Black Magic (1949)
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50% of users liked it
(56 ratings)
Gregory Ratoff is listed as sole director of the 1949 Orson Welles starrer Black Magic, but it is now common knowledge that Welles directed most of this lavish costumer himself. Told in flashback, the film recounts the life and times of notorious 18th-century hypnotist/magician/scam artist… More Gregory Ratoff is listed as sole director of the 1949 Orson Welles starrer Black Magic, but it is now common knowledge that Welles directed most of this lavish costumer himself. Told in flashback, the film recounts the life and times of notorious 18th-century hypnotist/magician/scam artist Cagliostro (played, but of course, by Welles). Learning the secrets of hypnosis from Dr. Mesmer (Charles Goldner), Cagliostro exploits this skill to gain wealth, prestige and, on occasion, romance. His downward slide begins when Cagliostro enters into an Anastasia-like scheme to substitute a young lass named Lorenza (Nancy Guild) for French queen Marie Antoinette. The charlatan's partners in crime are gypsies Gilbert (Akim Tamiroff, who manages to out-ham Welles in some scenes) and Zoraida (Valentina Cortese). Longer on style than substance, Black Magic is a wickedly delightful cinematic exercise, with Welles at his overbaked best. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Gregory Ratoff
- Genres
- Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Classics
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Aug 19, 1949 Wide
Critic Reviews
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It's hard to believe an Orson Welles movie could be so crass.
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Cast
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Orson Welles
as Cagliostro
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Nancy Guild
as Lorenza, Marie Antoinette
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Akim Tamiroff
as Gitano
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Frank Latimore
as Gilbert
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Valentina Cortese
as Zoraida
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Margot Grahame
as Mme. Dubarry
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Stephen Bekassy
as DeMontagne
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Berry Kroeger
as Alexandre Dumas Sr.
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Raymond Burr
as Alexandre Dumas Jr.
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Charles Goldner
as Dr. Mesmer
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Lee Kresel
as Louis XVI
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Robert Atkins
as Louis XV
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Nicholas Bruce
as De Remy
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Franco Corsaro
as Chico
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Aniello Mele
as Joseph Balsamo as a child
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Ronald Adam
as Court President
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Bruce Belfrage
as Crown Prosecutor
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Tamara Shayne
as Maria Balsamo
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Peter Trent
as Dr. Mesmer's Friend
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Giuseppe Varni
as Bochmer
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Gregory Gaye
as Chambord
- Silvana Mangano
