of his wife, Ruth (Fisher). When the couple attends the mystical show of Madame Arcati (Judi Dench), they find her to be a fraud, but Charles thinks observing the tricks of her trade might offer some inspiration for his writing. During the séance, Madame Arcati summons the spirit of Charles’ first wife, Elvira (Mann), who perished in a riding accident.
That’s the setup, and high-spirited hijinks ensue as Elvira and Ruth enact their petty jealousies across the astral plane. Only Charles can see Elvira, though she proves her existence – and her mettle – pretty well despite her invisibility. She drives Charles mad with her ghoulish gags and persistent insistence on being seen by him, causing more than a few impolite embarrassments. It’s “Ghost” as a British comedy of manners, but instead of a grieving husband protecting his wife, the spirit is a vengeful socialite determined to get her due.
Stevens, Fisher and Mann are gifted comedians; these roles are something they could do in their sleep. Which is why it’s a bit disappointing that the film doesn’t push the material, or the performers, out of this fizzy, dizzy but somehow rather basic adaptation. Stevens can do “wildeyed genius” in circles around any other actor, the same goes for Fisher and Mann’s bubbly charms. It’s just that we’ve all seen them do much more interesting, weird and fascinating performances, and nothing in Hall’s “Blithe Spirit” pushes them out of that comfort zone, nor does it truly push this well-known material (the script is by Piers Ashworth, Meg Leonard and Nick Moorcroft).
The outstanding star here is the jaw-dropping production design by John Paul Kelly. Joldwynds, a stunning white modernist home in Surrey, designed by Oliver Hill in 1932, serves as the location for the Condomines’
home. The interiors have been painted mint green, royal blue and cotton-candy pink, furnished with jewel-tone velvet pieces. It lends playfulness, wit and style to the film, and the sumptuous visuals, also enhanced by Charlotte Walter’s glorious 1937-era costumes, create the heightened reality in which this outrageous rom-com is set.
This “Blithe Spirit” tangles with issues of authorship and the muse, and who gets credit for what in art, a topic that has surfaced again and again recently, in films such as “The Wife” and “Malcolm & Marie,” though of course it’s been a thorny question since the days of Scott and Zelda (Fitzgerald). But any trenchant observations to be found in this “Blithe Spirit” only pop and fizz into thin air like champagne bubbles. Although effervescent, it’s a bit too ethereal for its own good.
Dear Abby: My husband is an amazing guy. We have a very nice life except for an older sort-of family member who is living with us.
“Nathan” has been living in the house for years, but he isn’t a blood relative. He’s my husband’s late stepfather’s brother. Nathan is a several-times-divorced curmudgeon who was living in a shed. He was allowed to stay here to get on his feet and, partially, out of respect for the stepfather.
Nathan refuses to help out in any way. He comes and goes as he pleases and is living rent-free. We pay the mortgage and all the bills. Nathan buys food and stuff for himself, but then will eat the household food my mother-in-law buys.
I’m tired of the garbage he makes. He smokes in his room, and he’s nasty, rude and demanding. He needs to move out or pay up, but my husband doesn’t want to do anything. Advice? — Unhappy at Home
Dear Unhappy: Just this. Realize that nothing will change until your husband is finally willing to put his foot down and insist on changes.
Dear Abby: My 82-yearold mother made a special request of her visiting relatives on Christmas Day. She asked everyone to hand over their cellphones for the entire celebration upon entering or “don’t come.” She said she would return them as we left.
Certain family members had major meltdowns because of her request. My mother, as always, provided hors d’oeuvres, dinner and gifts for all 23 people. Do you think this was a fair request? — Not a Big Deal
Dear Not: The oldest rule of entertaining is: The host makes the rules. Of course it was a fair request!
Contact Dear Abby at www. DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
Walker Walker (Jared Padalecki) is forced to resume his undercover identity when someone from that past life inadvertently collides with his current family reality in the new episode “Duke.” Micki (Lindsey Morgan) also gets caught up in Walker’s old case, while son August (Kale Culley) poses a threat to his father’s cover. Elsewhere, Trey (Jeff Pierre) starts his new job. Keegan Allen also stars.
8PM (FREE) grown-ish Zoey
(Yara Shahidi) comes home for a long weekend with her family, but she’s a little surprised to find things both in the Johnson home and the campus of Cal U have moved on quite nicely in her absence in the new episode “NO HALO.” Elsewhere, Jazz (Chloe Bailey) returns from the NCAA track finals with news that is likely to further complicate her relationship with Doug (Diggy Simmons).
8:31 PM B Positive When Drew (Thomas Middleditch) makes the dispiriting discovery that he evidently lost all his friends in the divorce with Julia (Sara Rue), Gina (Annaleigh Ashford) tries to buoy his mood by throwing a party and inviting the members of his dialysis group in the new episode “Integration Therapy.” Briga Heelen, David Anthony Higgins, Darryl Stephens and Linda Lavin guest star.
9PM Call Me Kat When Randi’s (Kyla Pratt) party-loving cousin comes to town, Kat and Phil (Mayim Bialik, Leslie Jordan) beg her to let them come along for a night on the town to prove they’re not old fogies in the new episode “All Nighter.” Meanwhile, Randi is puzzled why Daniel (guest star Lamorne Morris) never seems to get jealous.