Ratoff's and Welles' Black Magic (1949) is a great film, in the storytelling tradition of Cinematic Art. It spins what seems like an incredible yarn, but a well thought out screenplay, great acting by Orson Welles in the lead role, and very good direction makes the story believable enough that the film captivated my imagination, and fully engaged me throughout the whole film. By the way, my cynicism about the improbability of this tale was quelled when I read the Wiki article about the real Caglioostro. Although the story in this film deviates significantly from Cagliostro's biography, the real man was even MORE outrageous than the character that Welles portrays in this film.
Review of Black Magic
