# If they remade "Bell Book & Candle" who best to play the main characters? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 1, 2005, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-they-remade-bell-book-candle-who-best-to-play-the-main-characters/324345 "2005-10-01T16:15:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2005, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-they-remade-bell-book-candle-who-best-to-play-the-main-characters/324345/1 "2005-10-01T16:15:50Z")
I noticed this [little gem of movie](http://www.greenmanreview.com/bellbookandcandle.html) hasn’t been remade (AFAIK). If it was who would be the best current actors and actresses to play the main roles? [Amazon link](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0767821556/103-4648663-3135066?v=glance) [Movie Diva link](http://www.moviediva.com/MD_root/reviewpages/MDBellBookCandle.htm) ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2005, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-they-remade-bell-book-candle-who-best-to-play-the-main-characters/324345/2 "2005-10-01T17:21:49Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2005, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-they-remade-bell-book-candle-who-best-to-play-the-main-characters/324345/3 "2005-10-01T17:47:09Z")
I’ve actually mentioned the need for a remake of this movie [before](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5596150&postcount=21). 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 ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2005, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-they-remade-bell-book-candle-who-best-to-play-the-main-characters/324345/4 "2005-10-01T19:03:17Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I’ve actually mentioned the need for a remake of this movie [before](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5596150&postcount=21). 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! ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2005, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-they-remade-bell-book-candle-who-best-to-play-the-main-characters/324345/5 "2005-10-01T23:15:28Z")
No one takes Kim Novac’s place - got that? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-they-remade-bell-book-candle-who-best-to-play-the-main-characters/324345/6 "2005-10-02T00:53:19Z")
> [@CBCD](#): > > No one takes Kim Novac’s place - got that? Okay, but at 72 Kim Novak’s gonna look sort of weird playing Robert Downey’s sister and hitting on Ewan McGregor. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2005, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-they-remade-bell-book-candle-who-best-to-play-the-main-characters/324345/7 "2005-10-02T03:25:30Z")
Jack Lemmon was her brother? I missed the beginning of the movie, but I had no doubt watching it that he was her dad. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2005, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-they-remade-bell-book-candle-who-best-to-play-the-main-characters/324345/8 "2005-10-02T03:39:35Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![Alias](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@Alias](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alias)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2005, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-they-remade-bell-book-candle-who-best-to-play-the-main-characters/324345/9 "2005-10-02T20:42:19Z")
Shep- Christian Bale Gillian- Julia Stiles Nicky- Jack Black Queenie- Lily Tomlin Merle- Alyson Hannigan ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-they-remade-bell-book-candle-who-best-to-play-the-main-characters/324345/10 "2005-10-02T21:58:22Z")
> [@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 > > Now if we could retro it instead of them modernizing it…I liked the funky old Village-ness of the original. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-they-remade-bell-book-candle-who-best-to-play-the-main-characters/324345/11 "2005-10-03T03:04:29Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Jack Lemmon was her brother? I missed the beginning of the movie, but I had no doubt watching it that he was her dad. Jack Lemmon, born in 1925. Kim Novak, born in 1933. James Stewart, born in 1908. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-they-remade-bell-book-candle-who-best-to-play-the-main-characters/324345/12 "2005-10-03T05:53:21Z")
> [@TV time](#): > > 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. 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.