Black Magic

I see a lot of praise heaped on this is some of the other reviews and I have to wonder how much of that is based on the idea that Welles was frequently behind the camera and taking the lead. That is the case and it often shows. Welles style and eye can be seenbat several points during the film. Unfortunately this in and of itself does not ultimately make this a good film. It is very much a product of the assembly line era that it came from. Take out Welles contributions which in certain scenes give us great shots and what you have is a completely forgettable period piece with a convoluted story that overstays its welcome in terms of length. The film feels too long, yet does not do enough with its running time. Here is Cagliostro the boy, here is Cagliostro the man, here is Cagliostro the toast of high society... all in the blink of an eye, with the only exculpatories being some montages of mass healings. Poor and rushed storytelling, only to hurry up and wait when Cagliostro happens upon the man whom he has sworn to never forget, and the rather tedious and drug out revenge plot takes over. Nothing I say will stop anybody from watching this, and that's a good thing, you should watch it. It is an interesting bit of the Orson lore, but don't expect the "lost classic" or a "hidden masterpiece". It is neither of those things.

Sometimes a film is bad enough to exert an almost irresistible fascination, and here's a case in point: an idiotic but colorful melodrama saved in part by Orson Welles' flamboyant performance as Count Alessandro di Cagliostro, a mystic gypsy hypnotist and infamous 18th century charlatan plotting to substitute a somnambulistic imposter to the French throne. Each labored twist of plot falls conveniently into place with an obstinate disregard for logic or coherence (notice how every peripheral character is neatly killed off during the rousing climactic chase), and the period dialogue is, to a word, laughable, in particular during the wacky prologue, where Ramon Burr (as author Victor Hugo) site bedeviled by the character taking shape on the pages before him. Welles' control over the material is obvious: he may have been only an actor for hire, but every baroque and stylish excess bears his unmistakable signature.

I saw this movie as a boy and it lingers after nearly fifty years as a haunting memory. It may be what we now call noir, but the twinkle in Welles' eye also lingers, suggesting a gris texture. That twinkle is the same that Harry Lime (cine verde?) flashed to Holly Martin in the alley scene of The Third Man (which was also made in Europe in 1949). Cagliostro was a brilliant montebank, alchemist,poseur and rascal of the first order. Welles gave him credibility, perhaps recognizing a kindred spirit down the centuries. I still remember the dark, cobbled streets and slick rainy roof tops of eighteenth century European cities -- scenes also not unlike the ones in The Third Man. The ending, I remember, was also bitter sweet. I wish that those who produce lesser know classics for DVD restoration might see this "foreign" movie; it is obviously available somewhere since there have been other reviewers. If they chose it I could have my childhood Madeleine experience, and others would have another Welles film to compare with the finite now available.

Orson Welles is mesmerizing and perfectly suited to the roll of Count Cagliostro. The Count has waited silently for over 20 years secretly planning revenge on the ruling class he holds responsible for the drunken public execution of his mother he witnessed as a boy. Is Cagliostro an ambitious Gypsy charlatan or a demonic master of the black arts? Is he really a Count? There are several entertaining scenes where Cagliostro gains the upper hand over odds stacked against him such as the "choking rope" switcheroo in the jail, and the "your legs are like wax" turnabout. Yet similarly to SVENGALI (John Barrymore) he will not be able to exert this will power forever over everyone.Welles seems to be thoroughly enjoying himself throughout. BLACK MAGIC has threads in common with "The Prisoner in the Mirror" Boris Karloff presents THRILLER teleplay, an updating of the evil magician known as Cagliostro. The real mystery is why such an enjoyable movie starring Orson Welles was so long overlooked, not released on DVD until 2016 (unfortunately the source print used by Hen's Teeth is not nearly as clear as the sharp print TCM aired in January 2017). Though considered by some as a costume melodrama with little more than Welles and the art direction going for it, ever since I watched a primitively colorized print of BLACK MAGIC (aired on a local San Francisco station KOFY-TV20 around 1990) it's been my favorite off- beat Welles movie, always a fun find to share with friends who hadn't seen it!

I just watched the video of BLACK MAGIC again tonight and was once again impressed with it. Orson Welles turns in one of his finest performances. I was also impressed by the quality of the production considering it wasn't a Hollywood studio production (although it was released by United Artists). Elaborate costumes and sets and tons of extras. Interesting plot and photography. It has a nice film noir look to it. But the best part of BLACK MAGIC is Welles.

source: Black Magic

Trailer—Black Magic

Black Magic

Black Magic surprises on many levels. For a non-Hollywood film, it's suprisingly well produced. You have Welles, who, except for the louder moments of Citizen Kane, usually underplays, being big and bold and involved. He struggled with his weight, and here he is thin, wears tights, and engages in an extended Errol Flynn-like final swordfight. Some have noted here that those who want to extend Welles' body of directorial works include this film, even though Gregory Ratoff is credited as director. I recall that Welles said that he could have taken an associate producer credit on this film. But the final duel and fall does evoke memories of Welles' The Stranger and another film that Welles starred in and is said to have co-directed, Journey Into Fear.

I'm not normally a fan of period pieces or royal court intrigue dramas. Black Magic, however, works so well as a suspense movie, and as a supernatural drama, that the script manages to bend all of the trappings of the period piece to the story in such a way that it all works well. I was surprised at how suspenseful the movie is. In addition, Orson Welles is, you'll pardon the expression, mesmerizing in the lead role. He is most famous as a director but was such a talented actor as well. The mischievous grins and winks, the twinkle in the eye, and, suddenly, the maniacal force hidden behind all of that charm. This is just a fun movie on all levels.