Magic
A ventriloquist is at the mercy of his vicious dummy while he tries to renew a romance with his high school sweetheart.
Despite its small-scale budget of $7.0M, Magic became a solid performer, earning $23.8M worldwide—a 240% return. The film's unconventional structure found its audience, confirming that strong storytelling can transcend budget limitations.
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award2 wins & 5 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Magic (1978) reveals carefully calibrated narrative architecture, characteristic of Richard Attenborough's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 47 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.0, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Corky Withers
Fats
Peggy Ann Snow
Ben Greene
Duke
Main Cast & Characters
Corky Withers
Played by Anthony Hopkins
An insecure ventriloquist whose dummy Fats increasingly dominates his personality and actions.
Fats
Played by Anthony Hopkins
Corky's ventriloquist dummy who represents his repressed aggression, sexuality, and violent impulses.
Peggy Ann Snow
Played by Ann-Margret
Corky's high school crush, now unhappily married, who rekindles their romance.
Ben Greene
Played by Burgess Meredith
Corky's agent who pushes for his client's success but grows concerned about his mental state.
Duke
Played by Ed Lauter
Peggy's abusive husband who becomes suspicious of her relationship with Corky.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Corky bombs at the magic club, frozen and unable to perform. His status quo is failure and social anxiety.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when One year later: Corky is now a huge success with Fats the dummy as his partner. The disruption happened off-screen - he found his "solution" to anxiety.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 26 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to Corky actively chooses to flee to the Catskills rather than face the medical exam that would expose his mental illness. He crosses into hiding and isolation., moving from reaction to action.
At 54 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat False defeat: Fats refuses to stop talking, demonstrating complete control. Corky realizes he cannot control the dummy - his fragmented psyche has become autonomous and dangerous., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 80 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Corky murders Duke with an oar. His last connection to normalcy dies. The "whiff of death" - both literal murder and the death of any hope for redemption or normal life., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 86 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Corky realizes he cannot escape Fats or live with what he's done. The synthesis: acceptance that he and Fats are one, and that this can only end one way - death., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Magic's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping Magic against these established plot points, we can identify how Richard Attenborough utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Magic within the drama genre.
Richard Attenborough's Structural Approach
Among the 8 Richard Attenborough films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.0, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Magic represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Richard Attenborough filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include After Thomas, South Pacific and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. For more Richard Attenborough analyses, see Gandhi, In Love and War and Cry Freedom.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Corky bombs at the magic club, frozen and unable to perform. His status quo is failure and social anxiety.
Theme
Posthorn (Corky's agent): "You've got to believe in yourself." The theme of identity and self-acceptance emerges - but Corky will believe in Fats instead.
Worldbuilding
Establishing Corky's world as a failed magician in New York, his relationship with agent Posthorn, and the entertainment industry that demands more than he can give alone.
Disruption
One year later: Corky is now a huge success with Fats the dummy as his partner. The disruption happened off-screen - he found his "solution" to anxiety.
Resistance
Posthorn wants Corky to do a network TV deal requiring a physical, but Corky resists and debates. His dependency on Fats (his fractured psyche) becomes apparent.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Corky actively chooses to flee to the Catskills rather than face the medical exam that would expose his mental illness. He crosses into hiding and isolation.
Mirror World
Corky reconnects with Peggy Ann Snow, his high school crush, now unhappily married. She represents the authentic life and love Corky abandoned - the Mirror World of normalcy.
Premise
The "fun and games" of Corky pursuing romance with Peggy while maintaining his double life. Tension builds between Corky's desire for connection and Fats' jealous resistance.
Midpoint
False defeat: Fats refuses to stop talking, demonstrating complete control. Corky realizes he cannot control the dummy - his fragmented psyche has become autonomous and dangerous.
Opposition
Fats demands escalating violence. Posthorn arrives and discovers the truth. Corky (via Fats) murders him. Peggy's husband Duke becomes suspicious. The walls close in.
Collapse
Corky murders Duke with an oar. His last connection to normalcy dies. The "whiff of death" - both literal murder and the death of any hope for redemption or normal life.
Crisis
Corky spirals in despair and guilt. Peggy discovers the truth about his mental state. His dark night of the soul as he confronts what he's become and lost.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Corky realizes he cannot escape Fats or live with what he's done. The synthesis: acceptance that he and Fats are one, and that this can only end one way - death.
Synthesis
Corky sends Peggy away to protect her, then enacts his final solution. He destroys Fats (symbolically destroying himself) and commits suicide, achieving the only escape possible.
Transformation
Corky dies. Peggy finds him. The transformation is tragic: from a man hiding from himself to a man who faced himself and couldn't survive the truth. Fats silent at last.