Mr. Jelk is a character in Bedknobs and Broomsticks. He is the smarmy, gold-digging curate, or assistant to the Vicar of Pepperinge Eye, who has taken the Vicar's place after he was evidently wounded serving as a cleric for the British army. He has a less than subtle attraction to Miss Eglantine Price, and her valuable property, and frequently attempts to flirt with her, which she casually rebuffs each time.
Role in the film[]
Mr. Jelk is first seen greeting Miss Price flattering her for taking the three children in, asking if he may meet her later this afternoon to attend to their spiritual needs. She coolly dismisses the offer and cycles away. Mr. Jelk expresses his admiration for Miss Price to Mrs. Hobday. She slyly suggests that Mr. Jelk's real attraction is to Miss Price's fine house and valuable land. Hobday asks Mr. Jelk how the vicar is feeling after being wounded serving in the armed forces. Jelk, who has apparently taken over the Vicar's duties, tells her he is feeling better. Hobday asks him to know if he will be taking the vicar's place in the army, but Mr. Jelk gives a flimsy excuse that it would be bad for his health.
He comes the next day to deliver a letter to Miss Price from Professor Emelius Browne. Miss Price finds him eagerly testing the sturdiness of her house before he gives her the letter and tries to sieze the chance to flirt with her again, which she cuts off by closing the door in his face.
Later, when Professor Browne joins Miss Price and the children in Pepperinge Eye, Jelk spots him leaving Miss Hobday's store and hears Miss Hobday drop hints that Miss Price and Professor Browne may have feelings for each other.
Fearful of losing his chance with Miss Price, Mr. Jelk goes to visit her house again. Unfortunately for him, he arrives just as Miss Price's first attempt at the Substitutiary Locomotion spell begins to cause chaos. Just as he arrives, Mr. Jelk's hat is affected by the spell and sails into the house to join in. Before his shock at this can clear, he is greeted by Miss Price's animated nightgown coming out the door and trying to embrace him. Just at that moment, Miss Price manages to undo the spell, causing the animated objects to revert to normal. She comes out of the house to find Mr. Jelk tangled in her nightgown on the ground. She irritably retrieves the gown and goes back inside, leaving Mr. Jelk confused and alone. As he gets on his bicycle again, his hat sails out of the house back onto his head, causing him to panic and cycle away with his kickstand still down, presumably never to trouble Miss Price again.
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