In The Mad Magician, a creator of illusions snaps when his chance at stardom is taken away …. By the same man who stole his wife! And then one murder leads to another, to cover up his tracks …
The Mad Magician (1954) starring Vincent Price, Mary Murphy, Eva Gabor
For years I’ve been inventing illusions for big-name magicians and watching them take all the bows. Well, I finally caught the fever myself. I’m like the playwright who wants to get in there and read his own lines. I guess I’m just a ham at heart.
Don Gallico, The Mad Magician
Review
I have to say, I enjoyed The Mad Magician for multiple reasons. Vincent Price is famous for portraying the tragic monster — and he does that very well here. He’s a brilliant designer of illusions, who’s finally pushed too far and snaps. Resulting in a murder that he never planned to commit. But, as part of the stage act he’s been developing, he’s created a method for making lifelike masks — and impersonates his victim. Then, another person tries to blackmail him, resulting in another murder. Neither of these are premeditated, and the audience sympathizes with the villain. To this point. But then, a police officer is investigating the disappearances … And the mad magician can’t even pretend to himself that this homicide is justified. Thankfully, he’s not successful.
The Mad Magician is an excellant movie, that I highly recommend.
Product Description
Legendary horror star Vincent Price is at his terrifying best as Gallico the Great, an inspired inventor of magic acts who longs to perform his creations himself. When he finally gets his chance, the production is closed by Gallico’s cruel manager, who wants a rival magician to perform Gallico’s greatest trick, The Lady and the Buzz Saw. An enraged Gallico turns into a homicidal maniac, taking out his victims with the same methods he used to create his illusions. Also starring Mary Murphy (The Wild One) and Eva Gabor (Gigi), THE MAD MAGICIAN is a thrill ride! Originally shown in theaters in 3D, the film is presented in widescreen 2D, with just as much horror, and suspense!! Newly remastered.
Cast of characters
- Vincent Price (The Last Man on Earth; The House on Haunted Hill (1958)) … Don Gallico / Gallico the Great. The brilliant maker of magical illusions, who finally wants to go on stage himself. But his partner, Ross, won’t hear of it. Anything Don designs becomes the property of Ross. To sell to other magicians. And when Ross taunts him once too often, Don snaps!
- Mary Murphy (The Wild One) … Karen Lee. Don’s assistant onstage in his aborted magic act. A nice young lady, model and actress. She’s been dating Alan as well.
- Eva Gabor (The Aristocats; The Rescuers) … Claire Ormond. Don’s ex-wife, who left him to marry the wealthy Ross. And, when Don is impersonating Ross, she sees through his disguise …
- John Emery (Here Comes Mr. Jordan) … The Great Rinaldi. One of Gallico the Great’s customers, and rivals. Who thinks he has Gallico under his thumb, threatening to accuse Don to the police for Ormond’s disappearance.
- Donald Randolph (The Deadly Mantis) … Ross Ormond. Don’s “partner”, who pushes him too far once too often.
- Lenita Lane (The Bat) … Alice Prentiss. When Don impersonates the murdered Ross, he takes a room with Alice & Frank, to make people think that Ross is still alive. Unfortunately for Don, she writes murder mystery novels …
- Patrick O’Neal (Chamber of Horrors (1966)) … Lt. Alan Bruce. Karen’s boyfriend, as well as the police detective assigned to the disappearances. And he’s using the then-new science of fingerprints to unravel the case …
- Jay Novello (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World) … Frank Prentiss. Alice’s husband. A somewhat mousy man, but he loves his wife.