Witchcraft and Glamour: The Witchy Veronica Lake Connection

Witchy Veronica Lake Veronica Lake was an American actress who achieved fame in the 1940s. Known for her distinctive hairstyle that featured a deep side part and her cascading blonde waves, she exuded a timeless elegance on the silver screen. However, there was more to Veronica Lake than just her beauty and talent as an actress. Lake's captivating persona often had an air of mystery and intrigue, leading some to describe her as "witchy." This label was not unwarranted, as Lake possessed an uncanny ability to captivate audiences with her magnetism and ethereal beauty. Her smoky eyes and seductive voice only added to her enchanting appeal.

March is not made for screwball—he spends most of the movie looking vaguely confused, as if he’s just been struck over the head, and not all of that can be purely character. Being compared to Cary Grant as a screwball male lead is rough business for just about anyone, but Grant (and Joel McCrea and William Powell…) bring out the humor in their situations by becoming stridently indignant, as if they can’t believe that this latest jape has affected them, of all people; of course, this only gets funnier as they continue to act in much the same affronted way even after sixty or seventy minutes of silliness. March doesn’t have silly in him, and the replacement for it—humility—is not funny. Bashfulness is its own species of funny, as proven by Henry Fonda in The Lady Eve, but the general self-effacing charm of Wallace Wooley is not the same at all. There are some moments in this movie (and in other ones, obviously) where he gets a laugh. One of Wallace Wooley’s forbears, who bears a marvelous resemblance to Abraham Lincoln, decides there’s no other way to get away from his wife short of the Civil War. He grabs someone’s attention. Where’s the nearest recruiting office! he yells, and he pulls it off. But there are lines in there which cry out for a McCrea or a Grant or a Gable. In their first scene together, Jennifer (Lake) lures Wally into a burning building as a memorable way for the two of them to meet. Wally thinks that he’s part of a desperate rescue attempt, and so he is not adequately distracted by the nude woman asking him if she isn’t pretty. “Who cares?” he cries, and the movie crumples at the edges a little bit.

There is a prurience in Lake s screen presence which would have made her a pleasure to dub in an Italian movie two decades later, or which wouldn t have been out of place in America s miraculous seventies. Prior to the film s release, Lake was one of Paramount s newest starlets, with her instantly iconic blonde hair styled in a peek-a-boo part, and her leading roles in dramas like I Wanted Wings and Preston Sturges s comedy Sullivan s Travels.

Her smoky eyes and seductive voice only added to her enchanting appeal. In her most famous film, "This Gun for Hire" (1942), Lake portrayed a femme fatale character who oozed sensuality and danger. Her on-screen chemistry with co-star Alan Ladd was palpable, adding to the allure of their performances.

Long before Bewitched, Veronica Lake brought witchcraft to the rom-com

Every day, Watch This offers staff recommendations inspired by the week’s new releases or premieres. This week: The Witch has us staring deeply into our bubbling cauldron, in search of other superb movies about witchcraft.

I Married A Witch (1942)

The long-running television series Bewitched is probably the best-known use of witches in romantic comedy, but a film about a beautiful witch attracted to an uptight dope actually beat Bewitched to production by over two decades (and may have inspired its more popular TV counterpart). I Married A Witch stars Veronica Lake as Jennifer, a witch with an origin story more appropriate for a horror film: She and her father (Cecil Kellaway) were both burned to ash during the Salem witch trials. In revenge, the still-sentient pair places a spell on the family of the man who exposed them. Hundreds of years later, Jennifer and her father return to corporeal form to further torment descendant Wallace Wooley (Frederic March).

Specifically, she aims to help along her curse that dooms every Wooley male to marry the wrong woman. Wallace, a candidate for governor, is already well on his way, engaged to Estelle (Susan Hayward), but Jennifer endeavors to seduce and abandon him anyway. She only further complicates matters by actually developing feelings for her prey, much to the chagrin of her vengeful father. Various transmogrifications, revelations, and general shenanigans ensue. I Married A Witch is fairly heavy on incident for a 77-minute movie; it has the bones of a screwball comedy, but with a more whimsical soul.

The unforced sense of whimsy helps along a romantic comedy that’s more charming than uproariously funny. Lake wasn’t necessarily a comedian by trade, but she’s winning here as she makes mischief, then surprises herself with real human emotion. Her iconic look also contributes to I Married A Witch’s visual lushness. Though the film’s witches aren’t horror-movie villains, director René Clair nonetheless uses the witchcraft conceit to conjure some gorgeous black-and-white images, most memorably the process by which Jennifer morphs from a plume of smoke with voiceover to full Veronica Lake knockout status. The spell her father uses to summon her new human body requires a large amount of fire, so Lake emerges naked from inside a burning building—her modesty protected by an unsuspecting Wallace, of course. The movie is a trifle, but a good one; even small doses of magic can be intoxicating.

Availability: I Married A Witch is available on Criterion Blu-ray and DVD from Netflix or your local video store/library. It’s also streaming on Hulu Plus.

This film catapulted Lake into stardom and solidified her reputation as a sultry seductress. However, Lake's career was not without its challenges. She faced personal struggles, including failed marriages and battles with alcoholism. These struggles took a toll on her professional life, leading to a decline in her popularity and opportunities in Hollywood. Despite the obstacles she faced, Veronica Lake has cemented her place in film history as an icon of her era. Her distinctive look and captivating performances continue to inspire and influence actresses today. Lake's witchy allure remains a defining aspect of her legacy, reminding us that there is power in embracing our unique and enchanting qualities..

Reviews for "The Timeless Glamour of Witchy Veronica Lake's Red Carpet Moments"

1. John - 2/5 stars - I was really disappointed with "Witchy Veronica Lake". The plot was confusing and disjointed, and I struggled to follow along. The characters lacked depth and I couldn't connect with any of them. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural. Overall, it just wasn't an enjoyable reading experience for me.

2. Emily - 1/5 stars - I really disliked "Witchy Veronica Lake". The writing style was choppy and hard to follow. The pacing was all over the place, with random jumps in time and events that didn't make sense. The main character felt very one-dimensional and I couldn't find myself caring about her or her journey. I ended up giving up on the book halfway through because I couldn't stand it anymore.

3. Sarah - 2/5 stars - "Witchy Veronica Lake" was a letdown for me. The story had so much potential, but it fell flat. The world-building was underdeveloped and left me with more questions than answers. The magical elements felt forced and didn't integrate well with the overall plot. The writing style was also not my cup of tea. I wanted to enjoy it, but in the end, it just wasn't for me.

4. Michael - 2/5 stars - I wasn't a fan of "Witchy Veronica Lake". The characters were poorly developed, and I struggled to connect with any of them. The plot felt predictable and lacked any surprises. The pacing was slow, and it took me a long time to get through the book. Overall, it was a disappointing read for me.

Witchy Veronica Lake: A Trailblazer for Modern Witches