This is an unusual blend of courtly intrigue, romance, supernatural thriller, and swashbuckler, from United Artists and director Gregory Ratoff. Orson Welles stars as Joseph Balsamo, a gypsy magician who is gifted with true powers of hypnotism due to a traumatic childhood incident. He renames himself Cagliostro and attempts to gain entry into the upper echelon of 18th century Parisian society, but when he is rejected, he decides to take by trickery what was not given freely. Also featuring Raymond Burr.
I'm not a worshiper at the altar of Welles, nor a detractor. I think he was a gifted man who squandered much of his talents, and had perhaps too much hubris to achieve what he wanted in his chosen art form. I like many of the films he's associated with, but have disliked just as many. This movie reminded me a bit of his later work, inspired in places, threadbare in others, and often giving the appearance of being awkwardly stitched together. He wasn't the director, although he's rumored to have directed scenes, and the film was produced in the traditional manner, and not in the start-and-stop way of later films that kept losing funding.
The sets and locations are good, although they occasionally clash, as one camera angle shows an impressive real courtyard with dozens of extras, while the next angle reveals the performers against an obviously painted backdrop. Instead of ruining the atmosphere, it instead imbues the proceedings with a slight dreamlike quality. I thought Welles did a fantastic acting job, never less than believable, and Nancy Guild isn't bad in a dual role. Valentina Cortese and Akim Tamiroff provide nice support.
