Review of The Magician (1958) by Blake P — 17 Nov 2011

Vogler's Magnetic Health Theater, including Dr. Vogler (Sydow), a mute magician, and his assistant (Thulin), disguised as a man, Vogler's elderly "witch" granny (Wifstrand), Simson (Ekborg), the coach driver and helper of pulling the strings for some of the illusions, and Tubal (Fridell), and the show's cunning barker, are on a stagecoach fleeing the police, because of debt and fraud, when they're stopped by the police at a toll stop by Stockholm.

They're brought to the house of the town's councilman Egerman (Josephson), and are asked by him and his invited guests, the police chief, Starbeck (Pawlo), and a man representing science over the arts, the minister of health, Dr.

Vergerus (Gunnar Bjornstrand), to put on a show for their entertainment. The hosts are eager to humiliate the troupe as fakes, but when the show is performed, the coachman (Ljung) is hypnotized and a "tragedy" occurs.

"The Magician" is definitely one of Ingmar Bergman's best early films, but it always seems to fall through the cracks because of 1957's "Wild Strawberries" and "The Seventh Seal", and the "Trilogy of Faith" that would come a few years later.

It's strange film, and explores genres like comedy, black comedy, drama, horror, crime, and suspense, but instead of making the film seem inconsistent Bergman just shows the possibilities that can occur making a movie.

Some of the jokes can be funny, while the horror and suspense that happens can almost be scary, but that's just Bergman-- unpredictable. The film is just so Bergman with his cast regulars (Sydow, Thulin, Josephson, Björnstrand, and Andersson) who all are so phenomenal that it goes on my list of best ensembles.

Though minus cinematographer Sven Nvyqvist, the film still delivers what we love to see in the director's movie, and that's what makes it so unique. "The Magician" is one of Bergman's most memorable films, and if only "The Virgin Spring" wasn't made, this movie would be a classic.

Recommended.