The Mephisto Waltz is a 1971 American supernatural horror film directed by Paul Wendkos and starring Alan Alda, Jacqueline Bisset, Barbara Parkins, Bradford Dillman, and Curt Jürgens.

Myles Clarkson, long ago frustrated in his hope for a career as a concert pianist, is now a music journalist and interviews Duncan Ely, perhaps the world's greatest piano virtuoso.

From that point, Duncan and his adult daughter, Roxanne, strongly pursue a friendship with Myles and wife Paula.

While Paula is disturbed by the level of attention being paid to them, Myles is honored to be considered a friend by Duncan, who is dying of leukemia.

Myles' ensuing change in personality, which includes his now being able to play the piano as well as had Duncan, is noticed by Paula, but she is initially unsuspecting of the cause.

Paula nearly meets a similar "accidental" fate, which leaves her certain that Roxanne and Duncan (in Myles' body) killed Bill, and fearful that they will try to eliminate her.

All Movie Guide noted Alan Alda's performance as the film's only weak point, praising the "offbeat cinematography", "truly shocking setpieces", and Jacqueline Bisset's "chillingly effective" performance, stating that these elements build a pervading sensation of doom.

It reduces magic to a simpleminded ritual that anyone can perform: all our heroine has to do is steal some funny blue stuff and read pig Latin out of a book.

The magic works for her, too...The casting (Alan Alda, Jacqueline Bisset, Barbara Parkins, Curt Jurgens) is expensive, and so is the production.