Thinking he can overshadow an unknown actress in the part, an egocentric actor unknowingly gets a witch cast in an upcoming television remake of the classic show “Bewitched”.
Credits: TheMovieDb.
Film Cast:
- Isabel Bigelow: Nicole Kidman
- Jack Wyatt: Will Ferrell
- Iris Smythson / Endora: Shirley MacLaine
- Nigel Bigelow: Michael Caine
- Ritchie: Jason Schwartzman
- Maria Kelly: Kristin Chenoweth
- Nina: Heather Burns
- Larry: Jim Turner
- Stu Robison: Stephen Colbert
- Jim Fields: David Alan Grier
- Joey Props: Michael Badalucco
- Aunt Clara: Carole Shelley
- Uncle Arthur: Steve Carell
- Sheila Wyatt: Katie Finneran
- Himself: James Lipton
- Conan O’Brien: Conan O’Brien
- Gladys Kravitz: Amy Sedaris
- Abner Kravitz: Richard Kind
- Writer: Ken Hudson Campbell
- Writer: P.J. Byrne
- Realtor: Carole Androsky
- Bed, Bath and Beyond Shopper: Annie Mumolo
- Bed, Bath and Beyond Shopper: Andrew Friedman
- Coffee Shop Waitress: Clay Bravo
- Beverly Hills Hotel Hostess: Heather Maristella
- Cable Man: Jonathan T. Floyd
- Ed McMahon: Ed McMahon
- Auditioning Actress: Alison MacInnis
- Auditioning Actress: Bridget Brno
- Auditioning Actress: Dana Daurey
- Auditioning Actress: Dorie Barton
- Auditioning Actress: Katie Carroll
- Auditioning Actress: Jennifer Elise Cox
- Auditioning Actress: Laura Sorenson
- Auditioning Actress: Brittany Krall
- Auditioning Actress: Dawn Ashley Cook
- Auditioning Actress: Julia Decker
- Book Soup Cafe Waitress: Jennifer Hall
- Francine: Roxanne Beckford
- Network Executive: Hugh Davidson
- Randall: Joe Zymblosky
- Voice-Over Announcer: J.J. Sacha
- Press Conference Reporter: Susan Chuang
- Press Conference Photographer: Jordan Black
- E! Reporter: Mo Rocca
- E! Anchor: Jason George
- E! Anchor: Wendi McLendon-Covey
- Hillary: Julie Claire
- Dinner Party Guest: Terry Savage
- Production Staff Assistant: Dianne Dreyer
- Sexy Waitress: Kate Walsh
- Gorgeous Model: Valerie Azlynn
- Valet: Jarrad Paul
- Police Officer: Victor Williams
- Trick-or-Treater: Liesel Staubitz
- Trick-or-Treater: Ruby Rose Skotchdopole
- Trick-or-Treater: Molly Gordon
- Vietnam Soldier: Nick Lachey
- Auditioning Actress: Abbey DiGregorio
- Darrin Stephens (archive): Dick York
- Press Girl (uncredited): Amelinda Embry
- Samatha Lookalike: Jessica Mathews
Film Crew:
- Writer: Nora Ephron
- Producer: Lucy Fisher
- Executive Producer: Steven H. Berman
- Producer: Penny Marshall
- Executive Producer: Bobby Cohen
- Editor: Tia Nolan
- Original Music Composer: George Fenton
- Producer: Douglas Wick
- Executive Producer: James W. Skotchdopole
- Director of Photography: John Lindley
- Second Unit Director of Photography: Amy Vincent
- Associate Producer: Dianne Dreyer
- Associate Producer: Mary Pat Walsh
- Original Film Writer: Sol Saks
- Writer: Delia Ephron
- Costume Design: Mary Zophres
- Production Design: Neil Spisak
- Stunts: Joni Avery
- Propmaker: Tony R. Medina
- Stunts: Eliza Coleman
- Second Unit Director: Doug Coleman
- Stunts: Colleen Dunn
- Stunts: Darrell Davis
- Stunts: Allen Robinson
- Stunts: Thom Khoury Williams
- Stunts: Pete Turner
- Stunts: Stacey Howell-Brown
- Stunts: Laura Albert
- Stunts: John Robotham
- Stunts: Nicole Marie Appleby
- Stunts: Jeff Chumas
- Stunt Double: Gregg Smrz
- Stunts: Regina Bailey
- Stunts: Harry Wowchuk
- Stunt Double: Patricia Tallman
- Chief Lighting Technician: Patrick Reddish
Movie Reviews:
- seking: Jack Wyatt (Will Ferrell), a Hollywood star recovering from a couple of box office bombs, is talked into starring in a reboot of the 1964 television series, Bewitched. Desperate to regain his fame, he insists on hiring an unknown actress to play Samantha as not to be overshadowed. When he finds Isabel, she seems perfect for the part. Little does he know, Isabel is a real witch.
- I have not seen this movie since watching it in the theaters in 2005, so I didn’t remember much about it. Written and directed by Nora Ephron, there’s a certain amount of expectation when watching it. This is the woman who wrote When Harry Met Sally and You’ve Got Mail, after all. Unfortunately, Bewitched doesn’t really live up to those expectations, despite its potential.
- Nicole Kidman seems like the obvious choice to replace Elizabeth Montgomery as the witchy Samantha (Isabel). Isabel is looking to put her witchy ways behind her, live a normal life and find love. She seems pretty naïve of the real world but she’s instantly smitten with Jack and agrees to become the Samantha to his Darren. Kidman is wide-eyed and breathy and Will Ferrell is… well, Will Ferrell at the peak of his own comedic career. They work perfectly fine on screen together, but the romantic chemistry is practically non-existent.
- Bewitched seems to be missing that Ephron magic that made her previous romantic comedies so enchanting. It could be the miscasting of Will Ferrell, or the overly formulaic plot. It never seems to truly commit to the idea that the love story between Isabel and Jack is the real remake of Bewitched and instead of relies on special effects and some minor, silly spell casting/shenanigans to try and make the movie work. Michael Caine’s talent is completely wasted and Steve Carrell, whom I usually adore, shows up briefly as the obnoxious Uncle Arthur… and he really commits to the obnoxious part.
- That being said, there were some parts of the movie that I found to be entertaining. Shirley MacLaine makes the most of her under-developed role as Iris/Endora and some of the sight gags are amusing. As usual, the Ephron soundtrack is full of cozy nostalgia, but it’s just not enough to make Bewitched worthy of its material source. I don’t regret watching it (again), but it’s unlikely I’ll return for another repeated viewing. (https://theromcomcatalog.com/review-bewitched-2005/)
- Andre Gonzales: Not a bad movie. The movie would’ve sucked if it weren’t for Will Ferrell. He made the movie funny and decent.
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