If they remade "Bell Book & Candle" who best to play the main characters?

Cafe Society
1

I noticed this little gem of movie hasn’t been remade (AFAIK). If it was who would be the best current actors and actresses to play the main roles?

Amazon link
Movie Diva link

2

Shep Henderson, Jimmy Stewart: Tom Selek
Gillian Holroyd, Kim Novac: Catherine Zeta-Jones
Nicky Holroyd, Jack Lemmon : Hugh Grant
Sidney Redlitch, Ernie Kovacs: Nathan Lane
Bianca da Passe, Hermione Gingold : Charro
Queenie, Elsa Lanchester: Carol Burnett
Merle Kittridge, Janice Rule: Angelina Joli

Now if we could retro it instead of them modernizing it…I liked the funky old Village-ness of the original.

3

I’ve actually mentioned the need for a remake of this movie before. I can’t find the other posts, but my suggestions:

Shep Henderson, Jimmy Stewart: Brendan Fraser (or Ewan MacGregor)
Gillian Holroyd, Kim Novac: Angelina Jolie or Halle Berry
Nicky Holroyd, Jack Lemmon : Robert Downey, Jr. (with a grunge band)
Sidney Redlitch, Ernie Kovacs: Philip Seymour Hoffman
Bianca da Passe, Hermione Gingold : Lena Horne
Queenie, Elsa Lanchester: Carol Burnett (I originally said Patty Duke, but I like this aruvqan’s answer better)
Merle Kittridge, Janice Rule: Newcomer

4

Why in god’s name would there be a “need” to remake such a near-perfect little film?

Anyways, if you’re going to recast it, the obvious choices for the Stewart and Novak parts are Will Ferrel and Nicole Kidman.

Ow! Stop hitting!

5

No one takes Kim Novac’s place - got that?

6

Okay, but at 72 Kim Novak’s gonna look sort of weird playing Robert Downey’s sister and hitting on Ewan McGregor.

7

Jack Lemmon was her brother? I missed the beginning of the movie, but I had no doubt watching it that he was her dad.

8

Why do “post quick reply” and “go advanced” got to be so close together?

Shep Henderson - Richard Ruccolo
Gillian Holroyd - Poppy Montgomery
Nicky Holroyd - Paul Rudd
Queenie - Tyne Daly
Merle Kittridge - Laura Fraser

9

Shep- Christian Bale
Gillian- Julia Stiles
Nicky- Jack Black
Queenie- Lily Tomlin
Merle- Alyson Hannigan

10

I like all of your choices (Charro was just weird enough to work) except for Shep and Nicky I would reverse those two. Selek is just too forceful for Shep. And I can see him with the Nicky twinkle in his eye. As For Grant as Shep - I think he would be perfect.

11

Jack Lemmon, born in 1925. Kim Novak, born in 1933.

James Stewart, born in 1908.

12

Originally Posted by aruvqan
Shep Henderson, Jimmy Stewart: Tom Selek
Gillian Holroyd, Kim Novac: Catherine Zeta-Jones
Nicky Holroyd, Jack Lemmon : Hugh Grant
Sidney Redlitch, Ernie Kovacs: Nathan Lane
Bianca da Passe, Hermione Gingold : Charro
Queenie, Elsa Lanchester: Carol Burnett
Merle Kittridge, Janice Rule: Angelina Joli

I went with them reversed until i watched it again. Selek just seems like Shep, he has that older man distinguished look going for him, and Grant just has that rogue thing going for him.