The Magus (1968)

A teacher on a Greek island becomes involved in bizarre mind-games with the island's magus (magician) and a beautiful young woman.

Director:

Guy Green

Writers:

John Fowles (novel), John Fowles (screenplay)

Stars:

Michael Caine, Anthony Quinn, Candice Bergen

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Caine	...	Nicholas Urfe
Anthony Quinn	...	Maurice Conchis
Candice Bergen	...	Lily
Anna Karina	...	Anne
Paul Stassino	...	Meli
Julian Glover	...	Anton
Takis Emmanuel	...	Kapetan
George Pastell	...	Andreas
Danièle Noël	...	Soula
Jerome Willis	...	German Officer
Ethel Farrugia	...	Maria
Andreas Malandrinos	...	Goatherd
George Kafkaris	...	2nd Partisan
Anthony Newlands	...	Party Host
Stack Constantino	...	3rd Partisan

Storyline

An English teacher arrives on a sleepy Greek island to take up a vacant teaching post. The last man to hold the post committed suicide under mysterious circumstances. Slowly but surely, he is drawn into a bizarre game engineered by a reclusive local magician. The deeper into the game he is drawn, the more he senses danger... yet cannot seem to untangle himself from the fascinating and compelling influence that the game is having on his mind.

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Plot Keywords:

teacher | mind game | bullwhip | flashback | female nudity | 

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy | Mystery

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 December 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

Büyücü

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Blazer Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The train seen at night time below the hotel window supposedly in Athens is actually the Palma to Soller train in Majorca/Mallorca.

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Quotes

Nicholas Urfe: You know what's wrong with marriage, Meli? It kills the fun in life.
[bites affair liaison apple]
Nicholas Urfe: It's the timid little people who can't gamble; who always want to know where they are. It's for mice, Meli, not for men.

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Connections

Featured in Boston Legal: Juiced (2008)

User Reviews

Best there is!

This movie, contrary to the Woody, Allen, is extremely testy and requires that you understand the title. It is only magic if you let it, and try to follow it, rather than just enjoy it as a prank. From that perspective, it really catches you entirely off guard and it cannot be made sense of - kind of like most magic tricks. I saw it in 1968, by accident, and being the type to always be looking for "meaning" to most things, got completely taken in. If you just watch it without trying to find a plot, you see rather quickly, that there is none and none will be found and THAT will drive you and Woody and the previous teacher, mad. I loved it because it got ME, and I did not get IT. Not until years later!