Magic Sellers sells out

The first film to originate in a Terry Southern novel, Candy, was the story of innocence being continually duped and decieved; the second and later one, The Magic Christian, has the same theme, only this time from the opposite angle. Candy was always on the receiving end of deception, the hero of Magic Christian, Sir Guy Grand, is always the one who is doing the deceiving. Amazon Elastic Block Store

As well as causing chaos among the unsuspecting, Grand's actions also illustrate another theme— Every man has his price. In the elongated short story that is the written Magic Christian, a series of episodes are strung together to illustrate this time-honoured slogan. The same episosed, with additions, are the substance of the film; un­fortunately a story that can be read and appreciated in about an hour, suffers immeasurably by its ex­tension into a film of almost two.

The first mistake that the film makes is transferring the whole story to England. It seems hardly likely that Peter Sellers would be incapable of executing an equally excellent performance as an American tycoon as he does_as an English one. But the. change is made nevertheless and inevitably one feels an immediate alienation from the original story.

The format is essentially the same. A continual flow of visual anecdotes all of which feature Grand and his adopted, ex-beat son, Youngman. Grand as they spend vast sums in bribing worthy members of the public to prove Grand's philosophy by their own willingness to be bought.

The boat race is sabotaged; two championship boxers advance on each other, giggle, and fall en-coupled to the canvas; city-suited businessmen and housewives mingle