Black Magic

Another Orson Welles Classic

Though not directed by Welles, Black Magic is worthy of standing alongside his other tour de force creations. This swashbuckling tale of intrigue is given the extra charge of Welles charismatic energy and style. Welles masterfully plays a villainous character that we shamelessly root for. August 4, 2008

Stylish period piece

Orson Wellles was ,in real life ,a noted amateur magician ,and this may account for the relish with which he attacked his role in this 1949 United Artists movie.He is playing another real life character ,the self -styled "Count "Cagliostro ,a man of French Romany origin who learns the arts of hypnotism from Doctor Anton Mesmer (Charles Goldner)and deploys them -along with large doses of charlatanism and showmanship-to attain wealth and power at the court of the French King .His allies are the scheming and devious Viscount De Montagne and Madame DuBarry-played respectively by Stephen Bekassy and Margot Grahame .They plan to substitute the real Dauphine ,Marie Antoinette ,with a double ,Lorenza,and so manipulate the throne to achieve ultimate power .They are assisted by two of Cagliostro's companions from his gypsy days -played with suitable melodramatic menace by Akin Tamiroff and the splendidly sinister Valentina Cortese -and opposed by L;orenza's lover (Frank Lattimore)
The movie is narrated in flashback using a framing device of the tale being told by Alexandre Dumas Senior to his son ,Alexandre Dumas Junior - a cameo from Raymond Burr
Welles is pretty much the whole show and gives a suitably creepy and slightly hammy peformance wholly in keeping with the theatrical hucksterism of the real life Cagliostro .There is a nice turn too from the pretty Nancy Guild -an actress who did too few movies in my view -in the dual role of Lorenza and Marie Antoinette .

The direction by Gregory Ratof is a bit flat and I miss the zest a director like ,say Michael Curtiz,could have brought to proceeding .However the 18th century court setting is nicely realised and this is an enjoyable slice of melodrama that lovers of the period movie should enjoy November 9, 2007

Orson Wells over looked film worth a look!

This is one of Orson Wells least known roles, however for my money, one of his best. This is long over due a release on DVD. August 29, 2007

Classic, I wish they'd release this on DVD

This movie has it all: swashbuckling action, intrigue, romance, mind control, and Orson Welles. Wells plays the historical figue Joseph Balsamo, who later styles himself Count Cagliostro (a la the Count of Monte Christo). Balsamo was a poor Sicilian con man who wheedled his way into many a royal court in Europe before finally getting arrested by the Inquisition in Rome. This movie is very fictionalized account of the infamous "affair of the necklace", a controversy involving Marie Antoinette.

Welles delivers a stunning performance as the anti-hero/anti-villain Cagliostro who uses flim flam and the power of suggestion (like Mesmer) to gain power over people. Notably, Raymond Burr plays a small role in the film (look for him in the first few minutes of the movie.

The sets, costumes, and cinematography are stunning - making for a wonderful period piece. The cinematography is very good, despite the fact that Welles didn't direct this film. The film is black and white and, I believe, orginally released in 1949

My biggest complaint is that I have only been able to find this film on VHS tape from 1987. My copy is in good shape, but the film begs to be re-released on DVD. July 27, 2007

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