In his later years Somerset Maugham seemed not to remember much of his novel 'The Magician', written seven years before his breakthrough work 'Of Human Bondage'. He did however recall his painstaking background research into the Black Arts and incurring the wrath of famed occultist Aleister Crowley who believed himself to be the inspiration for the evil Oliver Haddo.
Loosely adapted by Rex Ingram it has here been given the Gothic horror/mad scientist treatment in which Haddo intends extracting the blood of a virgin so as to gain the elixir of life. Although limited as an actor there was no one whose persona was more suited to Ingram's concept than the charismatic Paul Wegener whose very presence exudes menace.
The excellent cast includes Ingram's wife Alice Terry as Haddo's intended victim whilst Iván Petrovich and Firmin Gémier combine to thwart his devilish scheme.
As one would expect from Mr. Ingram the film has grand design and is pictorially impressive. Although the more gruesome elements of Maugham's original have been omitted the ending is far more sensationalist than that of the novel and by all accounts the effective Sabbat sequence was directed by someone else. This has been confirmed by Michael Powell who doubled up as assistant director and as 'man with the balloon' (both uncredited)
Powell was of course to acknowledge the influence of Ingram on his own work whilst David Lean and close friend Erich von Stroheim were also great admirers. His influence on the films of James Whale is there for all to see.
It is such a pity that his rift with Louis B. Mayer caused this imaginative and artistic director to quit Hollywood and to make just one film with sound in Morocco before retiring.
Loosely adapted by Rex Ingram it has here been given the Gothic horror/mad scientist treatment in which Haddo intends extracting the blood of a virgin so as to gain the elixir of life. Although limited as an actor there was no one whose persona was more suited to Ingram's concept than the charismatic Paul Wegener whose very presence exudes menace.
The excellent cast includes Ingram's wife Alice Terry as Haddo's intended victim whilst Iván Petrovich and Firmin Gémier combine to thwart his devilish scheme.
As one would expect from Mr. Ingram the film has grand design and is pictorially impressive. Although the more gruesome elements of Maugham's original have been omitted the ending is far more sensationalist than that of the novel and by all accounts the effective Sabbat sequence was directed by someone else. This has been confirmed by Michael Powell who doubled up as assistant director and as 'man with the balloon' (both uncredited)
Powell was of course to acknowledge the influence of Ingram on his own work whilst David Lean and close friend Erich von Stroheim were also great admirers. His influence on the films of James Whale is there for all to see.
It is such a pity that his rift with Louis B. Mayer caused this imaginative and artistic director to quit Hollywood and to make just one film with sound in Morocco before retiring.