Magic

 

(1978) Directed by Richard Attenborough; Written by William Goldman; Based on the novel by William Goldman; Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Ann-Margret, Burgess Meredith and Ed Lauter; Available on Blu-ray and DVD. 

Rating: ****

“Magic is misdirection, that’s all it is. And misdirection is getting people to look in the wrong place at the right times.” – Ben Greene (Burgess Meredith)

“I wasn’t aware of this when I was doing the film, but afterward somebody asked me… ‘Was there a parallel in your own life?’ and I remembered, when I was at school, I was very much on the outside, and I developed a repertoire of jokes and impersonations, and through my formative years I kept this repertoire going of impersonations, and I became brilliant at imitating people. It was my only way of bridging this sort of a gap, and in a way, ‘Fats,’ in solid form, is a representation of what was going on in my own life.” – Anthony Hopkins (excerpted from 1978 interview)

If you want to make your movie instantly creepy (or creepier) you can’t miss with a ventriloquist’s dummy. While most dummies would never pass muster as a miniature human being, they dwell in that uncanny valley between real and fake, where a seed of doubt germinates (Are they alive or somehow possessed? Who’s the puppet, and who’s the puppeteer?). Our mind’s rational half scoffs at the idea that a crude facsimile of person, made of wood, plastic and cloth could ever be alive, but our emotional half suggests otherwise (I didn’t see the puppeteer’s lips move… And did those eyes just move on their own?). Director Richard Attenborough’s* film Magic (based on William Goldman’s 1976 novel) raises these questions and more. 

* Fun Fact #1: Norman Jewison was producer Joseph E. Levine’s first choice for director, but when they had a falling out, Richard Attenborough replaced him.

When we’re introduced to Corky (Anthony Hopkins), he’s not exactly an overnight success, struggling to keep an apathetic audience entertained with his mediocre card tricks. His elderly mentor Merlin (E.J. André) encourages him to find a way to connect with his audience. Corky’s solution comes in the form of a comedy routine with his dummy “Fats.” As his new act begins to take off, he’s courted by high-profile agent Ben “The Postman” Greene (played by the always reliable Burgess Meredith),* who envisions a bright future for his new client. As they discuss TV talk show appearances, leading up to a pilot for his own show, there’s only one sticking point. Corky’s elation quickly turns to irritation when Greene mentions that the network requires a medical exam. When the pressure becomes too great, Corky takes off on a self-imposed retreat to calm his nerves. He finds an out-of-the-way cabin in the Catskills managed by his old high school crush, Peggy (Ann-Margret). He soon learns that things aren’t looking good for Peggy, whose marriage to former high school boyfriend Duke (Ed Lauter) is on the rocks, while their resort business is dying. As a romance between Corky and Peggy blooms, Corky’s façade begins to crack. When Fats’ personality gradually begins to overshadow Corky’s, will it be the puppeteer or the puppet** who comes out on top? 

* Fun Fact #2: Sir Lawrence Olivier was originally cast as Corky’s fast-talking agent, but when the British actor fell ill, he was replaced with Burgess Meredith 

** Fun Fact #3: In the novel, the story was told from Fats’ perspective.

Anthony Hopkins walks a tricky tightrope as the mentally unstable Corky* and his alter-ego Fats.**/*** Hopkins credibly creates the illusion that Fats isn’t merely an extension of Corky’s personality, but imbued with a personality of his own. As with many good ventriloquism acts, Corky says things that you could never imagine coming from such a genteel puppeteer. Of course, it’s merely another facet of Cork’s personality, brought to life through an inanimate object. As Corky’s mental state deteriorates, the boundaries eventually dissolve to the point where Fats takes over as the dominant personality. In one scene, Greene catches the two in the middle of a heated argument. Fearing that his client is losing a grip on reality, he challenges Corky to “Make Fats shut up for five minutes.”  When Green subsequently encourages Corky to see a mental health professional, Fats wants the agent out of the picture. 

* Fun Fact #4: Jack Nicholson was originally slated to play Corky, but when that fell through, Levine considered Al Pacino, Gene Wilder and Chevy Chase for the lead role. 

** Fun Fact #5: Professional ventriloquist Dennis Alwood trained Hopkins on his craft prior to filming. As a result, most of the ventriloquism in the film was performed by Hopkins himself.   

*** Fun Fact #6: Levine originally wanted to purchase Alwood’s dummy “Dudley” and change its appearance, so it more closely resembled Hopkins. Instead, a brand-new dummy was created for “Fats.”

 

Ann-Margret is the other major player in this twisted drama, Peggy, who’s the calm within the storm. It’s easy to see why her underemployed, emotionally insecure husband has lost his luster, while this strange man from her past represents something new yet familiar. In a tense scene with Corky, an innocuous card trick becomes a personal struggle when a simple mistake makes him doubt his competence. He lashes out angrily at Peggy, browbeating her for allegedly messing up the trick. Sure, there couldn’t have been a more obvious indication of Corky’s deteriorating mental state if a there had been a neon sign flashing in front of her face, stating “DON’T TRUST HIM. HE’S NUTS,” but love isn’t logical. On the one hand, it’s easy to say she’s making a big mistake when she decides to run away with Corky, shifting from one verbally abusive partner to another. On the other hand, Corky appears to be her ticket out of a loveless marriage.

The film establishes early on that there’s nothing supernatural occurring. Unfortunately, Corky’s fractured mind can’t distinguish between his dummy and a living, breathing human being. The puppet doesn’t manipulate itself. It’s always been Corky, but in his mind’s eye, puppet and puppeteer are two separate personalities. Although Fats doesn’t move or talk on his own when he’s not controlled by Corky, one brief shot suggests otherwise, when the unattended dummy’s eyes suddenly move. Attenborough admitted it was an error, but decided to leave the flub in the movie. While the brief sequence was incongruous with everything else we know about Corky and Fats, it works on a different level suggesting that subjectively, from Corky’s perspective, Fats is alive. 

The ventriloquist’s dummy with a mind of its own is an enduring trope, guaranteed to send audiences on edge. From The Great Gabbo (1929), to the unforgettable final segment of Edge of Night (1945), to Devil Doll (1964) filmmakers and filmgoers alike have been suitably entranced and terrified, and Magic represents a continuation of this grand tradition. Anthony Hopkins’* intense performance anchors the film, serving as its chaotic center. Jerry Goldsmith’s excellent score, simultaneously wistful and eerie, is a great match for Victor J. Kemper’s moody cinematography. The careful control of light and shadow reveals just enough, but never too much, creating an almost noirish tone. It all contributes to a sense of unease that continues long after the movie has ended. 

* Fun Fact #7: In a 1978 interview, Hopkins revealed that he was preparing for his next project with Attenborough, playing the title role of Gandhi (a part that eventually went to Ben Kingsley).

  

Sources for this article: “Screenwriting for Dummies” (2006 interview with author William Goldman); “Fats and Friends” (2006 interview with ventriloquist Dennis Alwood); “Swank in the Arts: Anthony Hopkins” (1978 interview, KERPA, Dallas)