The Magician

Original title: Ansiktet

1958
Approved
1h 41m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Max von Sydow, Ingrid Thulin, and Naima Wifstrand in The Magician (1958)

A traveling magician and his assistants are persecuted by authorities in Sweden of the 19th century. Their capture, however, didn't bring victory to those in power.A traveling magician and his assistants are persecuted by authorities in Sweden of the 19th century. Their capture, however, didn't bring victory to those in power.A traveling magician and his assistants are persecuted by authorities in Sweden of the 19th century. Their capture, however, didn't bring victory to those in power.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

11K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
- 3 wins & 2 nominations total

Photos130

+ 123

More like this

7.7

Smiles of a Summer Night

7.1

7.3

7.7

7.5

8.0

7.4

7.9

Through a Glass Darkly

8.0

7.6

7.5

8.0

Storyline

Edit

Did you know

Edit

Trivia
The character of Vogler was based on Bergman himself.

Goofs
(at about 13 mins) When Tubal gets on in a carriage, a policeman hangs outside the carriage door but in the very next shot, the policeman is again seen to hang on the same door.

Quotes
Johan Spegel: I didn't really die, yet I've already begun haunting people. Actually, I think I make a better ghost than human being. I'm finally convincing. Something I never was as an actor. A shadow of a shadow. Don't be concerned for my sake, sir. I've already begun to decompose.

Connections
Featured in Premio Donostia a Max Von Sydow (2006)

User reviews47

Review

Featured review

9/10

Religious symbolism in Ansiktet (The Magician)

Most of Ingmar Bergman's films are meant to titillate the intellect. The Magician is no exception. It is rich with symbolism. I think it ranks right up there with "Death in Venice" on the list of misunderstood movies.

I believe the most rewarding level of meaning in "The Magician" is the religious one. Bergman was often concerned with the implications of religious beliefs. And almost always from the attitude of doubt. Consider the lines in The Seventh Seal where the vicious monk, annoyed with the knight's persistence, asks, "Will you never stop asking questions?" and the knight replies resolutely, "No. Never."

Watching this movie with the idea of Vogler as Jesus provides a perspective that informs the characters and their conduct. This melancholy magician, doubted and persecuted by the powerful, surrounded by strange and suspicious persons, is simultaneously visionary and earthy flesh and blood. He only wants to perform his miracles for the masses. Or is he a charlatan? What a powerful way to pose that question.