An adaptation of a novel by Isaac Bashevis Singer, this is a nearly forgotten film despite a remarkable performance by Alan Arkin and outstanding direction by none other than action schlockmeister Menahem Golan. Arkin is a magician in Poland circa 1901 whose womanizing ways catch up with him in the most horrifying ways. The troubled (and troublesome) women in his life include Valerie Perrine, Shelley Winters, Maia Danziger, and Louise Fletcher. They're all exceptional, particularly Danziger as Arkin's tragic assistant. Maurice Jarre's music score is riveting and the cinematography by David Gurfinkel is excellent. The ending is quite shocking.
10 Reviews
No magic in this production.
rimjak16 August 2004
I am a Louise Fletcher fan and saw this film in that context. While I have not read Isaac Beshevis Singer's novel, I must say that this film lacks the dramatic punch one would expect from a Pulitzer Prize winner. Even with decent sets and costumes as well as a good cast, this story of a womanizing illusionist (Alan Arkin) lying his way through turn of the Century Poland is pretty underwhelming. Louise is top-notch, giving the film's most powerful dramatic performance, but it becomes lost in a film that never draws you in.
Valerie Perrine also has some solid scenes, while Shelly Winters overplays the part of Perrine's psycho mother to campy perfection. In the end however, the big climax comes off as more of an anti-climax, as by then you don't really care what happens. I gave it an IMDb '6', mostly for the acting turns by Fletcher, Perrine and Winters (whose climatic scene with Arkin must be seen to be believed).
Valerie Perrine also has some solid scenes, while Shelly Winters overplays the part of Perrine's psycho mother to campy perfection. In the end however, the big climax comes off as more of an anti-climax, as by then you don't really care what happens. I gave it an IMDb '6', mostly for the acting turns by Fletcher, Perrine and Winters (whose climatic scene with Arkin must be seen to be believed).
Woah, huh?
BandSAboutMovies23 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Based on the Isaac Bashevis Singer book The Magician of Lublin, this Menahem Golan-directed movie was co-written by Golan, Irving S. White and Sheldon Patinkin, who was a major force in Chicago theater, serving as a chair of the Theater Department of Columbia College Chicago, artistic director of the Getz Theater of Columbia College, artistic consultant of The Second City and of Steppenwolf Theatre and co-director of the Steppenwolf Theatre Summer Ensemble Workshops.
Yasha Mazur (Alan Arkin) is a con man and womanizer, but he's also a stage magician of some fame. While he's married to Esther (Linda Bernstein), but he never sees her. Instead, his life is on the road and filled with so many relationships with women, such as Zeftel (Valerie Perrine), his mentally deranged assistant Magda (Maia Danziger), the widow Emilia (Louise Fletcher) and her daughter Halina (Lisa Whelchel), a sick child who Yasa loves as if she were his own but will never be able to provide for.
Oh man - this all gets messy. Zeftel is leaving to work for a man who is really trying to sell her into human trafficking, so Yasha performs a smaller show and misses his big break and make enough money to be a success in Emilia's eyes. Magda kills herself and as Yasha tries to burglarize a rich count, he has a vision of death. Also: Lou Jacobi, Murray from Amazon Women On the Moon, plays Yasha's manager.
The magician comes home and lives in a tomb, giving advice to those who come to him. Emilia has become a rich kept woman for the rich man and begs for his forgiveness while Magda's family - Shelley Winters is her mother; she also worked with Golan in Diamonds, Over the Brooklyn Bridge, Déjà Vu and The Delta Force - comes and attempts to kill Yasha, but he has escaped and fulfilled his dream of flying away.
Isaac Bashevis, who wrote the original book, also saw his stories Yentl and Enemies, A Love Story made into movies in the 80s. Also, predating Stranger Things, Golan used "The Magician," a Kate Bush song that doesn't appear on any albums, as the theme for his film.
This is a magic-realist story that would probably have been a great film if made by someone like Ken Russell or Alejandro Jodorowski. I love Menahem, but this is perhaps a bit out of his scope, although the does throw a big cast at this.
Yasha Mazur (Alan Arkin) is a con man and womanizer, but he's also a stage magician of some fame. While he's married to Esther (Linda Bernstein), but he never sees her. Instead, his life is on the road and filled with so many relationships with women, such as Zeftel (Valerie Perrine), his mentally deranged assistant Magda (Maia Danziger), the widow Emilia (Louise Fletcher) and her daughter Halina (Lisa Whelchel), a sick child who Yasa loves as if she were his own but will never be able to provide for.
Oh man - this all gets messy. Zeftel is leaving to work for a man who is really trying to sell her into human trafficking, so Yasha performs a smaller show and misses his big break and make enough money to be a success in Emilia's eyes. Magda kills herself and as Yasha tries to burglarize a rich count, he has a vision of death. Also: Lou Jacobi, Murray from Amazon Women On the Moon, plays Yasha's manager.
The magician comes home and lives in a tomb, giving advice to those who come to him. Emilia has become a rich kept woman for the rich man and begs for his forgiveness while Magda's family - Shelley Winters is her mother; she also worked with Golan in Diamonds, Over the Brooklyn Bridge, Déjà Vu and The Delta Force - comes and attempts to kill Yasha, but he has escaped and fulfilled his dream of flying away.
Isaac Bashevis, who wrote the original book, also saw his stories Yentl and Enemies, A Love Story made into movies in the 80s. Also, predating Stranger Things, Golan used "The Magician," a Kate Bush song that doesn't appear on any albums, as the theme for his film.
This is a magic-realist story that would probably have been a great film if made by someone like Ken Russell or Alejandro Jodorowski. I love Menahem, but this is perhaps a bit out of his scope, although the does throw a big cast at this.
Theater version versus VHS version
joolieb3 January 2002
In 1978 the movie's company came to Munich to film a scene and asked the English-speaking American college students there (myself included)to be extras. The scene was filmed at a Munich opera house (and included Lisa Welchel and Louise Fletcher). We extras were the audience, angry when the Magician doesn't show. The following year I saw the finished product at a Denver movie theater and was excited to discover that one of my friends was in a couple of close-up shots. I was dismayed when, many years later, I got the movie on video and most of the original scene was edited out, including the close-ups of my friend. I am hopeful that when the movie is released on DVD it will include the entire movie, which, by the way, is suspenseful, esoteric and well done.
Dreadful and Boring
stalefishbreath22 August 2002
I saw this at the Toronto Festival in 1979. I can't believe the distributors have wasted good petrochemicals making copies of this film. I only give it a "3" because of the literary quality of the story it's based on, not because it has *any* redeeming qualities.
Mesmerizing performance Gothic settings moralistic ending
rjliff19 December 2004
saw this movie over 25years ago in a 2nd run house in South Florida. I have never forgotten Alan Arkins acting or the ending.
Following the path of a megalomaniac hypnotic womanizing magician through the lost worlds of 19th century Poland , the film gripped me and held me from the beginning.
Arkins work deserved greater distribution but those were the days when Golan and Globus were turning out .films at such a rapid clip that few got the attention they deserved.. See it and be entranced you are pulled toward the impending destruction or dissolution of this dark character .
Respectfully, R J Liff
Following the path of a megalomaniac hypnotic womanizing magician through the lost worlds of 19th century Poland , the film gripped me and held me from the beginning.
Arkins work deserved greater distribution but those were the days when Golan and Globus were turning out .films at such a rapid clip that few got the attention they deserved.. See it and be entranced you are pulled toward the impending destruction or dissolution of this dark character .
Respectfully, R J Liff
Intense, equally cinematic and literary
peter-108020 March 2005
Arkin spares nothing of himself in what I consider one of his finest roles. The story is both incredibly painful and liberating (the Bladerunner writer must have read this story by Singer). This movie is not for the emotionally faint of heart, but it is so incredibly honest there are great rewards. For those studying translating literature to film, I would suggest this (as well as the Bill Murray version of The Razor's Edge) as worthy case studies. Also, for a period piece, The Magician of Lublin exposes an interesting time in Europe, both for the sexual mores of the time and the existent seeds of anti-Semitism that served as a precursor to the Twentieth Century.
Overlooked Masterpiece
drdancm-27 May 2005
There are a number of excellent movies that get undeserved average ratings because the number of voters are small and a few people who lack sensitivity just don't get it and give a superb movie like this an abysmal rating.
First of all, having read the book by Isaac Bashevis Singer, this movie has succeeded, in my opinion, in capturing the essence of the book. This is a rare achievement, most movies fail to do justice to the books they are based on. This is not to say that the film has not had to make changes to the story, but that this movie has successfully translated the story into the cinematic realm.
The movie has at least one scene that is even more powerful than the way it is depicted in the book. I don't think I'll ever forget the emotional impact this scene made on me (I don't want to spoil it for anyone who has not yet seen this movie).
Second, this is such a great movie that it stands on its own. You need not have read the book beforehand. I saw the movie before I read the book and I firmly believe both are masterful. It is one of the finest movies I have been lucky enough to have seen in a movie theater (I just hope that the DVD version has not been cut too much).
Finally as some other reviewers have pointed out, Alan Arkin and all of the entire cast have done a superb job in bringing their roles to life. The directing, costumes, music, are all realized with masterful skill and elegance.
Forget about the philistine reviews and see this hard to find movie -chances are you will not be sorry.
First of all, having read the book by Isaac Bashevis Singer, this movie has succeeded, in my opinion, in capturing the essence of the book. This is a rare achievement, most movies fail to do justice to the books they are based on. This is not to say that the film has not had to make changes to the story, but that this movie has successfully translated the story into the cinematic realm.
The movie has at least one scene that is even more powerful than the way it is depicted in the book. I don't think I'll ever forget the emotional impact this scene made on me (I don't want to spoil it for anyone who has not yet seen this movie).
Second, this is such a great movie that it stands on its own. You need not have read the book beforehand. I saw the movie before I read the book and I firmly believe both are masterful. It is one of the finest movies I have been lucky enough to have seen in a movie theater (I just hope that the DVD version has not been cut too much).
Finally as some other reviewers have pointed out, Alan Arkin and all of the entire cast have done a superb job in bringing their roles to life. The directing, costumes, music, are all realized with masterful skill and elegance.
Forget about the philistine reviews and see this hard to find movie -chances are you will not be sorry.
Underrated
msstrong27 September 2009
My one and only viewing of this masterpiece was at a art-house theater in Royal Oak Mi. in 1979 and to this day I can tell you the beginning , middle and end. What does that tell you ?. This movie is a work of art as no other. Alan Arkin was truly magnificent. This movie should of gained a few awards and to be honest I'm not sure if it did or didn't. At least give credit where credit is do. The Magician Of Lubin is by all means is in a category of classics that were overlooked. I would love if Hollywood made more types of films like this and The Search with Montgomery Cliff. If any body has any information on the release of this title on DVD, Please post reply.
A classic that time forgot
MissSimonetta5 January 2020
It amazes me how many great films fall between the cracks due to distribution problems and the march of time. Why do sentimental tosh and Oscar-baity biopics get all the home video releases and adoration, while masterful, haunting work like THE MAGICIAN OF LUBLIN is doomed to obscurity. I had to watch this from a VHS rip when it deserves the Criterion treatment.
I have no words, really-- this movie has left me stunned. Yasha the magician is one of the most complicated movie heroes, so much he makes the likes of Travis Bickle seem simplistic. An alien no matter where he goes, either among his fellow Jews or among the Gentiles who alternately marvel at his magic yet scorn him for his cultural identity and acting profession; a seducer who will love a woman one minute, then treat her like dirt the next; a spiritual seeker both hungry for and angry at a God he is not sure he believes in. His arc is harrowing, astounding-- his ultimate fate left me in such a state of catharsis, such as I rarely ever feel with any work of art.
The camerawork is subdued without being staid, the music perfectly fits the turn of the century setting. And all the actors do amazing work, especially Alan Arkin as Yasha (this may be one of his best performances ever-- it's certainly the meatiest of his roles that I've seen to date) and Louise Fletcher as the lonely widowed aristocrat most vulnerable to Yasha's advances.
A movie of this calibur deserves a restoration and wide release, but unfortunately, you can only find fuzzy, faded copies online. Better than not being able to see it at all, of course, but it is infuriating that all the superhero fast food cinema will see crystal clear home releases, and a movie like this, which breaks your heart and makes you wonder, must make do with a limited audience and inferior image quality.
I have no words, really-- this movie has left me stunned. Yasha the magician is one of the most complicated movie heroes, so much he makes the likes of Travis Bickle seem simplistic. An alien no matter where he goes, either among his fellow Jews or among the Gentiles who alternately marvel at his magic yet scorn him for his cultural identity and acting profession; a seducer who will love a woman one minute, then treat her like dirt the next; a spiritual seeker both hungry for and angry at a God he is not sure he believes in. His arc is harrowing, astounding-- his ultimate fate left me in such a state of catharsis, such as I rarely ever feel with any work of art.
The camerawork is subdued without being staid, the music perfectly fits the turn of the century setting. And all the actors do amazing work, especially Alan Arkin as Yasha (this may be one of his best performances ever-- it's certainly the meatiest of his roles that I've seen to date) and Louise Fletcher as the lonely widowed aristocrat most vulnerable to Yasha's advances.
A movie of this calibur deserves a restoration and wide release, but unfortunately, you can only find fuzzy, faded copies online. Better than not being able to see it at all, of course, but it is infuriating that all the superhero fast food cinema will see crystal clear home releases, and a movie like this, which breaks your heart and makes you wonder, must make do with a limited audience and inferior image quality.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
