Magic in the Moonlight (2014)

Directed by Woody Allen
Produced by Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum, Helen Robin
Written by Woody Allen
Starring: Colin Firth, Emma Stone, Hamish Linklater, Marcia Gay Harden, Jacki Weaver, Erica Leerhsen, Eileen Atkins, Simon McBurney
Cinematography: Darius Khondji
Production company: Perdido Productions
Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics
Release date: 31 July 2014 (Israel)
Running time: 97 minutes
Country: United States, United Kingdom, France
Budget: $16.800.000
Box office: $32.300.000

"Magic in the Moonlight" is a romantic comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen. The story is about a famous illusionist, Stanley Crawford, performs in front of a crowd in Berlin with his world-class magic act. After the show, he is greeted by old friend and fellow illusionist Howard Burkan. Howard enlists Stanley to go with him to the Côte d'Azur where a rich American family, the Catledges, has apparently been taken in by a clairvoyant and mystic, Sophie. Therefore he would like the illusionist to help him prove she is a fraud. Or not?

Cast

• Colin Firth as Stanley Crawford
• Emma Stone as Sophie Baker
• Hamish Linklater as Brice
• Marcia Gay Harden as Mrs. Baker
• Jacki Weaver as Grace
• Erica Leerhsen as Caroline
• Eileen Atkins as Aunt Vanessa
• Simon McBurney as Howard Burkan
• Lionel Abelanski as the Doctor

The only film directed by Woody Allen in 2014. And what kind of? I love the style of this director: his films are light and pithy, meaty. And "Magic in the Moonlight" isn't an exception. Beautiful views of France, the magic atmosphere and a good acting makes the film perfect to relax and think.

Colin Firth as Stanley Crawford performed really well, in my opinion. He took part of an eccentric and opinionated man who doesn't believe in any magic, despite the fact that he's an illusionist. He denies feelings and anything supernatural. A man with reason - so and in no other way. But Stanley has to reconsider his outlook when he meets Sophie Baker. Sophie Baker, performed by Emma Stone, whose acting didn't please me. It turned out a little assumed but maybe it was necessary? Sophie is a pretty light-minded girl with extrasensory perception. She can talk to ghosts and learn a past of everyone. Is she a liar or not? Stanley must get known it. However, he even doesn't guess that this girl will change him.

Advantages

• Colin Firth as Stanley Crawford
• Emma Stone as Sophie Baker
• Woody Allen

Disadvantages

• Just an other film from Woody Allen but it's perfect for a boring evening

"Strangenesses"

• Isn't Stanley too old for Sophie?

Clue Moments

• Rain
• A spiritualistic seance

Sense or sensibility? That's the eternal question. At first sight, the answer is evident. Sense is the most important thing that people must have. It helps to reasonably take the world, make decisions, avoid errors and do many other things. However, it doesn't assist to live. To survive and exist - of course, but not to live. Life becomes bright and colourful only due to feelings and emotions. Gladness, sadness, fear, wonder... Not all of them are positive but is it a problem? Emotions and feelings show us that we are alive and makes us feel and enjoy. Or suffer. Here we go: emotions are our own choice, knowingly or unknowingly, and we can control them. From this it follows that the answer: the happy medium which is individual for each person. This way one folly won't kill if you think it over. You see what am I driving at?

Soundtracks

1. Al Bowlly - Remember Me
2. Bix Beiderbecke - Big Boy
3. Bix Beiderbecke - Thou Swell
4. Bix Beiderbecke and His Gang - At The Jazz Band Ball
5. Bix Beiderbecke and His Gang - Sorry
6. California Ramblers - Sweet Georgia Brown
7. Edmond Hall, Sidney de Paris, Wilbur De Paris - The Sheik of Araby
8. Harry James, Dick Haymes - I'll Get By (As Long As I Have You)
9. Judy Garland, David Rose - I'm Always Chasing Rainbows
10. Leo Reisman - You Do Something To Me
11. London Festival Orchestra, Rene Leibowitz - Igor Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring, Part I
12. Lotte Lenya - Mack the Knife (Moritat)
13. Nat Shilkret - Dancing With Tears in My Eyes
14. Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra - Charleston
15. Ray Ellington - Who
16. Richard Rodgers - Thou Swell
17. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Bolero
18. Ruth Etting - It All Depends On You
19. Smith Ballew and His Piping Rock Orchestra - You Call It Madness
20. The Firehouse Five Plus Two - Chinatown, My Chinatown
21. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Rene Leibowitz - Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125 Corale, II. Molto vivace
22. Ute Lemper - It's All a Swindle

Quotations

* * *

Howard Burkan: Stanley, you are still the best in the world… I need your help.
Stanley Crawford: The plot thickens.
Howard Burkan: The Catledge family are socialites in the South of France. There's a woman who has them believing she's a spirit medium. You are the greatest debunker of fake spiritualists.
Stanley Crawford: She won't fool me.

* * *

Sophie Baker: My mental impressions are cloudy.
Stanley Crawford: Are they cumulus clouds or cirrus?
Sophie Baker: You're making fun of me.

* * *

Stanley Crawford: The more I watch her, the more I'm stunned. Could she be real? I'm beginning to question my own common sense.
Aunt Vanessa: You've always been so certain about the world and I've always tried to teach you that we don't know.

* * *

Stanley Crawford: I'm overwhelmed, Sophie. I never thought you could be this beautiful… I believe that the dull reality of life is all there is but you are proof that there's more, more mystery, more magic.

* * *

Brice Catledge: Sophie looked into my eyes and told me things about me she could have never have known.
Stanley Crawford: So, she's very pleasant to look at.
Brice Catledge: She's a visionary and a vision.

* * *

Stanley Crawford: You are a very clever little humbug.
Sophie Baker: You think you'll trick me into showing you how I deceive people.

* * *

You may see the trailer here.

Plot: 7/10

Entertainment: 8/10

Acting: 7/10

Originality: 7/10

Music and Sound: 8/10

7/10