Watch BLACK MAGIC Orson Welles

Black Magic is a 1949 film directed by and starring Orson Welles. The black and white movie is a historical drama about the infamous 18th century Italian charlatan and fraud artist, Count Cagliostro. The movie is set in Rome, where Count Cagliostro (Welles) is known as a masterful magician and sorcerer who claims to be capable of extending human life, transmuting lead into gold, controlling people's minds and who is also a skilled sword fighter, healer and lover.

When Cagliostro visits a nobleman's party hosted by Baron de Launay (Stephen Bekassy), the Count falls in love with the Baron's wife, Lorenza (Nancy Guild). Cagliostro is intrigued by Lorenza's striking resemblance to his long lost love, a Venetian courtesan, who betrayed him.

Cagliostro seduces Lorenza and manipulates her into stealing some sacred water from the Vatican, which he plans to use in a ritual to prolong his life. However, Cagliostro's true motives are revealed when he is arrested and brought to trial under charges of heresy and treason.

The film portrays Cagliostro as a complex and multifaceted character, part genius, part deceiver, part victim of circumstance. Although he does use tricks and illusions to fool people, the audience is never sure whether he truly believes in his own powers or if he is simply playing a role.

Welles delivers a bravura performance as Cagliostro, outlandish, charismatic and larger than life, commanding the screen with his deep, melodious voice and commanding presence. Guild is equally mesmerizing as Lorenza, a hypnotic beauty who is torn between her own desires and her loyalty to her husband.

The film's mood is enhanced by the striking sets and atmospheric cinematography, which capture the decadent beauty and the harsh realities of 18th century Rome, from the opulent ballrooms and the sinister dungeons to the busy marketplace and the streets lit by flickering torches.

The script, written by Welles and Charles Bennett, is based on a true story and is peppered with historical details and colorful characters, from the duplicitous Papal Inquisitor (Gregory Gaye) to the naive young painter (Raymond Burr) who becomes Cagliostro's unwitting accomplice.

Black Magic is not a conventional historical drama, as it blurs the lines between reality and fantasy, science and magic, reason and faith, and raises questions about the nature of power, knowledge and morality. However, it is also a sumptuous and entertaining film, full of spectacle and intrigue, that showcases Welles' skills as a director, writer and actor.

In summary, Black Magic is a fascinating and stylish film that recreates the romantic and dangerous world of 18th century Rome, through the eyes of one of its most notorious and enigmatic figures, Count Cagliostro, played with panache by Orson Welles. Whether you are a fan of historical dramas, magic shows or Welles' oeuvre, Black Magic is a film that will cast a spell on you.