Tied for the best movie I have ever seen

Let's be realistic.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

I generally like this sitcom very much. I have seen most all episodes, but over the years I have watched them over and over again. Especially when I feel sad or down - whenever Stephens cozy home and Samanthas twitchy nose appears on the screen, I instantly feel better. The creators of the show nailed it when creating the overall "universe" and atmosphere of the show. Also, even though I do not always like Samanthas character from artistic point of view, Samantha as a character and as presented by Elizabeth Montgomery has a kind of therapeutic impact on me. Samantha (as an on-screen character) has a great calming impact and also has a sort of protective motherly energy which I do not get from anywhere in real life - but sometimes need badly. She is this "Good fairy god-mother archetype", a supernatural female protector. Their home comes across as very cozy also, no wonder that many other characters - both humans and supernatural - want to stay there as well - uninvited. I also love the gallery of kooky characters they created over the years.As for acting, I think in first 3 seasons Montgomerys and Darrin-actors acting was the most "wooden" one. Even though I loved them both, I noticed that none of their conversations or reactions flow naturally. their acting had almost amateurish quality in my opinion. Montgomerys Samantha became much more natural when they changed the Darrin actor due to first Darrins health problems. In the first 3 seasons, Samantha never got really angry or sad about anything, even in most desperate situations or when Darrin or somebody else had done something really annoying. That was kind of unnatural. I liked it much more when Samantha started to have some believable reactions, like getting properly angry or worried.In fact, when it comes to acting, I think Montgomery did a much better job as Serena. She really had fun with that character, and I always waited for Serena to turn up. Also even though I knew it was Montgomery as well, I always forgot about it because she came across as a totally different actress. It is also notable how well Samanthas and Serenas reactions to each other were played out - come to think of, it was all one actress who had to react to her own self! My favorite character however was Endora. I think it was Darrin who treated her badly, not the other way around. My other favorite characters: Serena, aunt Clara, Larry, and, of course the Kravitzes. I think both first and second Gladys Kravitz actress did a great job, creating two versions of a snoopy neighbor. Abner Kravitzes reactions to his wife's snooping antics were priceless.As for flaws, I already mentioned some wooden quality in the main couples acting in first 3 seasons or so. The other thing, I necessarily did not like the general morals it seemed to be preaching. It was a very fifties moral, where the wife's place - even the supernaturally gifted and beautiful wife's "right" place is only at home. Whenever Samantha accidentally shined in any area in mortal world (besides being a gifted which) Darrin immediately put her down. Even if Samantha did it to help Darrin (which she did most of the time, she was very selfless most of the time, putting everybody elses well-being ahead of her own).Also, Samantha was born as a which - if Darrin loved her for right reasons - such as for being what she is - he should never have demanded that Samantha give up her which craft. As compared to kind, broadminded and helpful Samantha Darrin comes across as really selfish, petty minded and limited person. What we see on the screen, is how he constantly criticizes Samantha, cancels their special dinner appointments, loads some extra unexpected wifely duties on Samantha and constantly gets seduced by other women. However for some reason Samantha stands by him, saying Darrin is kind and loving man. Smantha treats his relative with kindness and respect, yet Darrin is very rude to all Samanthas relatives.Just like Endora, as a viewer I want to know what does she see in that chauvinist moron of a man? However, in spite of the flaws there is some timeless magic in that show, and the positive sides outweigh the negatives. So I think I keep watching the old episodes over and over again.

To start, I don't see the point of me adding a synopsis about a show that is 50 years old - you only have to watch this show once to get the gist of it. And there are plenty of other synopses anyway.Okay, this isn't about me, but I have to say this for the review to make sense. I felt quite different growing up (as a boy for those who don't know Polish names)and I didn't know what it was. I was about 8 or 9 when the 2nd Darrin appeared and while I couldn't put my finger on it, there was something about him. What a surprise, years later, (but not in a way), to find how he was Gay. Me too! How odd in many years of reviews here at IMDb that topic never came up in the reviews.Okay, a few of my general comments. I don't think I Dream of Jeannie holds a candle to this show. I liked it for all the reasons others have given - EM was beautiful and talented, York was such a good actor, plots were clever although many were formulaic, not all were. It showed respect for the elderly, women, race, a lot of general kindness on a lot of issues mostly by EM.I know some will dismiss these next comments because of the status of a wife in the 60's or perhaps my family was a bit more enlightened about women - farm women contributed a lot and had to be more independent in some respects than city women - but I thought it was ridiculous that Samantha couldn't go to a cousin's wedding. With or without her husband. I didn't like some of the inconsistencies with the authority of the witches council nor was it ever clear why Endora had so much more power than Samantha but so much less than Maurice. Once Darrin knew he married a witch, I thought the idea of Tabitha going to Haggatha's school was dismissed way too quickly. Seems some compromise was in order. Obviously the conflict between witch/mortal was the backbone of the show but Sam stood up for her family a bit too seldom.I know watching episodes back to back gives one a different perspective than watching only one a week and maybe missing a few here and there. Different writers had various interpretations and obviously with 250 episodes that is going to be a LOT of material.Overall, I enjoyed the show but it would be too much to say "loved it" but it was very very well done within the limitations of what can be accomplished in a 1/2 hour show.

In the early 60s, ABC had few sitcom hits. Then in 1964, Bewitched made its debut and became a hit gimmick show. The key to the show's success was the premise of Darren and Samantha trying to live a normal suburban life much to the chagrin of her witching relatives, especially her mother Endora. Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York had outstanding chemistry and Agnes Moorehead played the role of the meddling mother-in-law so well. There was also David White as Darren's boss Larry Tate and frequently adding to the chaos were Alice Pearce and Sandra Gould as Gladys Kravitz, who shouted to her husband "ABNER!" when she saw something suspicious next door. There were a number of talent people who played Samantha's relatives, including Marion Lorne as Aunt Clara and veteran Shakespearean actor Maurice Evans as Samantha's father. But the funniest of her relatives was Uncle Arthur, played by Paul Lynde. There was one episode I remember when he gave a magic show at Tabitha's birthday party and conjured up a Playboy bunny instead of a real bunny. But in 1969, Dick York left the show and was quietly replaced by Dick Sargent. Sargent, to me, wasn't as good as York and it showed in a sharp ratings decline. Also, the show was starting to get old and tired and even some of the later episodes were remakes of earlier ones. Some later episodes i remember were the ones that were filmed in Salem, MA and Europe. It brought some life to a tired sitcom but after eight seasons, it's last up against All in the Family, Bewitched was zapped from the airwaves and into syndication after ABC reran the show in both daytime and Saturday morning. Bewitched was a great show for several years until it started losing its magic.

The original series began in September/October 1964 starring the beautiful Elizabeth Montgomery as the main character and Dick York as her lover Darrin as well as David White as Darrin's boss, Agnes Moorehead as Samantha's mischievous mother Witch Endora and more. All these actors remained in the show until its finish in 1972 - with the exception of Dick York who had suffered spinal problems before the show began and collapsed on set because of these problems in 1969. I think the show also finished because of Elizabeth quitting due to feeling typecast; wouldn't you if you had people getting you to twitch your nose for years?! I think the visual effects are simply BEWITCHING! The sets, the costumes and the acting are simply remarkable! As you'd expect, Sam isn't a wicked witch - a good witch who uses her powers despite her husband's disapproval. Her voice seems to differ throughout the series. Originally, it's sweet and fairy-tale like and later sounds a lot sharper and more high-pitched. Elizabeth Montgomery is a woman that I actually find quite gorgeous; she's not bad. I must say, her strapping husband Darrin really does whine sometimes; I mean seriously! On the other hand, having his house full of enchanted beings, things float in midair and a mother-in-law who makes his life a chore can't be easy. Endora is so funny! She causes trouble very frequently and stops at nothing to split up Samantha and Darrin (even though, in the end, her devious plans always fail). Apparently, she calls Darrin by his name 8 times in the show's entire 8-year-run, maybe once each year. I bought the complete fourth series on DVD last year and I'm expecting from Woolworths.co.uk the complete original series in the post. Sadly, all (except Erin Murphy as little Tabitha) the cast are now dead; Elizabeth Mongomery (d.1995), Agnes Moorehead (d.1974), Dick York (d.1992), David White (d.1990), Sandra Gould (d.1999) but they're all with us once again every time the show is watched.