dlee2012 This 1958 Bergman film is often overlooked, sandwiched as it is between Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries on one side and the Faith Trilogy on the other. Nevertheless, it still offers many profound moments and remains a complex tale about masks and illusions.The film can be read as Bergman, the master illusionist, destroying the critics who set out to humiliate him. The fact that the magician has no apparent voice of his own but lets his act speak for him is a reflection of the director's role, quietly manipulating the audience from behind the scenes through his art.The traveling group of entertainers representing the restless, roaming life of the artist is a common motif through much of Bergman's middle-period work including Sawdust and Tinsel and the Seventh Seal. These characters are depicted as never at home in society, nor appreciated by it. Invariably they represent low-culture forms of entertainment from circuses and medieval troupes to, in this case, a magic and animal magnetism/hypnotism show. Perhaps there was still a feeling at this time that cinema could not be one of the high arts? This is ironic as Bergman was, of course, doing so much to legitimise cinema as a serious art form with each film he produced at this time.Masks and layers of truth are symbolic throughout the film. The magician lives his role and is only exposed at the end, after he has broken through his critics' own masks and truly scared them for one fleeting moment.Likewise, hands are symbolic throughout this piece. As an apparent mute, the magician expresses his thoughts through his hand gestures and it is a disembodied hand at the end that he uses as part of his tricks.The ending, however is truly subversive. Whilst the audience are encouraged to identify with the magician has he outwits the cynical and mocking critics, once his masks are stripped away, he is shown to be, indeed, just another vagabond entertainer who grovels for some money, whilst the critic, humiliated moments before, re-assumes his own mask. Rejected by the woman who loved the illusion and not the man behind it he seems on the verge of another defeat. Once the audience is tempted to conclude that perhaps the critics were right after all, Bergman follows with a feint of his own: the magician has found royal favour and is off to perform at court. Whilst the petty officials have rejected him, he is about to be received by the highest office in the land.In terms of social strata, he has moved from a station well-below the officials to a privileged audience with the king that they themselves have probably never had. The artist has triumphed over his critics.

Hitchcoc I'm slowly making my way through the Bergman canon (thank you Netflix) and am having a ball. I saw this film about forty years ago and forgot how captivating it is. Things are not as they seem anywhere in this movie. People die and come back to life, some can speak and then they can't. It has great villains and an incredible cast. Of course, it's the story of a group of traveling showmen who arrive at the home of some wealthy people. They are seen as an inferior class and are forced to grovel before they can earn their livings. They participate in byplay with those who have come to see them (some from the local village), including he servants. There is sexual activity and a lot of manipulation. When the actual magic show begins, we are in on some of the tricks, but others are unexplainable. These people seem able to act on the minds of the characters and get them to expose their dirty secrets. But, as we see, there are other forms of magic, not just the dark kind. Watch this a couple of times. You won't be disappointed.

Spikeopath Vogler's Magnetic Health Theater rolls into town and is promptly summoned for a meet with the town big wigs. Hoping to expose all involved in the theatre as charlatans, the disbelievers request a personal show before allowing the show to go public. With very interesting results.There is a belief amongst many Ingmar Begman fans that Ansiktet (The Magician) is far too accessible a piece to be considered one of his greatest pieces. And whilst it does find Bergman more easy to understand for the casual viewer, it's however still complex enough to thrill and niggle the mind in equal measure. Taking two factors that he very much adored, masks and magic, Bergman threads them off into various directions, and in the process testing us the audience as to just what to expect from the story. The mysterious wonder of it all is naturally aided by Bergman's use of light and shadowy trickery, symbols loom heavy without dampening the theme on offer, with nothing of course actually quite being as it seems.As is normally the case under the master director, the cast are uniformally strong. With Gunnar Bjornstrand and Ingrid Thulin particularly standing out. But really this is all about tricks and ideas relating to magic and its blending in with reality. So much so that with the end comes an awakening that we the audience are indeed props in one of Bergman's shows, and that can never be a bad or even an accessible thing.A fascinating picture from a very fascinating director. 8/10

sol- An appropriately mysterious Gothic tale with fascinating characters, who may or may not actually possess certain powers, the material is envisioned well by Ingmar Bergman, with careful attention to lighting design, and the acting is superb. Max Von Sydow is given the most intriguing part to play, and he pulls it off well, but Ingrid Thulin and Naima Wifstrand both deserve mentions for breathing life into their fey characters too. The film is about illusions ultimately, and those who are too critical to suspend their disbelief. It is a bit hard though interpreting exactly what Bergman intended by some of the oddities that he has placed in, such as dispersing poison to a young man. Are these attempts to add humour to the tale? Even with these odd inclusions and rushed ending that is a let down, it is quite a satisfying film overall. The music is great, the acting is excellent, and the interesting characters help make this film one of Bergman's most intriguing pieces.