The Magician (1958 film)

The Magician
File:The-Magician-poster.jpg Film poster
Directed by	Ingmar Bergman
Produced by	Allan Ekelund
Written by	Ingmar Bergman
Starring	Ingrid Thulin Max von Sydow Naima Wifstrand Gunnar Björnstrand Bengt Ekerot Bibi Andersson Erland Josephson
Music by	Erik Nordgren
Cinematography	Gunnar Fischer
Edited by	Oscar Rosander
Distributed by	AB Svensk Filmindustri
Release dates	26 December 1958
Running time	107 minutes
Country	Sweden
Language	Swedish

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.

Cast

• Max von Sydow – Albert Emanuel Vogler
• Ingrid Thulin – Manda Vogler (alias Mr. Aman)
• Gunnar Björnstrand – Dr. Vergerus, Minister of Health
• Naima Wifstrand – Granny Vogler
• Bengt Ekerot – Johan Spegel
• Bibi Andersson – Sara
• Birgitta Pettersson - Sanna
• Gertrud Fridh – Ottilia Egerman
• Lars Ekborg – Simson, the coach driver
• Toivo Pawlo – Police Superintendent Starbeck
• Erland Josephson – Consul Egerman
• Åke Fridell – Tubal
• Sif Ruud – Sofia Garp
• Oscar Ljung – Antonsson, burly stableman
• Ulla Sjöblom – Henrietta Starbeck
• Axel Düberg – Rustan, young manservant

See also

• List of submissions to the 31st Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
• List of Swedish submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film

External links

• The Magician at IMDb
• The Magician at AllMovie
• The Magician at the Swedish Film Institute Database