Before Anthony Hopkins was the well-mannered sociopath with slicked back hair and economy of movement in Silence of the Lambs, he gave a nervy portrayal of mental illness in Magic, as failed magician turned ventriloquist Corky Withers – who experiences a career renaissance with “Fats,” his insult hurling wooden dummy. When his agent Ben Greene (Burgess Meredith), who is on the precipice of getting Corky his own television show, informs him the network will require a medical evaluation – Corky flees to the Catskills for fear that his schizophrenic tendencies will be discovered. Once there, he re-connects with his high school crush Peggy Ann Snow (Ann Margaret), as he battles his fragile psyche and Fats’ influence that leads him towards his darker nature. Burgess Meredith and Ann Margaret give polished performances that serve to remind us of the screen icons they both are, and Jerry Goldsmith’s score creates the perfect atmosphere as Corky’s nervous breakdown spirals out of control. Richard Attenborough’s direction, and William Goldman’s script that he adapted from his best-selling novel, turned horror into a higher art.
“In adapting his own best-seller, William Goldman has opted for an atmospheric thriller, a mood director Richard Attenborough fleshes out to its fullest.” – Variety
Ariel Schudson discusses Magic on the New Beverly blog.
