The Mad Magician (1954)

A master magician murders his greedy employer, who legally owns every trick he can invent, and finds himself having to kill again.

Director:

John Brahm

Writers:

Crane Wilbur (screenplay), Crane Wilbur (story)

Stars:

Vincent Price, Mary Murphy, Eva Gabor

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Vincent Price	...	Don Gallico / Gallico the Great
Mary Murphy	...	Karen Lee
Eva Gabor	...	Claire Ormond
John Emery	...	The Great Rinaldi
Donald Randolph	...	Ross Ormond
Lenita Lane	...	Alice Prentiss
Patrick O'Neal	...	Lt. Alan Bruce
Jay Novello	...	Frank Prentiss

Storyline

Don Gallico is a master at designing magical illusions which are sold by his employer, Mr. Ormond, to famous magicians such as Rinaldi. He is also a master of disguise and realistic mask design. When Don embarks upon his own career as Gallico the Great, showcasing his own masterful illusions, his dreams are shattered by Ormond and he turns to murder to vent his frustrations.

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Plot Keywords:

mask | murder | disguise | magic | theremin | 

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Taglines:

SPINE CHILLING-THRILLS! (original print ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller | Mystery

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 May 1954 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Máscara do Mágico

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

72 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first movie to be broadcast on television in 3-D.

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Goofs

When the mad magician is performing on stage and about to appear the girl from the table, you can see the magicians cape reflect in the mirrors that are hiding the girl around the legs of the table.

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Quotes

Karen Lee: [to Bruce] I should think you would be sorry. What you told me about Mr. Gallico on the phone is simply impossible. Why he's the kindest, sweetest man I know.
Alice Prentiss: What he told you on the phone was my theory, not his, Karen.
Karen Lee: Well how can you even think such a thing?
Alice Prentiss: I'm sorry, I like Mr. Gallico too.

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Connections

References House of Wax (1953)

User Reviews

No One Takes Revenge Like Vincent Price!

The great Vincent Price has done many fantastic Horror films, some of which range among the greatest genre gems of all-time. Price's greatest achievements were doubtlessly his films in the 60s, with films such as Roger Corman's brilliant Poe-cycle (still the greatest Horror cycle of all-time), Michael Reeves' "Witchfinder General" (1968) or Ubaldo Ragona's "The Last Man on Earth" (1964) marking the ultimate highlights of this brilliant man's career. The films that made the man famous and thereby made him the immortal Horror icon he is, however date back to the 50s, with "House of Wax" (1953) marking his rise to stardom. "The Mad Magician" of 1954 follows a plot that is very similar to that of its successful predecessor. This is not to say, however, that this film isn't an original, delightfully macabre and absolutely wonderful gem itself. As the lines above may suggest, Vincent Price is my favorite actor, and, while I personally would not allow myself to miss anything the man has been in, none of my fellow fans of the man may miss this little gem.

Price stars as Don Galico (aka. Galico the Great), an underrated master magician and inventor of magic devices, whose boss, a sleazy businessman, stole his wife (Eva Gabor) from him. When the boss takes away one of Galico's ingenious inventions and gives it to his rival, The Great Rinaldi (John Emery), Galico snaps, and a murderous spree of revenge begins...

Don't we love Vincent Price when he's out for revenge? Some of his most famous and greatest films such as "The Abominable Dr. Phibes" (1971) or "Theater of Blood" (1973) were about absurd and delightfully macabre revenge murders, and this earlier film in his Horror career is another proof that no one takes revenge as Vincent Price does. This film provides a wonderfully eccentric leading role for Price, who, as always, delivers a brilliant performance, and guarantees 70 minutes of outrageously entertaining and macabre fun for every Horror fan. Another must-see for my fellow Price fans.