Magic Fire - Wagner Biopic (Film 1955)

Magic Fire is a 1955 American biographical film about the life of composer Richard Wagner, released by Republic Pictures. Audio in English and German, with English subtitles hardcoded for the German parts.

Directed by William Dieterle, the film made extensive use of Wagner's music, which was arranged by Erich Wolfgang Korngold. It was one of the final films Republic made in the two-strip color process known as Trucolor.

The film was based on a book by Bertita Harding published in 1953. It was described as "not strictly biography but not quite fiction.' Although many details about Wagner's life were accurately portrayed, the film often distorted some facts, apparently for dramatic purposes.

One high point was the accurate depiction of the riot at the Paris Opera House for the premiere of the revised version of Tannhäuser. The film depicted King Ludwig II's patronage of Wagner, without going into much detail about the king's controversial personality. The film used a very large cast, opulent sets, and lavish costumes. Since Republic was known primarily for westerns and adventure serials, Magic Fire was one of the rare "prestige" films to be produced by studio chief Herbert Yates.

Filming started in September 1954. The film was shot in Italy and Germany over 12 weeks and wound up in December.

Cast & Characters:
Alan Badel ... Richard Wagner
Yvonne De Carlo ... Minna Planer
Carlos Thompson ... Franz Liszt
Rita Gam ... Cosima Liszt
Valentina Cortese ... Mathilde Wesendonck
Peter Cushing ... Otto Wesendonck
Frederick Valk ... Minister von Moll
Gerhard Riedmann ... King Ludwig II
Erik Schumann ... Hans von Bülow
Robert Freitag ... August Roeckel
Heinz Klingenberg ... King of Saxonia
Charles Régnier ... Giacomo Meyerbeer
Kurt Großkurth ... Magdeburg Theatre Manager (as Kurt Grosskurth)
Fritz Rasp ... Pfistermeister
Hans Quest ... Robert Hubner
Jan Hendriks ... Mikhail Bakunin
Erich Wolfgang Korngold ... Hans Richter (uncredited)