Howl’s Moving Castle

What’s in the theme?

Sophie (Emily Mortimer) has an uneventful life at her late father’s hat shop, but all that changes when she befriends wizard Howl (Christian Bale), who lives in a magical flying castle. However, the evil Witch of Waste (Lauren Bacall) takes issue with their budding relationship and casts a spell on young Sophie, which ages her prematurely. Now Howl must use all his magical talents to battle the jealous hag and return Sophie to her former youth and beauty. Howl’s moving castle has a magic door that opens onto four different locations: the hills above Market Chipping, where the castle appears to be running around; the seaside town of Porthaven, where the castle is actually located; the royal capital of Kingsbury; and Howl’s original home in Wales. The kingdom thought the Prince had been kidnapped by Ingarians, and declared war on them. Though Howl Jenkins Pendragon and the Witch of the Waste can see through the spell, his true identity is only revealed to Sophie Hatter and Markl at the end, when a kiss from Sophie breaks the curse.