Magic in the Moonlight
Set in the 1920s French Riviera, a master magician is commissioned to try and expose a psychic as a fraud.
Despite a mid-range budget of $16.8M, Magic in the Moonlight became a solid performer, earning $51.0M worldwide—a 204% return.
1 win & 1 nomination
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 in the Moonlight (2014) reveals meticulously timed story structure, characteristic of Woody Allen's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 38 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.6, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Stanley Crawford
Sophie Baker
Howard Burkan
Olivia
Aunt Vanessa
Grace Catledge
Brice Catledge
Main Cast & Characters
Stanley Crawford
Played by Colin Firth
A cynical stage magician who debunks spiritualists and mediums in 1920s France, forced to confront his rational worldview when he meets Sophie.
Sophie Baker
Played by Emma Stone
A charming young American woman claiming psychic abilities, whose authenticity challenges Stanley's skepticism and awakens his capacity for wonder.
Howard Burkan
Played by Simon McBurney
Stanley's longtime friend and fellow magician who invites him to the French Riviera to expose Sophie as a fraud.
Olivia
Played by Catherine McCormack
Stanley's fiancée, a proper and sensible woman who represents his rational, structured life.
Aunt Vanessa
Played by Eileen Atkins
A wealthy believer in spiritualism who hosts Sophie and becomes enchanted by her apparent psychic gifts.
Grace Catledge
Played by Marcia Gay Harden
Sophie's mother and assistant, who helps promote her daughter's psychic abilities to wealthy patrons.
Brice Catledge
Played by Hamish Linklater
Aunt Vanessa's son, a pleasant young man who becomes romantically interested in Sophie.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Stanley Crawford performs as Wei Ling Soo, a masterful stage magician in 1920s Berlin, demonstrating his world of rational control and deception where everything has a logical explanation.. Of particular interest, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Stanley agrees to travel to the Catledge estate to expose Sophie, setting the investigation in motion and disrupting his comfortable world of certainty.. 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 25 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 26% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to During an elaborate séance, Sophie demonstrates seemingly impossible knowledge and abilities. Stanley is deeply shaken, unable to explain what he witnessed, crossing into a world where his rational certainty is challenged., moving from reaction to action.
At 49 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat Stanley realizes he has fallen in love with Sophie. In a vulnerable moment, he confesses his feelings and his shaken worldview, representing a false victory where emotion seems to triumph over reason., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 74 minutes (76% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Stanley discovers the truth: Sophie is a fraud, working with her mother in an elaborate con. His belief in magic dies, but so does his romantic hope. Everything he allowed himself to feel was based on deception., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 79 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 81% of the runtime. Stanley realizes that even though Sophie deceived him about her powers, his feelings for her were real. He understands that magic exists not in tricks but in human connection, love, and wonder at life itself., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Magic in the Moonlight'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 in the Moonlight against these established plot points, we can identify how Woody Allen utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Magic in the Moonlight within the comedy genre.
Woody Allen's Structural Approach
Among the 42 Woody Allen films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.0, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Magic in the Moonlight takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Woody Allen filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Bad Guys, Ella Enchanted and The Evening Star. For more Woody Allen analyses, see Everyone Says I Love You, Celebrity and Interiors.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Stanley Crawford performs as Wei Ling Soo, a masterful stage magician in 1920s Berlin, demonstrating his world of rational control and deception where everything has a logical explanation.
Theme
Howard Burkan suggests that life isn't always about logic and reason, hinting at the central question: can magic and wonder exist in a rational world?
Worldbuilding
Stanley is established as a supreme rationalist and professional debunker who takes pride in exposing frauds. His friend Howard enlists him to expose Sophie Baker, a young American spiritualist charming the wealthy Catledge family on the French Riviera.
Disruption
Stanley agrees to travel to the Catledge estate to expose Sophie, setting the investigation in motion and disrupting his comfortable world of certainty.
Resistance
Stanley arrives at the Catledge estate and meets Sophie and her mother. He observes her séances and demonstrations, initially confident he'll quickly expose her tricks, but finds himself unable to immediately identify her methods.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
During an elaborate séance, Sophie demonstrates seemingly impossible knowledge and abilities. Stanley is deeply shaken, unable to explain what he witnessed, crossing into a world where his rational certainty is challenged.
Mirror World
Stanley spends time with Sophie in the gardens and observatory, beginning a relationship that will challenge his worldview. She represents wonder, intuition, and openness versus his rigid rationalism.
Premise
Stanley investigates Sophie while growing closer to her. He experiences moments that challenge his beliefs: unexplained coincidences, Sophie's accurate insights, and his own growing feelings. The promise of the premise plays out as rationalism battles romanticism.
Midpoint
Stanley realizes he has fallen in love with Sophie. In a vulnerable moment, he confesses his feelings and his shaken worldview, representing a false victory where emotion seems to triumph over reason.
Opposition
Stanley's rational mind fights back against his emotions. He intensifies his investigation while Sophie becomes engaged to Brice Catledge. Stanley struggles between his feelings, his pride, and his need for logical truth.
Collapse
Stanley discovers the truth: Sophie is a fraud, working with her mother in an elaborate con. His belief in magic dies, but so does his romantic hope. Everything he allowed himself to feel was based on deception.
Crisis
Stanley confronts Sophie and her mother, feeling betrayed and foolish. He processes the loss of both his brief belief in the impossible and his romantic feelings, returning to bitter cynicism.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Stanley realizes that even though Sophie deceived him about her powers, his feelings for her were real. He understands that magic exists not in tricks but in human connection, love, and wonder at life itself.
Synthesis
Stanley pursues Sophie, who has left in shame. He confesses that she taught him something more important than exposing frauds: that life contains real magic in emotion and human connection. He proposes, synthesizing reason with wonder.
Transformation
Stanley and Sophie walk together, him transformed from rigid rationalist to someone who embraces both reason and romance, finding magic in love rather than tricks.