Magic in the Moonlight

In 1928, an illusionist, Wei Ling Soo, performs in front of a crowd in Berlin with his world-class magic act. Soo is actually a British man named Stanley, who wears a disguise in his act. In his dressing room, he is greeted by old friend and fellow illusionist Howard Burkan. Howard enlists Stanley to accompany him to the French Riviera, where a rich American family, the Catledges, has apparently been taken in by a clairvoyant, Sophie, so much that the son of the family, Brice, is smitten with her. Howard says he has been unable to uncover the secrets behind Sophie's tricks, and is tempted to believe she really has supernatural powers. He asks Stanley, who has debunked many charlatan mystics, to help him prove she is a fraud.

Howard and Stanley travel to the French Riviera, but Stanley is soon astonished by Sophie's ability to go into a fugue state and apparently pull out highly personal details about him and his family. Stanley witnesses a séance in which Sophie communicates with the deceased patriarch of the Catledge family. A candle floats up from the table and Howard grabs it to try to discern what trickery is at play, but is astounded to find no apparent subterfuge.

When Stanley and Sophie visit his Aunt Vanessa in Provence, Sophie is seemingly able, upon holding Aunt Vanessa's pearls, to somehow relate secret details of Vanessa's great love affair. This finally convinces Stanley of Sophie's authenticity. He has an epiphany, realizing that his lifelong rationalism and cynicism have been misguided. When caught in a rainstorm, Stanley and Sophie take shelter at an observatory the former used to visit as a child. After the rain subsides, they open the roof up and view the stars.

At a Gatsby-esque party, Stanley and Sophie dance. As they walk together later that night, Sophie asks him if he has felt any feelings for her "as a woman". Stanley is surprised and admits he has not thought of her in that way. She leaves upset. The next day, Stanley holds a press conference to tell the world that he, who spent his life debunking charlatan mystics, has finally come to find one who is the real deal. The conference is interrupted when he receives news that Aunt Vanessa has been in a car accident.

Stanley rushes to the hospital, and considers turning to prayer for solace. He begins to pray for a miracle to save his aunt, but is unable to go through with it as the rationality that has been his whole life comes back. He rejects prayer, the supernatural and by extension, Sophie and her powers. He decides once more to prove she is a fraud.

Using a trick seen earlier in his stage act, Stanley appears to leave the room but stays to overhear Sophie and Howard discuss their collusion in what has been an elaborate ruse. He discovers Sophie was able to know so much about him and his aunt because she and Howard collaborated to fool Stanley. Sophie is indeed a charlatan, and Howard had found out. Rather than unmask her to stop the ruse, he enlisted Sophie to help him one-up Stanley.

Stanley is initially angry at Howard and Sophie, but decides to forgive them. In a conversation with Aunt Vanessa, who has recovered from her car accident, Stanley admits that he is in love with Sophie. He finds her and asks her to marry him instead of Brice. Sophie is taken aback and rejects his haughty, awkward proposal. Returning dejected to Aunt Vanessa's, Stanley admits that he fell in love with Sophie at first sight. He is then surprised when Sophie, who had arrived before him, uses a spirit knock. He proposes, she accepts with a spirit knock, and they kiss.

{{Cast listing|

• Colin Firth as Stanley Crawford
• Emma Stone as Sophie Baker
• Eileen Atkins as Aunt Vanessa
• Marcia Gay Harden as Mrs. Baker
• Hamish Linklater as Brice Catledge
• Simon McBurney as Howard Burkan
• Jacki Weaver as Grace Catledge
• Erica Leerhsen as Caroline
• Catherine McCormack as Olivia
• Jeremy Shamos as George
• Lionel Abelanski as doctor

}}

In April 2013, Colin Firth and Emma Stone joined the cast of the film.{{cite web|last=Tobin|first=Christian|title=Colin Firth in talks to join Emma Stone in new Woody Allen movie|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/news/a477328/colin-firth-in-talks-to-join-emma-stone-in-new-woody-allen-movie.html|access-date=29 July 2013|website=Digital Spy|date=30 April 2013|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924115748/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/news/a477328/colin-firth-in-talks-to-join-emma-stone-in-new-woody-allen-movie.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Rodriguez|first=Cain|title=Emma Stone To Star In Woody Allen's Next Movie|url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/emma-stone-to-star-in-woody-allens-next-movie-plus-first-look-at-louis-ck-in-blue-jasmine-20130424|access-date=29 July 2013|website=IndieWire|date=24 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729123936/http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/emma-stone-to-star-in-woody-allens-next-movie-plus-first-look-at-louis-ck-in-blue-jasmine-20130424|archive-date=July 29, 2013}}{{cite web|first=Mike Jr.|last=Fleming|title=Emma Stone In Talks For Woody Allen's Next|url=https://deadline.com/2013/04/emma-stone-in-talks-for-woody-allens-next-482246/|access-date=July 29, 2013|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=April 23, 2013|archive-date=July 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130706090408/http://www.deadline.com/2013/04/emma-stone-in-talks-for-woody-allens-next/|url-status=live}} In July, they were joined by Jacki Weaver, Marcia Gay Harden, and Hamish Linklater.{{cite web|first=Beth|last=Hanna|title=Woody Allen's Latest Adds Jacki Weaver, Marcia Gay Harden, Hamish Linklater and More|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2013/07/casting-watch-woody-allens-latest-adds-jacki-weaver-marcia-gay-harden-hamish-linklater-and-more-197180/|access-date=July 29, 2013|website=IndieWire|date=July 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130827063856/http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/woody-allen-new-untitled-film-casting-jacki-weaver-marcia-gay-harden|archive-date=August 27, 2013}}{{cite web|first=Madeline|last=Raynor|title=Marcia Gay Harden and Jacki Weaver Join Emma Stone and Colin Firth In Woody Allen's Latest|url=https://www.indiewire.com/article/woody-allen-casts-another-crop-of-talented-people-in-his-latest-movie-including-eileen-atkins-marcia-gay-harden-and-jacki-weaver|access-date=July 29, 2013|website=IndieWire|date=July 2, 2013|archive-date=July 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130706020935/http://www.indiewire.com/article/woody-allen-casts-another-crop-of-talented-people-in-his-latest-movie-including-eileen-atkins-marcia-gay-harden-and-jacki-weaver|url-status=live}} Principal photography took place over six and a half weeks in July and August 2013 in Southern France.{{cite web|last=Reumont|first=François|url=https://www.afcinema.com/Cinematographer-Darius-Khondji-AFC-ASC-discusses-his-work-on-Magic-in-the-Moonlight-a-film-by-Woody-Allen.html?lang=fr|title=Cinematographer Darius Khondji, AFC, ASC, discusses his work on "Magic in the Moonlight", a film by Woody Allen|publisher=AFC|date=3 November 2014|access-date=25 November 2023}} Filming locations included the Opéra de Nice (the exterior of the Berlin theater where Stanley performs as Wei Ling Soo), Studios Riviera in Nice (the interior and the backstage area of the Berlin theater), the Hotel Negresco bar in Nice (the Berlin cabaret), the {{ill|Villa Eilenroc|fr}} in Antibes (the Catledge estate and the ball scene), the Villa La Renardière in Mouans-Sartoux (the Catledge estate), the Château du Rouët in Le Muy (Aunt Vanessa's house), the Nice Observatory (where Stanley and Sophie take refuge from the rainstorm), and the bar and restaurant at the Hôtel Belles Rives in Juan-les-Pins.{{cite web|url=https://www.sonyclassics.com/magicinthemoonlight/magicinthemoonlight_presskit.pdf|title=Magic in the Moonlight Press Kit|publisher=Sony Pictures Classics|pages=11–12|access-date=25 November 2023}}{{cite magazine|last=Whitlock|first=Cathy|url=https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/magic-in-the-moonlight-sets-woody-allen-slideshow|title=The World of Woody Allen's Magic in the Moonlight|magazine=Architectural Digest|date=31 December 2013|access-date=25 November 2023}}{{cite news|last=O'Connor|first=Joanne|url=https://www.ft.com/content/7247f466-3764-11e4-971c-00144feabdc0|title=On location: Magic in the Moonlight|newspaper=Financial Times|date=September 12, 2014|access-date=25 November 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.woodyallenpages.com/2016/12/magic-moonlight-filming-locations-nice-menton-antibes-france/|title=Magic In The Moonlight Filming Locations – Nice, Menton, Antibes, France|website=The Woody Allen Pages|date=December 11, 2016|access-date=November 26, 2023}} Allen revealed the film's title to be Magic in the Moonlight on October 15, 2013.{{cite magazine|last=Dockterman|first=Eliana|title=Woody Allen's Next Star: Emma Stone|url=https://entertainment.time.com/2013/10/15/woody-allens-next-star-emma-stone/|access-date=1 August 2015|magazine=Time|date=15 October 2013|archive-date=July 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190729193507/http://entertainment.time.com/2013/10/15/woody-allens-next-star-emma-stone/|url-status=live}}

Soundtrack{{cite web |url=http://filmmusicreporter.com/2014/08/20/magic-in-the-moonlight-soundtrack-released/ |title='Magic in the Moonlight' Soundtrack Released |website=Film Music Reporter |date=August 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402133543/http://filmmusicreporter.com/2014/08/20/magic-in-the-moonlight-soundtrack-released/ |archive-date=April 2, 2016 |url-status=live}}

1. "You Do Something to Me" by Cole Porter, performed by Leo Reisman and His Orchestra
2. "It's All a Swindle" ("Alles Schwindel") by Mischa Spoliansky and Marcellus Schiffer, performed by Ute Lemper
3. "Moritat" from The Threepenny Opera by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht, performed by Conal Fowkes
4. "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes" by Joseph A. Burke and Al Dubin, performed by Nat Shilkret and His Orchestra
5. "Big Boy" by Milton Ager and Jack Yellen, performed by Bix Beiderbecke
6. "Thou Swell" from A Connecticut Yankee by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, performed by Bix Beiderbecke
7. "Sorry" by Raymond Klages, performed by Bix Beiderbecke & His Gang
8. "The Sheik of Araby" by Harry B. Smith, Francis Wheeler and Ted Snyder, performed by Sidney De Paris and De Paris Brothers Orchestra
9. "Chinatown, My Chinatown" by William Jerome and Jean Schwartz, performed by the Firehouse Five Plus Two
10. "Remember Me" by Sonny Miller, performed by Al Bowlly
11. "Charleston" by James P. Johnson and R. C. McPherson, performed by Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra
12. "Sweet Georgia Brown" by Ben Bernie, Maceo Pinkard and Kenneth Casey, performed by The California Ramblers
13. "You Call It Madness (But I Call It Love)" by Con Conrad, Gladys DuBois, Russ Colombo and Paul Gregory, performed by Smith Ballew and His Piping Rock Orchestra
14. "At the Jazz Band Ball" by Larry Shields, Anthony S. Barbaro, D. James LaRocca and Edwin B. Edwards, performed by Bix Beiderbecke & His Gang
15. "It All Depends on You" by Ray Henderson, Lew Brown and B. G. DeSylva, performed by Ruth Etting
16. "I'll Get By (As Long as I Have You)" by Fred E. Ahlert and Roy Turk, performed by Conal Fowkes

Used in the film but not on the soundtrack are:{{cite web |url=http://www.mpmmusic.com/blog/2014/07/18/magic-moonlight |title=Magic in the Moonlight |publisher=Manhattan Production Music |date=July 18, 2014 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140901151029/http://www.mpmmusic.com/blog/2014/07/18/magic-moonlight |archive-date=September 1, 2014}}

• "The Adoration of the Earth" from The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky, performed by the London Festival Orchestra
• Boléro by Maurice Ravel, performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
• Molto vivace, second movement from Symphony No. 9 in D minor by Ludwig van Beethoven, performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
• "Thou Swell" from A Connecticut Yankee by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, performed by Cynthia Sayer and Hamish Linklater
• "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" by Harry Carroll and Joseph McCarthy, performed by Cynthia Sayer and Hamish Linklater
• "Who?" from Sunny by Oscar Hammerstein II, Otto Harbach and Jerome Kern, performed by David O'Neal and Hamish Linklater

In October 2013, it was announced that FilmNation Entertainment would handle international sales for the film,{{cite web|last=Kay|first=Jeremy|url=http://www.screendaily.com/news/filmnation-to-sell-allens-magic/5062589.article|title=FilmNation to sell Woody Allen’s Magic In The Moonlight|website=Screen Daily|date=October 17, 2013|access-date=November 12, 2023|url-access=limited|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022041319/http://www.screendaily.com/news/filmnation-to-sell-allens-magic/5062589.article|archive-date=October 22, 2013|url-status=live}} while Sony Pictures Classics acquired North American distribution rights in January 2014.{{cite magazine |url=https://variety.com/2014/film/news/sony-pictures-classics-picks-up-woody-allens-magic-in-the-moonlight-1201040990/ |title=Sony Pictures Classics Picks Up Woody Allen's 'Magic in the Moonlight' |magazine=Variety |date=January 9, 2014 |access-date=January 10, 2014 |last=Saperstein |first=Pat |archive-date=January 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110140234/http://variety.com/2014/film/news/sony-pictures-classics-picks-up-woody-allens-magic-in-the-moonlight-1201040990/ |url-status=live}} The film opened in theaters in New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago on July 25, 2014,{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Edward|url=https://www.indiewire.com/news/general-news/watch-6-new-clips-from-woody-allens-magic-in-the-moonlight-with-emma-stone-colin-firth-274477/|title=Watch: 6 New Clips From Woody Allen's 'Magic In The Moonlight' With Emma Stone & Colin Firth|website=IndieWire|date=July 16, 2014|access-date=November 12, 2023}} followed by a wide release in the United States on August 15.{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/calendar/2014-08-01/|title=Domestic Release Schedule – August 2014|website=Box Office Mojo|access-date=November 12, 2023}} In France, Magic in the Moonlight was released theatrically on October 22, 2014, by Mars Distribution.{{cite news|last=Maufras|first=Marine|url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/cinema/2014/06/30/03002-20140630ARTFIG00244--magic-in-the-moonlight-colin-firth-et-emma-stone-en-pleine-romance.php|title=Magic in the Moonlight : Colin Firth et Emma Stone en pleine romance|newspaper=Le Figaro|language=fr|date=June 30, 2014|access-date=November 12, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl633702145/weekend/|title=Magic in the Moonlight (2014) – French Weekend|website=Box Office Mojo|access-date=November 12, 2023}}

Magic in the Moonlight grossed $10.5 million in the United States and Canada, and $40.5 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $51 million.

The film opened in 25 theaters in the United States, grossing $412,095 in its opening weekend, with an average of $24,241 per theater. In its fourth weekend, it expanded to 964 theaters and grossed $1.8 million, with an average of $1,853 per theater.{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl2673903105/weekend/|title=Magic in the Moonlight (2014) – Domestic Weekend|website=Box Office Mojo|access-date=November 12, 2023}}

Magic in the Moonlight received mixed reviews from critics. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 52% based on 189 reviews, with an average rating of 5.9/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "While far from a failure, Magic in the Moonlight is too slight to stand with Woody Allen's finest work."{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/magic_in_the_moonlight|title=Magic in the Moonlight|website=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=May 13, 2025}} Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 54 out of 100, based on 40 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/magic-in-the-moonlight|title=Magic in the Moonlight|access-date=23 July 2014|website=Metacritic}}

Rex Reed, writing for The New York Observer, gave the film a largely positive review, calling it "a masterstroke of enchantment" and praising Colin Firth's performance.{{cite web|first=Rex|last=Reed|author-link=Rex Reed|url=http://observer.com/2014/07/that-old-black-magic-woody-allens-44th-film-is-one-of-his-best/|title=That Old Black Magic: Woody Allen's 44th Film Is One of His Best|date=July 23, 2014|access-date=July 23, 2014|newspaper=The New York Observer|archive-date=November 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101020136/https://observer.com/2014/07/that-old-black-magic-woody-allens-44th-film-is-one-of-his-best/|url-status=live}} Jordan Hoffman of MTV News also enjoyed the film, stating, "This picture isn't as showy or obvious as one of his (many) masterpieces, but it is quite good and deserves your time and respect."{{cite web|first=Jordan|last=Hoffman|author-link=Jordan Hoffman|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2772814/review-magic-in-the-moonlight/|title=Review: 'Magic in the Moonlight'|access-date=24 July 2014|publisher=MTV News|date=July 18, 2014|archive-date=July 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210715021806/http://www.mtv.com/news/2772814/review-magic-in-the-moonlight/|url-status=dead}} In The New Yorker, David Denby agreed that Colin Firth "carries [the film] through."{{cite magazine|first=David|last=Denby|author-link=David Denby|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/07/28/spell|title=Under the Spell|magazine=The New Yorker|date=July 28, 2014|access-date=April 17, 2020|archive-date=March 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200305201226/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/07/28/spell|url-status=live}} In The Wall Street Journal, Joe Morgenstern complimented Emma Stone and concluded, "Think of it as a 97-minute séance that draws you in, spins you around, subverts your suppositions, levitates your spirits and leaves you giddy with delight".{{cite news|first=Joe|last=Morgenstern|url=https://online.wsj.com/articles/film-review-magic-in-the-moonlight-by-woody-allen-1406224174|title=Playful and Entrancing 'Magic' From Woody Allen|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=July 24, 2014|access-date=March 14, 2017|url-access=subscription|archive-date=October 26, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141026163446/http://online.wsj.com/articles/film-review-magic-in-the-moonlight-by-woody-allen-1406224174|url-status=live}}

However, in Vanity Fair, Richard Lawson criticized Stone's acting, arguing that "her line delivery is too modern to really work convincingly in the period, and like many other nonetheless talented actors, she has trouble with Allen's stilted, formal cadence." He added that the age gap between Stone and Firth (28 years) was "a little gross" and "icky".{{cite magazine|first=Richard|last=Lawson|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/vf-hollywood/magic-in-the-moonlight-review|title=The Romance in Magic in the Moonlight Distracts from the Comedy|magazine=Vanity Fair|date=July 22, 2014|access-date=April 17, 2020|archive-date=December 19, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141219210255/http://www.vanityfair.com/vf-hollywood/magic-in-the-moonlight-review|url-status=live}} Alan Scherstuhl of The Village Voice disliked the film, criticizing its familiarity from Allen's previous work and believing the writing was uninspired.{{cite web|first=Alan|last=Scherstuhl|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/2014-07-16/film/magic-in-the-moonlight/|title=It's Been a Year Already?|newspaper=The Village Voice|date=July 16, 2014|access-date=July 23, 2014|archive-date=July 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140722044838/http://www.villagevoice.com/2014-07-16/film/magic-in-the-moonlight/|url-status=live}} Chris Nashawaty of Entertainment Weekly gave the movie a "B−" grade (from A+ to F), remarking that it was funny and "pleasant", but also forgettable.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20804882,00.html |title=Magic in the Moonlight (2014) |access-date=23 July 2014 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |first=Chris |last=Nashawaty |archive-date=November 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110224515/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20804882,00.html |url-status=dead}} Salon{{'}}s Andrew O'Hehir felt that the characters were not drawn out enough because of poor writing.{{cite web|first=Andrew|last=O'Hehir|url=http://www.salon.com/2014/07/24/magic_in_the_moonlight_its_time_to_stop_making_excuses_for_woody_allen/|title="Magic in the Moonlight": It's time to stop making excuses for Woody Allen|website=Salon.com|date=July 24, 2014|access-date=July 24, 2014|archive-date=July 25, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140725121548/http://www.salon.com/2014/07/24/magic_in_the_moonlight_its_time_to_stop_making_excuses_for_woody_allen/|url-status=live}} A. O. Scott of The New York Times wrote, "Mr. Allen has had his ups and downs over the years. Rarely, though, has he put a story on screen that manifests so little energy, so little curiosity about its own ideas and situations."{{cite news|last=Scott|first=A. O.|author-link=A. O. Scott|title=Metaphysical Sleight of Heart|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/25/movies/magic-in-the-moonlight-another-woody-allen-odd-couple.html|access-date=30 August 2015|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 24, 2014|url-access=limited|archive-date=July 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160715090504/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/25/movies/magic-in-the-moonlight-another-woody-allen-odd-couple.html|url-status=live}}

In 2016, film critics Robbie Collin and Tim Robey of The Daily Telegraph ranked Magic in the Moonlight as one of the worst films by Allen.{{cite news|first1=Robbie|last1=Collin|author-link=Robbie Collin|first2=Tim|last2=Robey|title=All 47 Woody Allen movies – ranked from worst to best|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/woody-allens-best-and-worst-movies/|access-date=February 12, 2017|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=October 12, 2016|url-access=subscription|archive-date=January 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118143535/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/woody-allens-best-and-worst-movies/|url-status=live}}

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