Magic Movie Review 405

Magic is a 1978 horror/thriller directed by Richard Attenborough and starring Anthony Hopkins, Burgess Meredith and Ann Margret.

Corky Withers(Hopkins) is a small time magician who is not having much luck with his act. He decides to change his act and become a ventriloquist. He names his dummy Fats and he has a lot more success with his act then. Fats is a loud mouthed character and people love him. Corky has an agent called Ben Greene(Meredith) and he wants Corky to do some TV shows. Corky won't do it because he needs to take a medical test and he knows that he will fail it because he has some psychological issues. He runs off to where he grew up for some peace. He meets an old flame,Peggy Ann(Ann Margret). She is married to a guy that Corky knew in high school. There is still a spark between them and they become close, much to the disapproval of Fats who is taking over Corky.

Ben Greene turns up to see Corky and persuade him to come back but he realises that Fats is taking over Corky's personality. He realises that Corky needs help and he tells him so. Corky panics and he doesn't know what to do.Fats tells him that he needs to kill Greene or Corky will be found out. Corky does so and he puts him in a lake. Fats becomes jealous when Corky talks about leaving with Peggy Ann. He doesn't want Corky to desert him. When Peggy Ann's husband talks to him about his wife, Corky feels bad. He has to kill him when he finds Greene's body washed up on the shore and he becomes suspicious of Corky.

Corky is at the brink of losing his sanity after this. Fats is in control. He wants him to kill Peggy Ann.
He can't bring himself to do it, so he stabs himself and ends Fats' control over him. The films ends with Peggy Ann speaking like Fats herself which is weird. This was an interesting movie. I liked the leads and Hopkins plays the part of the demented Corky/Fats well. The ending was a little odd but I will let that go. All in all, this was very enjoyable. I will give it a 7/10.