The Good Witch
(2008, Ages 9 and Up)
11/4/16
Now, I know this movie may seem more suited to be in honor of last month’s signature holiday, but it has such a pleasant autumn vibe that I feel it’s a good pick for any post-Halloween blues out there. If there is one magical being that has adapted and evolved fairly well in the modern world—both in fiction and in real life—it is the witch. “Witchcraft”, for lack of a better word, is widely practiced in many forms by people all over the world today. Of course, it goes without saying that there are those who shun and disapprove of these practices, claiming them to be “nonsense” at best and “devil-worshiping” at worst. As for me, I’ve always been fascinated by the more god-like powers witches are said to possess and that have been presented in rather colorful fashion, from the “Wizards’ Duel” in Disney’s The Sword in the Stone; to the evil child-hunters in Roald Dahl’s The Witches; to any fairytale and piece of folklore involving flight, potion-making, and transformation. In my older years, however, while I am by no means an expert on the subject, I feel that I’ve come to better understand, or at least appreciate, the subtleties of a true witch, good or evil, supernatural or otherwise. And if you recall my LIMBO episode, you already know my stance on subtlety.
Police chief Jake Russel divides his time between protecting the citizens of the small town of Middleton and trying to stay connected with his family, who are each struggling in their own way to cope with the loss of Jenny, Jake’s late wife and the mother of his children. His older son, Brandon, is bullied at school and buries himself in video games; his younger daughter, Lori, suffers from frequent night terrors; and his father-in-law, George, wants to help all of them but just doesn’t know how. But one day, while investigating reports of strange activity at Grey House, a local mansion said to be haunted, Jake is surprised by the appearance of Cassandra Nightingale, the secretive raven-haired new owner of Grey House. Soon after, unusual—and unusually good—things begin to happen, as Cassie utterly fascinates those she meets with her knowledge of herbs and folklore, while offering them much more than simply a hot meal, a kind word, and a listening ear. But there are some residents who take umbrage to Cassie’s eccentricity, like the mayor’s bossy and meddlesome wife, Mrs. Martha Tinsdale. Whichever side the people take regarding their opinion of Cassie and her spiritual ways, one question ultimately remains: is Cassie a real witch?
In the spirit of stories like Frances Hodgeson Burnett’s A Little Princess, this is a special tale that strives to inspire its audiences with the belief of true magic without a single use of the supernatural. But this is not achieved only by the presence of the traditional but otherwise ordinary witch-like paraphernalia that the title protagonist surrounds herself with—a spooky house, a black cat, an old-fashioned broom, and the like. (And even these elements, thankfully, are never overplayed to the point of corniness.)
Cassie exudes a sort of down-to-earth motherliness and a childlike love and trust in the world around her that many of us often lose as the duties and hardships of real life take over our minds and hearts. One of her greatest charms (no pun intended) is that she is sensible without being . . . well, sensible. For one, she almost never gives commonplace answers to questions or comments that we all typically take for granted; her words are always refreshingly sage, whether for their kind of truthfulness that we’ve come to forget:
JAKE: Yeah, uh, yesterday, downtown; was that you that I saw walking into the alley?
CASSIE: (Gently reproaching.) Chief Russel, how would I know what you saw yesterday? Only you know what you saw yesterday.
[. . .]
MARTHA: (Proudly.) We hold tight to our traditions here in Middleton.
CASSIE: (Thoughtfully.) Sometimes if you hold on too tight to what you have, you end up choking it.
Or for the way they do more than exceed expectations and kindle the imagination.
CASSIE: (Whispering to Attila, a Doberman, to calm him.) Hey, listen. Now, I know you’re a good dog, it’s your master that’s the beast.
[. . .]
BRANDON: (Amazed.) How did you do that?
CASSIE: Oh, I’ve always had a way with the fur people.
[. . .]
CASSIE: (Announcing to a tour group that’s come by Grey House.) And if you’d like, you can stop by my new shop on Main: The Bell, Book, and Candle.
[. . .]
NANCY: What do you sell?
CASSIE: (Smiling.) Infinite possibilities.
More than that, she doesn’t just help others in need, she gently gives them direction so that they can help themselves. We tend to focus so much on finding practical reasons for doing or not doing something, due to some kind of inner fear. But Cassie seems to know exactly what everyone needs and how to put them at ease enough to utilize it, whether it’s to help a child with her bad dreams:
CASSIE: (To Lori.) Well, after you put this [dreamcatcher] over your bed, I need you do something very important. You mustn’t, under any circumstances, dream of bunnies tonight.
LORI: Bunnies?
CASSIE: (Seriously.) That’s right. [. . .] You must not dream about soft, furry, cute little bunny rabbits.
An old man yearning for his homeland:
CASSIE: (Holding out to George a beautiful pendent with a four-leaf clover/shamrock inside.) A shamrock, from the Emerald Isle. [. . .] Now do yourself a favor. Hide this away. (Places the pendent in George’s breast pocket.) Bring it out again when there’s a full moon.
GEORGE: A full moon?
CASSIE: Yes. That’s the time to reconsider your impossible dream.
A woman whose love life wants a “boost” (if you know what I mean):
CASSIE: (To Nancy as she’s smelling a fragrant oil.) Yeah, that’s an, um, aphrodisiac. It’s my own little mixture. [. . .] Yeah, you put a few drops on your husband’s collar before dinner time, and by desert he’s primed and, ready to go, shall we say.
Nancy: (Stammering.) Does, uh—I mean . . . does it really work?
CASSIE: Why don’t you give it a shot? [. . .] Just consider it a fun little experiment.
And a boy troubled by a nasty bully:
CASSIE: (To Brandon.) So, then, uh, this goat/frog thing is flexible, so long as [Kyle’s] turned into something less threatening.
BRANDON: Yeah, I guess.
CASSIE: Well, it’s not going to be easy. I’m going to need your help.
BRANDON: My help?
CASSIE: Yeah, in order for this to work, I need you to do four things.
[. . .]
BRANDON: (Confused.) What—How am I supposed to do all that?
CASSIE: (Sympathetic.) I don’t know, I don’t make the rules. I realize it’s going to take some courage.
Now, of course, it can be argued that, realistically, Cassie’s methods are only plausible at best, as they and their outcomes are highly romanticized for storytelling purposes and could have each gone in myriad directions, if not failed entirely; this is especially true in the sequences involving Brandon facing the boy who bullies him. That said, though, I don’t think that knowledge should deter our attention from the fact that this is meant to teach compassion and empathy for others, as they may be quietly struggling with their own personal demons.
And then, there is Martha. You know those people who preach what sound like noble intentions on paper, but who are so darn self-righteous about it that it makes you want to do the exact opposite? Martha is one of those people. Annoyingly paranoid and the epitome of the nosy neighbor, Martha disapproves of anything she believes doesn’t follow the traditions and moral standards of Middleton and will do virtually anything to stamp it out as if it were a disease.
MARTHA: (To the Citizens’ League.) She is scaring away every last hope this community has of attracting investors! Her black magic shop is a dagger through the heart of our lovely business district. [. . .] These are the dark arts that she’s practicing and selling right under our noses! [. . .] My own two sons, Dylan and Michael, tell me that at school they call her the “witch woman”—and for very good reason. She makes strange potions, she converses with animals, and she has that drunken Walter Cobb living under the same roof with her! Now, is this really the sort of thing that we want here in Middleton?
One of the best technical ways the film accentuates the differences between these two women is through its soundtrack. Whenever Cassie is on screen, viewers hear an elegant theme set in Minor, of soothing pipes and gentle harp and violin strings, and adorned with the sound of chimes blowing in a soft wind, all of which create an atmosphere of comfort as well as natural beauty. The sound of Martha’s presence, on the other hand, is almost laughable in its banality: a pretentious Staccato piece punctuated by deep blasts from the tuba, with a clarinet and flute that swirl in and out of earshot as though they themselves feel awkward in her presence. The second it begins playing, you know she’s coming, on the prowl for something to pounce on and nit-pick about.
And stuck in the center of the debate is Jake. I think, in a way, the character of Jake is meant to represent viewers: a reasonable person with sometimes unreasonable problems who nonetheless always strives to do what is right for those around him. In the case of Cassie, however, this unfortunately leaves him torn between pacifying the deeply suspicious citizens, including even the mayor:
MAYOR TINSDALE: (To Jake.) I want you to find out everything you can about this Cassandra Nightingale. The ownership of Grey House has always been . . . murky. Now that developers are interested in the property she arrives one day, out of the blue, with the deed. You don’t find that a little suspicious?
JAKE: (Conceding reluctantly.) It-It’s unusual.
MAYOR TINSDALE: Jake [. . .] All I’m asking is that you do a little digging. Aren’t you a little curious about her? (Firmly.) I am.
And spending time with Cassie, toward whom he grows increasingly attracted, for her beauty, kindness, and acceptance of others for themselves, no matter what their background, their mistakes, or their past:
JAKE: (Pointing to a bottle of wine on Cassie’s kitchen counter.) I’d hide that wine with Walter around.
CASSIE: Oh, I’m not worried about Walter.
JAKE: (In wonder.) You are very trusting.
CASSIE: (Smiling.) I’ll take that as a compliment.
But in spite of all that, though serious and strict when the situation calls for it, Jake’s mind and heart are open to new people, new things, and, most importantly, new ways of thinking, allowing him to realize—and showing the audience in turn—that if something, however unusual, heals and inspires people in the end, why does it need to be questioned or destroyed just for the sake of our own conventional comfort zone?
MAYOR TINSDALE: (Trying to keep things calm.) Now, Jake. Stop a minute and think. You know and I know what it means if you go through with this.
JAKE: (Resolutely.) Yeah, I know what this means, I know exactly what it means. Ms. Nightingale didn’t do anything wrong, your boys did. Because someone put in their heads that everyone in this town needs to act the same, and look the same. But Cassie’s different . . . and we’re all the better for it.
Since its debut, The Good Witch has become so popular on Hallmark that it has spawned numerous sequels, my personal favorite being the third film: The Good Witch’s Gift, which features Cassie working her positive “magic” during the Christmas holidays. There is now also a spin-off T.V. series simply entitled Good Witch. But I really don’t want to spoil any of them here when I’m only talking about the first movie ;)
The Good Witch is less about witch stereotypes and more about ordinary people given new ways to see the extraordinary in the world around them. The true strength of this gorgeous film is its humble yet transcendent moments meant to revive the desire for new adventures and new chances to change one’s life, its primary message being that with enough faith, both in oneself and in others, anyone is capable of working miracles. And who knows? You might be amazed—and enchanted—by what you find in return.
CREDITS:
All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.
MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund
Police chief Jake Russel divides his time between protecting the citizens of the small town of Middleton and trying to stay connected with his family, who are each struggling in their own way to cope with the loss of Jenny, Jake’s late wife and the mother of his children. His older son, Brandon, is bullied at school and buries himself in video games; his younger daughter, Lori, suffers from frequent night terrors; and his father-in-law, George, wants to help all of them but just doesn’t know how. But one day, while investigating reports of strange activity at Grey House, a local mansion said to be haunted, Jake is surprised by the appearance of Cassandra Nightingale, the secretive raven-haired new owner of Grey House. Soon after, unusual—and unusually good—things begin to happen, as Cassie utterly fascinates those she meets with her knowledge of herbs and folklore, while offering them much more than simply a hot meal, a kind word, and a listening ear. But there are some residents who take umbrage to Cassie’s eccentricity, like the mayor’s bossy and meddlesome wife, Mrs. Martha Tinsdale. Whichever side the people take regarding their opinion of Cassie and her spiritual ways, one question ultimately remains: is Cassie a real witch?
In the spirit of stories like Frances Hodgeson Burnett’s A Little Princess, this is a special tale that strives to inspire its audiences with the belief of true magic without a single use of the supernatural. But this is not achieved only by the presence of the traditional but otherwise ordinary witch-like paraphernalia that the title protagonist surrounds herself with—a spooky house, a black cat, an old-fashioned broom, and the like. (And even these elements, thankfully, are never overplayed to the point of corniness.)
Cassie exudes a sort of down-to-earth motherliness and a childlike love and trust in the world around her that many of us often lose as the duties and hardships of real life take over our minds and hearts. One of her greatest charms (no pun intended) is that she is sensible without being . . . well, sensible. For one, she almost never gives commonplace answers to questions or comments that we all typically take for granted; her words are always refreshingly sage, whether for their kind of truthfulness that we’ve come to forget:
JAKE: Yeah, uh, yesterday, downtown; was that you that I saw walking into the alley?
CASSIE: (Gently reproaching.) Chief Russel, how would I know what you saw yesterday? Only you know what you saw yesterday.
[. . .]
MARTHA: (Proudly.) We hold tight to our traditions here in Middleton.
CASSIE: (Thoughtfully.) Sometimes if you hold on too tight to what you have, you end up choking it.
Or for the way they do more than exceed expectations and kindle the imagination.
CASSIE: (Whispering to Attila, a Doberman, to calm him.) Hey, listen. Now, I know you’re a good dog, it’s your master that’s the beast.
[. . .]
BRANDON: (Amazed.) How did you do that?
CASSIE: Oh, I’ve always had a way with the fur people.
[. . .]
CASSIE: (Announcing to a tour group that’s come by Grey House.) And if you’d like, you can stop by my new shop on Main: The Bell, Book, and Candle.
[. . .]
NANCY: What do you sell?
CASSIE: (Smiling.) Infinite possibilities.
More than that, she doesn’t just help others in need, she gently gives them direction so that they can help themselves. We tend to focus so much on finding practical reasons for doing or not doing something, due to some kind of inner fear. But Cassie seems to know exactly what everyone needs and how to put them at ease enough to utilize it, whether it’s to help a child with her bad dreams:
CASSIE: (To Lori.) Well, after you put this [dreamcatcher] over your bed, I need you do something very important. You mustn’t, under any circumstances, dream of bunnies tonight.
LORI: Bunnies?
CASSIE: (Seriously.) That’s right. [. . .] You must not dream about soft, furry, cute little bunny rabbits.
An old man yearning for his homeland:
CASSIE: (Holding out to George a beautiful pendent with a four-leaf clover/shamrock inside.) A shamrock, from the Emerald Isle. [. . .] Now do yourself a favor. Hide this away. (Places the pendent in George’s breast pocket.) Bring it out again when there’s a full moon.
GEORGE: A full moon?
CASSIE: Yes. That’s the time to reconsider your impossible dream.
A woman whose love life wants a “boost” (if you know what I mean):
CASSIE: (To Nancy as she’s smelling a fragrant oil.) Yeah, that’s an, um, aphrodisiac. It’s my own little mixture. [. . .] Yeah, you put a few drops on your husband’s collar before dinner time, and by desert he’s primed and, ready to go, shall we say.
Nancy: (Stammering.) Does, uh—I mean . . . does it really work?
CASSIE: Why don’t you give it a shot? [. . .] Just consider it a fun little experiment.
And a boy troubled by a nasty bully:
CASSIE: (To Brandon.) So, then, uh, this goat/frog thing is flexible, so long as [Kyle’s] turned into something less threatening.
BRANDON: Yeah, I guess.
CASSIE: Well, it’s not going to be easy. I’m going to need your help.
BRANDON: My help?
CASSIE: Yeah, in order for this to work, I need you to do four things.
[. . .]
BRANDON: (Confused.) What—How am I supposed to do all that?
CASSIE: (Sympathetic.) I don’t know, I don’t make the rules. I realize it’s going to take some courage.
Now, of course, it can be argued that, realistically, Cassie’s methods are only plausible at best, as they and their outcomes are highly romanticized for storytelling purposes and could have each gone in myriad directions, if not failed entirely; this is especially true in the sequences involving Brandon facing the boy who bullies him. That said, though, I don’t think that knowledge should deter our attention from the fact that this is meant to teach compassion and empathy for others, as they may be quietly struggling with their own personal demons.
And then, there is Martha. You know those people who preach what sound like noble intentions on paper, but who are so darn self-righteous about it that it makes you want to do the exact opposite? Martha is one of those people. Annoyingly paranoid and the epitome of the nosy neighbor, Martha disapproves of anything she believes doesn’t follow the traditions and moral standards of Middleton and will do virtually anything to stamp it out as if it were a disease.
MARTHA: (To the Citizens’ League.) She is scaring away every last hope this community has of attracting investors! Her black magic shop is a dagger through the heart of our lovely business district. [. . .] These are the dark arts that she’s practicing and selling right under our noses! [. . .] My own two sons, Dylan and Michael, tell me that at school they call her the “witch woman”—and for very good reason. She makes strange potions, she converses with animals, and she has that drunken Walter Cobb living under the same roof with her! Now, is this really the sort of thing that we want here in Middleton?
One of the best technical ways the film accentuates the differences between these two women is through its soundtrack. Whenever Cassie is on screen, viewers hear an elegant theme set in Minor, of soothing pipes and gentle harp and violin strings, and adorned with the sound of chimes blowing in a soft wind, all of which create an atmosphere of comfort as well as natural beauty. The sound of Martha’s presence, on the other hand, is almost laughable in its banality: a pretentious Staccato piece punctuated by deep blasts from the tuba, with a clarinet and flute that swirl in and out of earshot as though they themselves feel awkward in her presence. The second it begins playing, you know she’s coming, on the prowl for something to pounce on and nit-pick about.
And stuck in the center of the debate is Jake. I think, in a way, the character of Jake is meant to represent viewers: a reasonable person with sometimes unreasonable problems who nonetheless always strives to do what is right for those around him. In the case of Cassie, however, this unfortunately leaves him torn between pacifying the deeply suspicious citizens, including even the mayor:
MAYOR TINSDALE: (To Jake.) I want you to find out everything you can about this Cassandra Nightingale. The ownership of Grey House has always been . . . murky. Now that developers are interested in the property she arrives one day, out of the blue, with the deed. You don’t find that a little suspicious?
JAKE: (Conceding reluctantly.) It-It’s unusual.
MAYOR TINSDALE: Jake [. . .] All I’m asking is that you do a little digging. Aren’t you a little curious about her? (Firmly.) I am.
And spending time with Cassie, toward whom he grows increasingly attracted, for her beauty, kindness, and acceptance of others for themselves, no matter what their background, their mistakes, or their past:
JAKE: (Pointing to a bottle of wine on Cassie’s kitchen counter.) I’d hide that wine with Walter around.
CASSIE: Oh, I’m not worried about Walter.
JAKE: (In wonder.) You are very trusting.
CASSIE: (Smiling.) I’ll take that as a compliment.
But in spite of all that, though serious and strict when the situation calls for it, Jake’s mind and heart are open to new people, new things, and, most importantly, new ways of thinking, allowing him to realize—and showing the audience in turn—that if something, however unusual, heals and inspires people in the end, why does it need to be questioned or destroyed just for the sake of our own conventional comfort zone?
MAYOR TINSDALE: (Trying to keep things calm.) Now, Jake. Stop a minute and think. You know and I know what it means if you go through with this.
JAKE: (Resolutely.) Yeah, I know what this means, I know exactly what it means. Ms. Nightingale didn’t do anything wrong, your boys did. Because someone put in their heads that everyone in this town needs to act the same, and look the same. But Cassie’s different . . . and we’re all the better for it.
Since its debut, The Good Witch has become so popular on Hallmark that it has spawned numerous sequels, my personal favorite being the third film: The Good Witch’s Gift, which features Cassie working her positive “magic” during the Christmas holidays. There is now also a spin-off T.V. series simply entitled Good Witch. But I really don’t want to spoil any of them here when I’m only talking about the first movie ;)
The Good Witch is less about witch stereotypes and more about ordinary people given new ways to see the extraordinary in the world around them. The true strength of this gorgeous film is its humble yet transcendent moments meant to revive the desire for new adventures and new chances to change one’s life, its primary message being that with enough faith, both in oneself and in others, anyone is capable of working miracles. And who knows? You might be amazed—and enchanted—by what you find in return.
CREDITS:
All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.
MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund
EPISODE SONG:
“Anomalous Peace” - The Curellis
“Anomalous Peace” - The Curellis
All other music and sound clips are from the film, The Good Witch (directed by Craig Pryce; produced by Whizbang Films and Lee Distribution; distributed by Hallmark Channel).
Download the full 15-minute episode here!
The Good Witch on Wikipedia
The Good Witch on the Hallmark Channel's Official Website
The Good Witch on IMDb
The Good Witch on Rotten Tomatoes
The Good Witch on Common Sense Media
The Good Witch on Tv Tropes
Buy The Good Witch on Amazon
Buy The Good Witch at Barnes & Noble
Buy The Good Witch on EBay
^^ Back to Movies, Short Films, and Other Works of Cinema
Download the full 15-minute episode here!
The Good Witch on Wikipedia
The Good Witch on the Hallmark Channel's Official Website
The Good Witch on IMDb
The Good Witch on Rotten Tomatoes
The Good Witch on Common Sense Media
The Good Witch on Tv Tropes
Buy The Good Witch on Amazon
Buy The Good Witch at Barnes & Noble
Buy The Good Witch on EBay
^^ Back to Movies, Short Films, and Other Works of Cinema