Trivia / Blithe Spirit

• Actor-Inspired Element: Arcati was created especially for actress Margaret Rutherford, a real Modern Spiritualist. Initially Noël Coward wrote Arcati was a fake who'd almost accidentally contacted dead people, but Rutherford would have none of it and based her performance on real mediums. Arcati's healthy practices reflect recommendations for mediums in those days. Even her hesitance to eat meat right before a session is Truth in Television in this regard.
• Creator Backlash: After seeing a cut of the film version, Noël Coward told director David Lean and his production team: "You've just fucked up the best thing I ever wrote." Though not all reactions were so hostile, Lean mostly avoided making comedies after this.
• Creator's Favorite Episode: Coward considered this his best play, though he felt the film version didn't do it justice.

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