The Magician poster

1958·102 min·Released

The Magician

Drama

A traveling magician and his troupe arrive in a Swedish town in the 1840s, where their act is scrutinized by local authorities and a skeptical medical official. Their stay leads to a series of confrontations that test the boundaries between performance, belief, and deception.

7.4(246 votes)

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The Magician - Trailer

Cast & Crew

Max von Sydow

Max von Sydow

Albert Emanuel Vogler

Ingrid Thulin

Ingrid Thulin

Manda Vogler

Gunnar Björnstrand

Gunnar Björnstrand

Dr. Vergerus / Minister of Health

Naima Wifstrand

Naima Wifstrand

Granny Vogler

Bengt Ekerot

Bengt Ekerot

Johan Spegel

Bibi Andersson

Bibi Andersson

Sara Lindqvist

Gertrud Fridh

Gertrud Fridh

Ottilia

Lars Ekborg

Lars Ekborg

Simson

Toivo Pawlo

Toivo Pawlo

Starbeck

Erland Josephson

Erland Josephson

Consul Egerman

Åke Fridell

Åke Fridell

Tubal

Sif Ruud

Sif Ruud

Sofia

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CRCulver

Written on 9/6/2018

The three films that Ingmar Bergman produced at the close of the 1950s – <i>Det sjunde inseglet</i>, <i>Smultronstället</i> and <i>Jungfrukällen</i> – tower so high in his output that one might forget that these were not his only productions of the era. <i>Ansiktet</i> ("The Face", released in English-speaking markets as <i>The Magician</i>) from 1958 is one of his lesser-known films. In mid-19th century Sweden the magician Albert Emanuel Vogler (Max van Sydow) goes from town to town promising people cures for their ailments and performing magic tricks, including what was the sensation of the time, hypnosis. He is joined by his tout (Aake Fridell), his "ward" Mr. Aman (Ingrid Thulin) and his "grandmother" and the troupe's maker of patent medicine (Naima Wifstrand). After fleeing the law after a performance in one town, they pass through the forest and enter another community. Here they are detained by the authorities, so that the physician Vergerus (Gunnar Bjornstrand), the consul Egerman (Erland Josephson) can decide a wager on whether Vogler's tricks are real spiritual powers or scientifically explainable illusions. While <i>Ansiktet</i> should not be overlooked for fans of Bergman, I think it is fair that the film is not ranked among Bergman's greatest achievements. Characterization is pretty slim – we get no idea of why Vogler and his companion chose this life, and Vergerus is so shallow that Gunnar Bjornstrand seems wasted. And had the film ended three minutes earlier it would have been one of Bergman's more powerful conclusions, but instead we get a completely unexpected happy ending that just seems lame. Much of the middle part of the film depends on sex jokes that are funny at times, but I suspect anyone who knows Bergman's great output will continuously be thinking that he's capable of so much more than this. Still, <i>Ansiktet</i> does have a generally thought-provoking dramatic arc, and some moments will prove memorable. I especially admired the battle between Vergerus and Vogler and the magician's breakdown (funny how his temperment appropriately changes with his clothes in this scene).

CinemaSerf

Written on 2/5/2024

I thought there was something of the slightly menacing John Carradine in Max Von Sydow's performance here, as the eponymous purveyor of bafflement. His troupe arrive in a forewarned small Swedish town that is full of scepticism about the wares and skills of the "Vogler" enterprise. MVS is the master magician, with his wife "Wanda" (Ingrid Thuler), his anti-wart tonic mixing aunt/grandmother (the scene-stealing Naira Wifstrand) and the enigmatic "Tubal" (Åke Fridell) all pulling their weight in this family business. The local police commissioner (Toivo Paulo) is deeply suspicious and demands that before they try out their "gifts" on the more gullible wider population, they demonstrate to a triumvirate of himself, local bigwig "Egerman" (Erland Jospehson) and the downright hostile health minister "Vergerus" (Gunnar Björnstrand). Now try as they might, these detractors just cannot disprove what they are seeing. Can this be real or is the "Vogler" science just too clever for them? What now ensues sees a sophisticated and frequently quite amusing series of battles of wits emerge. Not just between the accusers and the visitors, but soon we see a fracturing dynamic amongst the family itself as cracks begin to emerge and eyes (and hands) start to wander. It's the clever denouement that still holds up well and allows this enjoyably under-scripted poke at science and horror to conclude in an almost workmanlike manner. As ever with Bergman, it's also about the photography - and some of the intensity here, especially around the frequently rather sexually ambiguous wife, focusses on the eyes. Always the eyes. That really works well to build and sustain the growing hint of mystery and intrigue. Even we are not entirely sure what's going on and surely we would be wise to what must be their fraud? Good stuff!

Media

The Magician - Trailer

The Magician - Trailer

Ingmar Bergman: Peter Cowie on "The Magician" (1958)

Ingmar Bergman: Peter Cowie on "The Magician" (1958)