On M List of Movie Reviews
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The Magus (1968)
Rate:
3
Viewed:
1/24
1/24:
Michael Caine said publicly that The Magus was among the worst films he had been involved with because
nobody understood the plot.
Yeah, no kidding. Every time a question is asked, it's never answered. Stories are invented and then reinvented.
Identities are changed constantly like underwear. It's all patently ridiculous to me. Even Peter Sellers had
this to say when asked about going back in time to make changes in his life, "I would do everything exactly
the same except I wouldn't see The Magus."
The acting is fine. I like the cinematography. Unfortunately, it wasn't shot on location in Greece but in
Majorca, Spain, for the most part. Regardless, both got me through the ordeal rather nicely. Most of
The Magus reminds me of Deadfall which came out during the same
year, and it's the latter that I recommend you to see instead along with Sleuth.
What I don't understand is Nicholas was hired to teach English and yet was barely shown working at the school.
Back to Michael Caine, he said in an interview for Time Out magazine that he had been obliged to star
in the two aforementioned films for 20th Century Fox and that he couldn't finish reading John Fowles' book
because of the incomprehensible story. While making the film, he was still unable to figure out what's going on
despite wanting to star in a Fowles picture, which was anything at all, after seeing
The Collector.
All in all, if nobody could understand the book for The Magus, then why proceed to make the movie?