Kim Novak, Jimmy Stewart, and Jack Lemmon, need I say more? This film is one of the few that came out of the beatnick era that I can't help but like. Instead of glorifying the majesty of the movement, it makes them all out to be witches, a-la McCarthy Era/ Cold War vilification. Still I love it. Put the parameters of a political movement aside and what you've got is the best love spells cast between one hot witch (Novak) and one neurotic mortal man (Stewart). This may sound a lot like some classic tv (Bewitched), but you must remember two things: This came first, and Samantha never used witchcraft to find love.
There are also some darker elements to the story that are surprising for the time period, pushed to the fore by Lemmon's character and his friends. Stewart's character meets many of them as his world collides with the winsome witch, adding some comic genius to the mix.
What I found most impressive about the movie was that it was not showy; no special effects here. Novak's character never did much hocus-pocus during the film, but you definitely get a sense that she'd be more Wicked Witch of the West than Glenda the Good Witch if she did. Its a solid watch, if a tad superficial, but I think that it at least surpasses the depth of most romantic comedies these days.