...... a charming and timeless romantic dramedy about love and witchcraft in New York City. I hadn't seen this one since seeing it on the silver screen when it was released way back in 1958. I wasn't mature or experienced enough to fully appreciate it then. The Link It stars the deservedly iconic Jimmy Stewart in a quintessential performance equal IMO to his best in such as "Rear Window," "Anatomy of a Murder," "Shenandoah," "Vertigo," "The Cheyenne Social Club" and "It's a Wonderful Life" and the beautiful Kim Novak, showcasing her at her most bewitchingly subdued, platinum blonde, alto-voiced, seductively radiant best. Also prominently featured are Elsa Lanchester, Jack Lemmon, Ernie Kovacs and Hermione Gingold in very well-done supporting roles and surely you'll recognize Howard McNear, well-known as Floyd the Barber from "The Andy Griffith Show," as Stewart's publishing partner. There's good witchy theme music, some cool beatnik jazz and a few nice shots of NYC at Christmas time. A purring feline familiar named Pyewacket, when taken along with those two mischevious Siamese (if you please) kitties from "Lady and the Tramp," first introduced me to that particular breed of pussycat. All and all, this is a very good period movie with intelligently written and nicely delivered dialog that still stands up well cinematically and IMHO could serve as a companion film along with Roman Polanski's "Rosemary's Baby" to balance things out if contemplating the possiblity of the presence and practice of modern day magic in The Big Apple. I first felt, the storyline at the end got tied up a bit too abruptly, but when the fantasy is over there's really no reason to draw things out, even though I was still enjoying the movie. And I do think this film and these performances were as good and as enduring as others in memorable relationship flicks like "City Lights," "Gone with the Wind," "Adam's Rib," "Casablanca," "It Happened One Night," "Pat and Mike," "The African Queen," "Breakfast at Tiffany's," "When Harry Met Sally," "Moonstruck," "Pretty Woman," "Groundhog Day," "Roxanne," "Sleepless in Seattle," "You've Got Mail," "Reality Bites" "The Wedding Singer," "(500) Days of Summer," and "Friends with Benefits." Some of today's movie mixture of bare skin and sex could have made it more interesting for me, but I very easily used my imagination to visualize what Jimmy and Kim weren't allowed to show us on screen. Check it out. Recommended for those who have ever been bewitched, bothered and bewildered or those that are open to that happening on some enchanted evening. Any thoughts?
My wife caught this a while back on AMC - she loves it. It is an enjoyable, well-made movie. Makes me wonder it it is so unrecognized.
