THE MAGICIAN

Bergman made this period piece around the same time as those masterpieces "The Seventh Seal" and "Wild Strawberries". This may be a lesser film but it hardly deserved to disappear in the way that it did and it’s negative critical reputation is certainly unjustified. The theme is the battle between reason and superstition or what may be magic or between science and religion and it is a fine, powerful piece of work superbly played by the director’s stock company and luminously photographed by Gunnar Fischer. The tone, too, is lighter than many later Bergman films given the darkness of the material. (Bergman called it a comedy but there are many elements you would find in a horror film). A lesser work then but only by the narrowest of margins and certainly not to be missed.