**** out of 5
Delightful, playful comedy romance, with sprightly and amusing execution. Veronica Lake is perfectly cast as Jennifer, a guilelessly wicked witch whose revenge plot against the last son in family line of the man who had her burnt at the stake and her spirit trapped in the ground beneath an old oak tree goes awry when she falls hard for him. Fredric March is excellent as the man in question (as well as briefly portraying the whole line of his forbears to and including the original man who condemned Jennifer to death)
Her sorcerer father is played with a charming roguish quality by Cecil Kellaway, who manages to make a potentially unlikeable character eminently embraceable, even when doing despicable things to counter the central romantic plot. Robert Benchley is his usual likeable, bumblingly loquatious lush character, adding a great deal of fun to the plot as March's friend and confidante. Susan Hayward represents the rival for March's affections, and the whole thing is orchestrated with great skill & lightness of touch by director Rene Clair.
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