▁is ▁based ▁on ▁a ▁screen play ▁by ▁William ▁Gold man , ▁who ▁also ▁wrote ▁the ▁novel ▁upon ▁which ▁it ▁was ▁based . ▁The ▁score ▁was ▁composed ▁by ▁Jerry ▁G olds m ith . ▁ ▁Plot ▁ ▁After ▁Charles ▁" C ork y " ▁With ers ▁fails ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁attempt ▁at ▁professional ▁magic , ▁his ▁ment or ▁" Mer lin " ▁( E . ▁J . ▁André ) ▁says ▁that ▁he ▁needs ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁better ▁show ▁business ▁g imm ick . ▁A ▁year ▁later , ▁C ork y ▁comes ▁back ▁as ▁a ▁combination ▁mag ician ▁and ▁vent ril o qu ist ▁with ▁a ▁f oul - mouth ed ▁dummy ▁named ▁F ats , ▁becoming ▁a ▁huge ▁success . ▁C ork y ' s ▁powerful ▁agent , ▁Ben ▁Gre ene , ▁is ▁on ▁the ▁ver ge ▁of ▁signing ▁him ▁for ▁his ▁own ▁television ▁show , ▁but ▁C ork y ▁b ails ▁out ▁for ▁the ▁Cat sk ills , ▁where ▁he ▁grew ▁up , ▁claim ing ▁to ▁be ▁" af raid ▁of ▁success ." ▁In ▁truth , ▁C ork y ▁does ▁not ▁want ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁TV ▁network ' s ▁required ▁medical ▁exam ination ▁because ▁do ctors ▁might ▁find ▁out ▁that ▁he ▁suff ers ▁from ▁severe ▁mental ▁issues , ▁and ▁that ▁even ▁off - stage ▁he ▁cannot ▁control ▁F ats ▁( a ▁manifest ation ▁of ▁C ork y ' s ▁id ). ▁▁ ▁In ▁the ▁Cat sk ills , ▁C ork y ▁reun ites ▁with ▁his ▁high - school ▁cr ush , ▁Peg gy