De Palma directed this heavy satire starring Smothers as a businessman fed up with the establishment. He enrolls in Orson Welles's school of magic and soon is performing his newly learned tricks while tap dancing. His free-spirited life soon grows reminiscent of the life he left behind,
when his business manager tries to exploit him, subjecting him to the old money-oriented mentality he abandoned. This project, shelved for two years, shows De Palma at his most intelligent and moralistic--which, commendable as those traits are, tended to overshadow the charm that might have made
this film work.
Released:
1972
Rated:
R
Length:
91 mins