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The Magic Christian

  • 1969
  • M/PG
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
5.8/10
4K
YOUR RATING
Raquel Welch, Peter Sellers, and Ringo Starr in The Magic Christian (1969)
Dark ComedySatireComedy

The world's richest man and his adopted hobo son set out to test the limits of human vanity and greed through a series of "money games".The world's richest man and his adopted hobo son set out to test the limits of human vanity and greed through a series of "money games".The world's richest man and his adopted hobo son set out to test the limits of human vanity and greed through a series of "money games".

  • Director
    • Joseph McGrath
  • Writers
    • Terry Southern
    • Joseph McGrath
    • Graham Chapman
  • Stars
    • Peter Sellers
    • Ringo Starr
    • Isabel Jeans
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.8/10
    4K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Joseph McGrath
    • Writers
      • Terry Southern
      • Joseph McGrath
      • Graham Chapman
    • Stars
      • Peter Sellers
      • Ringo Starr
      • Isabel Jeans
    • 105User reviews
    • 36Critic reviews
    • 42Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 3:08
    Trailer

    Photos107

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    Top cast99+

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    Peter Sellers
    Peter Sellers
    • Sir Guy Grand
    Ringo Starr
    Ringo Starr
    • Youngman Grand
    Isabel Jeans
    Isabel Jeans
    • Dame Agnes Grand
    Caroline Blakiston
    Caroline Blakiston
    • Hon. Esther Grand
    Wilfrid Hyde-White
    Wilfrid Hyde-White
    • Captain Reginald K. Klaus
    • (as Wilfrid Hyde White)
    Richard Attenborough
    Richard Attenborough
    • Oxford Coach
    Leonard Frey
    Leonard Frey
    • Laurence Faggot
    Laurence Harvey
    Laurence Harvey
    • Hamlet
    Christopher Lee
    Christopher Lee
    • Ship's Vampire
    Spike Milligan
    Spike Milligan
    • Traffic Warden 27
    Roman Polanski
    Roman Polanski
    • Solitary Drinker
    Raquel Welch
    Raquel Welch
    • Priestess of the Whip
    Tom Boyle
    • My Man Jeff
    Victor Maddern
    Victor Maddern
    • Hot Dog Vendor
    Terence Alexander
    Terence Alexander
    • Mad Major
    Peter Bayliss
    Peter Bayliss
    • Pompous Toff
    Joan Benham
    Joan Benham
    • Socialite in Sotheby's
    Patrick Cargill
    Patrick Cargill
    • Auctioneer at Sotheby's
    • Director
      • Joseph McGrath
    • Writers
      • Terry Southern
      • Joseph McGrath
      • Graham Chapman
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews105

    5.83.9K
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    Featured reviews

    7bkoganbing

    Funny, But Unsettling

    One day the fabulously wealthy Sir Guy Grand who is Peter Sellers with a much larger nose finds a young orphan kid in a park. On the spur of the moment he adopts young Ringo Starr, probably because Ringo has a well known honker in real life and Sellers sees something of himself in Ringo.

    The idea is that Sellers has to have someone not just to leave his money to, but someone to impart his accumulated wisdom of the years which is boiled up into one single thought; that EVERYBODY has his price.

    The rest of the film is a Monty Pythonesque group of skits in which Sellers tries to prove just that to Starr. They range from Laurence Harvey doing a striptease while doing Hamlet's soliloquy to a beat cop eating a parking ticket for 500 pounds. The title The Magic Christian refers to a Titanic like cruise ship that only caters to the upper crust. Sellers and Starr integrate that ship's maiden voyage in a most interesting fashion.

    That the film is like Monty Python is no accident with Graham Chapman and John Cleese doing the writing. Ringo's former Beatle companero, Paul McCartney wrote The Magic Christian theme, Come and Get It which sums up the philosophy of the film.

    After almost 40 years, The Magic Christian is acidly funny, but a still unsettling.
    7wryroy

    It's Grand to be Grand!

    Peter Sellers stars as Sir Guy Grand, a fabulously wealthy eccentric who gets to do anything and everything he wants to by liberally greasing the palms of those less fortunate (and wealthy) than himself. Lacking an heir, he adopts a homeless derelict (Ringo Starr) who becomes Youngman Grand and joins him in a series of wild and wacky misadventures. In his apparently never ending quest to prove that everyone has their price, Sir Guy and his newly adopted heir are joined by a host of other notables in cameo roles including Richard Attenborough, John Cleese, Laurence Harvey, Christopher Lee, Roman Polanski, Yul Brynner and Raquel Welch. The movie is based on a book by Terry Southern (who wrote the screenplay for another Peter Sellers classic - "Dr. Strangelove") with Monty Python alumni Graham Chapman and John Cleese lending a hand in the screenplay. This is a movie that has everything: great writers, great actors, well-known comtemporary celebrities and a rapid-fire barrage of parodies and spoofs of almost everything we hold dear, including greed, gluttony, racism and incompetency. If this movie does not make you laugh out loud (frequently) you should consider getting treatment for a severe case of humor deficiency.
    chroma-898-579154

    Interesting piece of British cinema from 1969

    Unusual movie full of British stars which makes it all the more watchable, you name them they are in it! Of particular interest is a un-credited Jimmy Clitheroe later in life but none the less in it along with Christopher Lee, Fred Emney and many more.

    The film is a tale of how people can be bought with some interesting performances and perhaps something of a experimental film in many ways.

    Ringo is his typical self and Peter Sellers pretty much steals the screen most of the time drawing us into his performance.

    The film was based on the original novel by Terry Southern and I just about remember the film coming out back then with Ringo chatting about the public thinking he was 'a mop-top' which struck me as funny back then.

    Much location filming for this movie which also included Chobham Common amongst other locations.

    This is now on Blu-Ray and is a superb scan from a good 35mm film print and worth having a look at just to see the host of great old star names.
    JasonS-5

    Appealing even if chaotic

    Terry Southern's novel, "The Magic Christian" is very different from the film. However the film, which was written by Southern, among other, still maintains the spirit of the novel.

    The film is simply a series of vigniettes centering around Sir Guy Grand (Peter Sellers), and his adopted son, Youngman (Ringo Starr), who goes about "making things hot for people," by using his vast wealth to perpetrate elaborate practical jokes largely aimed at seeing how many of their principles people will give up for money.

    The movie is very silly, fragmented, and horribly dated. > Now that you have heard the case against, I have to say that this is one of my favorite movies of all time. The movie destroys or humiliates all social icons, from the police, to "the old school," to the snobbish upper class, to the art world. Its great to see, and once you make up your mind that the movie is just a series of sketches, its funny, and immensely satisfying, albeit somewhat vicious.

    Look for cameos by Yul Brynner (in drag), Spike Milligan (Sellers' partner in "The Goon Show"), John Lennon and Yoko Ono, among many others.

    Other notes: The novel, "The Magic Christian" was banned for a time, because it was viewed as obscene. Peter Sellers loved this book, and after he read it, he sent copies of it to all of his friends. It might say something about his tragic and depressed personality, that he found this book, with its many vicious stabs against society, so appealing.
    9buckbucknumber1

    The pinnacle of British silliness at the movies for an entire decade.

    The pinnacle of British silliness at the movies for an entire decade: The mythical 60's. Mike Meyers could only dream of capturing this time and place with as much fun and style. British entertainment royalty by the truck load including half the Beatles, a decent chunck of Monty Python, Christopher Lee in a cape, and the late great Peter Sellers! Who could ask for more? Well there is always Roman Polanski as an innocent being picked up in a bar by a transvestite (who's identity revelation is the my favorite bit). And of course, who can forget Raquel Welch in her prime, and in a leather mini nothing with a whip. All of this in the context of the movie's namesake--The Love Boat cruise from hell. You will never again think of farm manure without recalling this movie's finale! Check it out.

    buckbucknumber1

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      After watching rushes from the first day of filming, Peter Sellers leapt to his feet and said "Thank God we caught it in time!" He felt his performance was so bad that the movie should be cancelled. He was eventually persuaded to continue.
    • Goofs
      When the flock of birds flies into the air at the grouse shoot, the hand of the person releasing them is visible at the bottom of the screen.
    • Quotes

      Youngman Grand, Esq.: Dad, do you think words corrupt?

      Sir Guy Grand KG, KC, CBE: I don't know, let's try. Agnes?

      Dame Agnes Grand: [looks up from the television] Yes?

      Sir Guy Grand KG, KC, CBE: Nipple.

      Dame Agnes Grand: Shh!

      [turns back to the television]

      Sir Guy Grand KG, KC, CBE: [watches her a moment] Well, there's no immediate physical change.

    • Alternate versions
      Also released in shortened (75 min. and 88 min.) versions.
    • Connections
      Featured in One Pair of Eyes: Marty Feldman: No, But Seriously... (1969)
    • Soundtracks
      Come and Get It
      Written by Paul McCartney

      Recorded by Badfinger (as Bad Finger)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 12, 1969 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Magic Christian
    • Filming locations
      • Putney, London, England, UK
    • Production company
      • Grand Films Limited
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Gross US & Canada
      • $689,100
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 32 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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