Magic ★★★½
MAGIC is one of those films that’s screaming out to be remade.
This 1978 American psychological horror drama was directed by Richard Attenborough, written by William Goldman and featured Anthony Hopkins in the lead role.
On its release the film wasn’t a critical or box office success but over the years has achieved cult status for its unusual premise and intense acting.
Hopkins is brilliant as magician Charles ‘Corky’ Withers dealing with his increasing psychosis.
When we meet Corky he is living with his invalid father, who also used to be a magician, and about to make his amateur debut at a local cabaret club.
The performance is an abject failure with Corky’s perspective suggesting that the cruel audience laughed him off the stage.
This is one of the many scenes that leave us wondering if Corky is a reliable narrator of events.
The film then jumps a year to a scene at the same club.
Talent agent Ben Greene, played very well by Burgess Meredith, wants to show one of his contemporaries his new signing.
Corky takes the stage and at first appears to be lacking the confidence that led to his poor debut performance.
A heckler starts abusing him from the audience and Corky goes into the crowd. He emerges with Fats, a foul-mouthed dummy that is Corky the ventriloquist’s new creation.
Corky and Fats are a bit hit on the cabaret circuit and Greene wants them to get national exposure on the TV talk shows.
But Corky suddenly bails on the appearances, bringing up a range of excuses.
Greene thinks he just has the jitters and is frightened of major success, but Corky also doesn’t want to do standard medical that the station insists on.
As the story progresses we learn why, with Corky becoming more and more unhinged as Fats starts to take over his thoughts and actions.
It’s a fascinating premise delivered with precise direction, script, editing and acting along with an interesting Jerry Goldsmith music score.
The only flat note is some of the acting from Ann Margaret who plays Corky’s high school crush whom he reunites with, triggering a conflict with her husband, played well by Ed Lauter.
But it’s Hopkins’ film as usual, particularly in some terrifically tense sequences.
Watched on Youtube.