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RUNTIME
Did you know
Tight 72-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
The Mad Magician
"3D THRILL! Fuel for the human bonfire!"
1954 1h 12m EN
👍
6.9
SOLID
★6.9TMDB · 51
ThrillerCrimeMysteryHorror
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
Don Gallico is an inventor of stage magic effects who aspires to become a star in his own right. Just before his first performance his act is shut down by capricious manager Ross Ormond who wants Gallico's brilliant buzz saw effect for the act of The Great Rinaldi, an established star. With this defeat, and the humiliation of having already lost his wife Claire to Ormond, Gallico decides it is time to take matters into his own hands.
“3D THRILL! Fuel for the human bonfire!”
Where to watch · US
Cast
Vincent Price
Don Gallico
Mary Murphy
Karen Lee
Eva Gabor
Claire Gallico Ormond
John Emery
Rinaldi aka 'The Great Rinaldi'
Donald Randolph
Ross Ormond
Lenita Lane
Alice Prentiss
Patrick O'Neal
Lt. Alan Bruce
Jay Novello
Frank Prentiss
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- John Brahm
- Writers
- Crane Wilbur, Crane Wilbur
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
72 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by John Brahm, shot by Bert Glennon. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Arthur Lange. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Grant Whytock shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Vincent Price and Mary Murphy and Eva Gabor carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "3D THRILL! Fuel for the human bonfire!".
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt0047200 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
John Brahm directs. Bert Glennon behind the camera. Arthur Lange scores. Grant Whytock cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Tight 72-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
- 272 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
- 3Directed by John Brahm, shot by Bert Glennon. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 4Original score by Arthur Lange. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 5Editor Grant Whytock shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 6Vincent Price and Mary Murphy and Eva Gabor carry the top of the cast.
- 7Marketing tagline: "3D THRILL! Fuel for the human bonfire!".
- 8IMDB entry: tt0047200 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 9Only 51 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
- 10Classified under 21 themes, including "mask", "inventor", "crematorium", "illusion".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Bert Glennon
- Original score
- Arthur Lange
- Editing
- Grant Whytock
- Makeup / hair
- George Bau
- Runtime
- 72 min · 1h 12m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Original language
- EN
Also by
John Brahm
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Community reviews
What people are saying
- John Chard★ 6/10
Tails you win, heads you lose! The Mad Magician is directed by John Brahm and written by Crane Wilbur. It stars Vincent Price, Mary Murphy, Eva Gabor and Patrick O'Neal. Music is by Arthur Lange and Emil Newman and cinematography by Bert Glennon. Magician Don Gallico (Price) is incensed when his attempts at stardom is scuppered by a contract he signed, so much so he takes matters in to his own hands... One of the eras 3-D productions, The Mad Magician sees Columbia recycle Warner Brother's 1953 release of House of Wax. The familiarity of it all is impossible to shake off, with a key scene even stolen from one of director Brahm's more notable productions. Yet it's still a fun movie, watching Price turn in a good one, as he gradually gets more dastardly with each passing quarter, all set to Victorian style backgrounds. There's some ghoulishly enjoyable macabre moments, played straight but with tongue in cheek evident, and while the scenes shot for 3-D gain obviously lose impact, they hold well enough in 2-D for story enjoyment. Performances around Price are fine, the girls (including Murphy's outstanding legs) add colour to the otherwise weak plot, and although the absence of Brahm's skilled Gothic/noir touches is a blow, the look of the piece is suitably moody. More one for Brahm and Price completists, this is still enjoyable fare (it was a commercial hit upon release) that's worth tracking down. 6.5/10
Production companies
Who made it
Columbia Pictures
US
Key crew
- ProducerBryan Foy
- EditorGrant Whytock
- Makeup DesignerGeorge Bau
- SoundJohn K. Kean
- Assistant DirectorHal Herman
- Makeup DesignerGustaf Norin
- Visual EffectsBob Haskell
- Special EffectsDave Koehler
- Set DecorationHoward Bristol
- Art DirectionFrank Paul Sylos
- Wardrobe DesignerRobert Martien
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- mask
- inventor
- crematorium
- illusion
- contract
- murder
- black and white
- police detective
- fingerprint
- ex-wife
- circular saw
- bonfire
- landlady
- impersonation
- magic trick
- mystery writer
- illusionist
- crime fiction writer
- magician
- rival
- magician assistant
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical1954-05-19
Also known as
International titles
- Magier des SchreckensDE
- Der Wahnsinnige ZauberkünstlerDE
