The Magician (1958)

The Magician is a 1958 film written and directed by Ingmar Bergman. Its original Swedish title is Ansiktet, which means "The Face", and it was released theatrically as The Face in the United Kingdom, although video releases have used the U.S. title.

The film stars Max von Sydow as a traveling magician named Albert Vogler. Reading reports of a variety of supernatural disturbances at Vogler's prior performances abroad, the leading townspeople request that Vogler's troupe provide them a sample of their act, before allowing them public audiences. The scientifically minded disbelievers try to expose them as charlatans, but Vogler has a few tricks up his sleeve.

The film was distantly inspired by G. K. Chesterton's play Magic, which Bergman numbered among his favourites. Bergman staged a theatre production of "Magic" in Swedish at one point. The film was selected as the Swedish entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 31st Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.

Synopsis

En 1846, en Suède, la troupe de théâtre du « Docteur Vogler », spécialisée dans les tours de prestidigitation et la vente de philtres divers, arrive à Stockholm pour donner une représentation de magnétisme miraculeux. Arrêtés par la police, ils sont conduits dans la riche propriété du consul Abraham Egerman. Ottilia, la femme du consul est convaincue, comme son mari, que le " mage " pourra lui expliquer la mort de sa fille.

Actors