A ventriloquist is at the mercy of his vicious dummy while he tries to renew a romance with his high school sweetheart.A ventriloquist is at the mercy of his vicious dummy while he tries to renew a romance with his high school sweetheart.A ventriloquist is at the mercy of his vicious dummy while he tries to renew a romance with his high school sweetheart.
- Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
- 2 wins & 5 nominations total
Anthony Hopkins
- Corky
- (voice)
- …
Steve Hart
- Captain
- (as Stephen Hart)
Robert Hackman
- Father
- (as Bob Hackman)
Michael J. Harte
- Minister
- (as Michael Harte)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaGene Wilder was the original choice for Corky, and director Richard Attenborough and writer William Goldman wanted him, but producer Joseph E. Levine refused, on the grounds he wanted no comedians in the movie to distract from the serious nature of the story.
- GoofsMembers of the crew are reflected in the cabin window when Corky gets his jacket before going out in the boat with Duke.
- Crazy creditsCredits: Fats Anthony Hopkins
- Alternate versionsMost commercial TV broadcasts of "Magic," strongly censor "Fats's" R-rated dialogue completely, or replace it with PG rated content.
- SoundtracksAh! Sweet Mystery of Life
(uncredited)
Music by Victor Herbert
Lyrics by Rida Johnson Young
Portion sung by Anthony Hopkins
Featured review
Attenborough Directs A Creepy Psychological Thriller
Richard Attenbourough has directed an intriguing and creepy little psychological thriller about a schizophrenic ventriloquist who 'splits' his identity with his dummy. Attenbourough has given a lot of attention to the setting creating an atmospheric effect such as the silent gloomy lake (inhabited by snapping turtles) and Corky's lonely cabin. The cinematography, particularly the closeups, are very impressive. 'Magic' is a simple film and while many have assumed that it's a horror film where the dummy is expected to become some kind of horrific entity (as I thought), that is not the case. Anthony Hopkins gives a stunning performance as the complex, shy and lonely Corky who finally finds love and his manipulative dummy Fats. There are so many moments of his excellent acting. Some examples include the scene where Corky is subjected to 'stop being Fats' for 5 minutes, the boat sequence and Hopkins's scenes with Ann Margret. Though he is more recognized for his 'chilling' Hannibal Lector persona, 'Magic' definitely showcases one of his best performances. The sexy Ann Margret also does an excellent job as the love of Corky's life. She brings a lot of depth to Peggy and she shows more than expected. Burgess Meredith leaves a mark as Corky's concerned manager. Overall, it's nice to see a different kind of Attenborough film. One that is quite well made and very well acted.
helpful•333
- Chrysanthepop
- Sep 20, 2008
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Magic - Die Puppe des Grauens
- Filming locations
- Blue Lakes, California, USA(Le Trianon Family Resort)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $7,000,000 (estimated)
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