Magic (1978)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Richard Attenborough

Writers:

William Goldman (novel)
William Goldman (screenplay)

Release Date:

8 November 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

A Terrifying Love Story.

Plot:

A ventriloquist is at the mercy of his vicious dummy while he tries to renew a romance with his high school sweetheart.

Plot Keywords:

Dummy | Magician | Ventriloquist | High School Sweethearts | Resort

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sat. July 11

3:30 AM

AMC

Cast

Anthony Hopkins	...	Corky Withers / Voice of Fats
Ann-Margret	...	Peggy Ann Snow
Burgess Meredith	...	Ben Greene
Ed Lauter	...	Duke
E.J. André	...	Merlin
Jerry Houser	...	Cab driver
David Ogden Stiers	...	Todson
Lillian Randolph	...	Sadie
Joe Lowry	...	Club M.C.
Bob Hackman	...	Father
Mary Munday	...	Mother
Brad Beesley	...	Young Corky
Scott Garrett	...	Corky's brother
Beverly Sanders	...	Laughing lady
I.W. Klein	...	Maitre d'hotel
Patrick McCullough	...	Doorman
Stephen P. Hart	...	Captain
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael J. Harte	...	Minister (as Michael Harte)

Directed by
Richard Attenborough

Writing credits
William Goldman		(novel)
William Goldman		(screenplay)

Produced by
C.O. Erickson	....	executive producer
Joseph E. Levine	....	producer
Richard P. Levine	....	producer

Original Music by
Jerry Goldsmith

Cinematography by
Victor J. Kemper

Film Editing by
John Bloom

Casting by
Jane Feinberg
Mike Fenton

Production Design by
Terence Marsh

Art Direction by
Richard Lawrence

Set Decoration by
John Franco Jr.

Costume Design by
Ruth Myers

Makeup Department
Cherie	....	hair stylist
Lee Harman	....	makeup artist
Hallie Smith-Simmons	....	makeup artist

Production Management
C.O. Erickson	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mike Haley	....	first assistant director: second unit
François Moullin	....	second assistant director: second unit
Arne Schmidt	....	first assistant director
Jerry Sobul	....	second assistant director (as Jerald Sobul)

Art Department
John Rozman	....	swing gang
Sal Sommatino	....	property master
Michael White	....	sketch artist

Sound Department
Clint Althouse	....	sound boom
Jonathan Bates	....	sound editor
Nigel Galt	....	assistant sound editor
Gerry Humphreys	....	dubbing mixer
Larry Jost	....	sound mixer
Patrick Yacono	....	sound re-recording mixer: restoration

Special Effects by
Bob MacDonald Jr.	....	special effects (as Robert MacDonald Jr.)

Stunts
Gregory J. Barnett	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Marta	....	assistant camera (as Bob Marta)
Bruce McBroom	....	still photographer
Robert C. Thomas	....	camera operator (as Robert Thomas)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael J. Harte	....	costumer: men (as Michael Harte)
Shirlee Strahm	....	costumer: women

Editorial Department
Dennis Erkel	....	assistant editor
Chris Ridsdale	....	assistant editor
Douglas Robertson	....	associate editor

Music Department
Leonard A. Engel	....	music editor (as Len Engel)
Arthur Morton	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Dennis Alwood	....	ventriloquial consultant
Michael Bailey	....	consulting magician
Robert Blair	....	animal trainer: cat
Robert Easton	....	accent consultant
Lew Horwitz	....	consulting magician (as Lewis Horwitz)
Sandy McLeod	....	script supervisor
Ann Skinner	....	script consultant
Patrick Watkins	....	dialect advisor
Michael White	....	assistant to director

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
• Joseph E. Levine Productions (as Joseph E. Levine)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
• Dark Sky Films (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1981) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• City Film (1979) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Fox-Stockholm Film Distribution (1979) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Blay Video (1982) (USA) (VHS)
• Koch Media (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• MPI Home Video (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Nelson Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Nelson Entertainment (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)

Other Companies

• DeLuxe Laboratories  prints by (as DeLuxe)
• Screen Time Images  color correction
• Screen Time Images  film transfer

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:TV-PG (cable rating) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | UK:15 (video rating) | UK:X (original rating) (1978) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Blue Lakes, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The "Fats" dummy was created specifically to look like Anthony Hopkins.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Members of the crew are reflected in the cabin window when Corky gets his jacket before going out in the boat with Duke.

Quotes:

Fats: Stop the Postman!
Corky: How? How? With what?
Fats: Me! Me! Me! Me! Meeee!

Movie Connections:

References "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (1962)

The only commendable work of Attenborough, the director

While I admire Richard Attenborough the actor, I am not as enthusiastic about his work as a director. This is his best work as a director probably because as a good actor he realized the potential of the story that survives on the acting skills of the lead player. Attenborough's job was easy once he had a consummate actor in Anthony Hopkins to play the key role and provide the distinct voice of the dummy.

This film's highlights are the performances of Hopkins, Burgess Meredith and Ann-Margaret, in that order. Hopkins has matured over the years and in recent films like "Hannibal" and "Silence of the Lambs" is arresting to watch. Yet in "Magic", Attenborough is able to extract a superb performance in an otherwise above-average film.

The sequence between Hopkins and Meredith, where the dummy has to keep quiet for 5 minutes is the highlight of the film. Equally interesting is the editing (by John Bloom) of the two knifing sequences. To sum up, the acting, the low-budget direction (superior compared to "Gandhi" and "A Bridge too Far"), and the editing are the departments that are commendable in this film.