Valentine’s Day: some people love the romance, others decry it as an obligatory expression of love or lament the misery of being single on a day devoted to coupledom. If being single on February 14 seems unbearable, imagine if you were not just alone but locked away from everything — your family, your friends, the outside world.

Tonight’s movie, Bell, Book and Candle, based on the play by John Van Druten addresses aspects of love and power, as well as magic and romance. It’s really a tragedy rather than a comedy, as it reinforces stereotypical roles about men, women and witches.

In BB&C–which was directed by an old family friend Richard Quine, who I thought was soooo cool as I was growing up–Greenwich gallery owner/witch Gillian’s attention is drawn to new neighbor Shep Henderson (Jimmy Stewart) so her aunt, also a witch, does a spell to draw them together. The implication is that it’s lust, as opposed to falling in love–according to the plot, not real life–will cause a witch to loose her powers.

Relying on their puerile judgment, the 13 year-olds running the RNC have designed “Valentine’s Day” cards to send your loved ones from various parties from the Obama Administration and Democratic leadership. Har har har. Look at poor Ben Nelson. Nobody wants to be his valentine. Pshaw. Comedy isn’t hard.

Does this mean that if two corporations can merge then same-sex marriage is legal?