IMDb > Magic Town (1947)

Magic Town (1947) More at IMDbPro »

Overview

User Rating:
6.6/10   434 votes
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Director:
William A. Wellman
Writers:
Robert Riskin (story) and
Joseph Krumgold (story) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for Magic Town on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
7 October 1947 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy | Romance more
Tagline:
The guy with the dynamite heart meets the girl with the firecracker eyes!
Plot:
An opinion pollster finds a town which is a perfect mirror of U.S. opinions. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
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User Comments:
Retarded concept, but Stewart and Wyman are great more (14 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

James Stewart ... Rip Smith

Jane Wyman ... Mary Peterman
Kent Smith ... Hoopendecker
Ned Sparks ... Ike
Wallace Ford ... Lou Dicketts
Regis Toomey ... Ed Weaver
Ann Doran ... Mrs. Weaver
Donald Meek ... Mr. Twiddle
E.J. Ballantine ... Moody
Ann Shoemaker ... Ma Peterman
Mickey Kuhn ... Hank Nickleby
Howard Freeman ... Nickleby
Harry Holman ... Mayor
Mary Currier ... Mrs. Frisby
Mickey Roth ... Bob Peterman
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
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Runtime:
103 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Certification:
Finland:S | UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #12067, General Audience)
Filming Locations:
Chico, California, USA
Company:
Robert Riskin Productions more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Donald Meek's last movie. more
Quotes:
Mary Peterman: The air becomes charged with electricity around desperate men. more
Soundtrack:
MY BOOK OF MEMORY more

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
6 out of 7 people found the following comment useful.
Retarded concept, but Stewart and Wyman are great, 27 August 2003
6/10
Author: zetes from Saint Paul, MN

Maybe the silliest story ever to make it onto the silver screen. James Stewart plays a pollster looking for a town of such mathematical perfection that, whatever you polled its people, it would reflect exactly what the entire nation would feel about a give subject. He finds this place in Grandview, and there he takes his team. When Stewart finds local newspaper editor Jane Wyman trying to convince the town council to build a new civic center, he butts in. If the town were to change at all, its magical polling phenomenon could fade. Similar to The Music Man, Stewart develops a relationship with Wyman to keep the town as it is. Fortunately, it's less cynical and fake than the relationship between the two main characters of The Music Man, and, where Robert Preston's love still seems suspicious by the end of that film, Stewart's feels genuine quickly. He doesn't want the miracle to end, but he is utterly seduced not only by Wyman, but also by the small town. When the town discovers their perfect polling ability, they screw it up pretty much instantly (79% of the population say they would vote for a woman president!). The town goes down the toilet, and it's up to some faithful citizens, joined by the reformed Stewart, to save it. As ridiculous as the initial concept for Magic Town is, it gets even worse near the end. Stewart did this film directly after It's a Wonderful Life, and the small town sentiment is nearly identical in both films. While the first touches me, it's simply schmaltzy in Magic Town. The performances by Stewart and Wyman, as well as many decent supporting performances from many ever-reliable character actors, are better than the movie deserves. Stewart, in particular, is great. I've never seen this guy give a bad performance, and he throws himself behind this awful script with his full soul. He almost got me to buy it. Wyman's beautiful eyes enchanted me. But in the end, the story was just too ludicrous. 6/10.

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