The Magic Christian

Year:

1969

Duration:

92 min

Genres:

Comedy

IMDB rate:

6.2

Director:

Joseph McGrath

Details

Country: UK

Release Date: 1969-12-12

Filming Locations: Barnes, London, England, UK

Cast

Actor

Character

Michael Trubshawe

Peter Sellers

Sir Guy Grand

Ringo Starr

Youngman Grand

Isabel Jeans

Dame Agnes Grand

Caroline Blakiston

Hon. Esther Grand

Wilfrid Hyde-White

Captain Reginald K. Klaus (as Wilfrid Hyde White)

Richard Attenborough

Oxford Coach

Leonard Frey

Laurence Faggot

Laurence Harvey

Hamlet

Christopher Lee

Ship's Vampire

Spike Milligan

Traffic Warden 27

Roman Polanski

Solitary Drinker

Raquel Welch

Priestess of the Whip

Tom Boyle

My Man Jeff

Victor Maddern

Hot Dog Vendor

Terence Alexander

Mad Major

Peter Bayliss

Pompous Toff

Joan Benham

Socialite in Sotheby's

Patrick Cargill

Auctioneer at Sotheby's

John Cleese

Director in Sotheby's

Clive Dunn

Sommelier

Fred Emney

Fitzgibbon

Kenneth Fortescue

Snob in Sotheby's

Patrick Holt

Duke in Sotheby's

David Hutcheson

Lord Barry

Hattie Jacques

Ginger Horton

Jeremy Lloyd

Lord Hampton

David Lodge

Ship's Guide

Ferdy Mayne

Edouard

Dennis Price

Winthrop

Robert Raglan

Maltravers

Graham Stark

Waiter

Carmel Stratton

Rowing girl

Michael Aspel

Himself - TV Commentator (uncredited)

Michael Barratt

Himself - TV Commentator (uncredited)

Sean Barry-Weske

John Lennon Lookalike

Yul Brynner

Transvestite Cabaret Singer (uncredited)

Harry Carpenter

Himself - TV Commentator (uncredited)

Pauline Chamberlain

Spectator at Boxing Match (uncredited)

Graham Chapman

Oxford Crew (uncredited)

Kimberley Chung

Yoko Ono Lookalike

Jimmy Clitheroe

Passenger on Ship (uncredited)

George Cooper

Losing Boxer's Second (uncredited)

Roland Culver

Sir Herbert (uncredited)

W. Barrington Dalby

Himself - TV Commentator (uncredited)

Freddie Earlle

Sol (uncredited)

Maria Frost

Slave Girl (uncredited)

Gail Gilmore

Girl in Bar (uncredited)

Peter Graves

Lord at Ship's Bar (uncredited)

Roy Lansford

Theatregoer (uncredited)

James Laurenson

Oxford Crew (uncredited)

John Le Mesurier

Sir John (uncredited)

Rick Lester

Taxi driver (uncredited)

Guy Middleton

Duke of Mantisbriar (uncredited)

Peter Myers

Lord Kilgallon (uncredited)

Nosher Powell

Ike Jones (uncredited)

Roy Scammell

Bodybuilder (uncredited)

Birthe Sector

Slave Girl (uncredited)

Edward Sinclair

Park Attendant (uncredited)

John Snagge

Himself - TV Commentator (uncredited)

Leon Thau

Engine Room Toff (uncredited)

Frank Thornton

Police Inspector (uncredited)

Edward Underdown

Prince Henry (uncredited)

Rita Webb

Woman in Park (uncredited)

Alan Whicker

Himself - TV Commentator (uncredited)

Polly Williams

(uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

During the filming of scenes with the topless "slave" girls rowing the ship, the actors kept deliberately flubbing their lines just so they could watch the girls.

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Grand refers disparagingly to prospective "Magic Christian" passengers Simon and Deborah Devonshire as being "hardly Burke's"; a reference to "Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage", an authoritative genealogy guide to British blue-blood families.

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After watching rushes from the first day of filming, Peter Sellers leaped to his feet and said "Thank God we caught it in time!" He felt his performance was so bad that the film should be canceled. He was eventually persuaded to continue.

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Goofs

At Auchengillen Station, Guy Grand's car is blocked by a police car which pulls to a halt across its path. After a brief conversation, Grand's car drives off unimpeded. The Police Car has shifted to the side.

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Quotes

Hon. Esther Grand: [as all hell breaks loose, aboard the Magic Christian] Youngman, what IS going on?

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Sir Guy Grand KG, KC, CBE: [on being told a Rembrandt might fetch £10,000 at auction] In that case my final offer is thirty.

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Sir Guy Grand KG, KC, CBE: [Lawrence Harvey performs a strip tease while playing Hamlet] This chap's taking licence in my view?

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Faq

Q

What is antibellum?

A

The term "antebellum" frequently refers to the time before the American Civil War. More universally, "antebellum" refers to any time before war. The word summons up the idea of an idyllic time before all war. It is also a play on words, to be "anti-bellum" is to be against war. ("bellum" meaning war).

Q

Is "The Magic Christian" based on a book?

A

Yes. The Magic Christian is loosely based on the 1959 novel of the same name by American novelist Terry Southern [1924-1995].

Q

What is antiestablishmentarian?

A

The "Establishment," much railed against in the time of this picture contained for the participants in the counterculture three aspects: (1) that which had been in use and hadn't been working, (2) that which is known as the Dominant Culture, and (3) the C of E, or "The Church of [England/Scotland]." An antiestablishmentarian was a participant in the active protest of the Establishment as described above.

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