The Illusionist (2006)
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A magician in turn-of-the-century Vienna must navigate a dangerous political landscape to protect his love from a ruthless prince.
The story
In 1889 Vienna, a magician named Eisenheim is arrested during a performance involving necromancy. He is later revealed to be a man of humble origins who fell in love with a high-born woman, Sophie, years prior. They were separated by their social standing, but they reunite in the present. Sophie is now betrothed to the ruthless Crown Prince Leopold. When Eisenheim performs at the palace, he is banned from the city. As the prince prepares for a coup against the Emperor, Eisenheim and Sophie must navigate the dangerous intersection of magic and political intrigue to find a way to be together.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1889 Vienna, a magician named Eisenheim is arrested for a necromancy act. He is later revealed to be a man of humble origins who fell in love with a high-born woman, Sophie, years prior. They were separated by their social standing, but they reunite in the present. Sophie is now betrothed to the ruthless Crown Prince Leopold. During a performance at the palace, Eisenheim humiliates the prince and is banned from the city. After Sophie is found dead in the woods, Eisenheim begins a new series of shows involving the summoning of spirits. He eventually summons the spirit of Sophie, who claims someone in the theater is her murderer. The Inspector, Uhl, discovers evidence of the Prince's involvement in her death. As the Prince's coup is foiled and he takes his own life, Uhl believes the Prince is unfit to rule. In the final twist, it is revealed that Sophie and Eisenheim staged her death to escape the Prince's control. The 'spirit' appearances were merely illusions, and the two are seen starting a new life together in a cabin.
- First release year
- 2006
- Runtime (minutes)
- 110
- Production countries
- United States; Czech Republic
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Neil Burger
- Writers
- Neil Burger · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Edward Norton · Eisenheim; Paul Giamatti · Uhl; Jessica Biel · Sophie; Rufus Sewell; Eddie Marsan
- Genres
- romance; mystery
- Themes
- social class; illusion vs. reality; sacrifice
- Tone and mood
- mysterious; romantic
- Premise and plot tags
- historical; magic; political intrigue
- Source material / true-story basis
- Steven Millhauser's short story 'Eisenheim the Illusionist'
- Reception
- The film was a critical and commercial success, receiving mostly positive reviews for its atmosphere and performances.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 73% · scale: percentage · review count: 194; Metacritic · score: 68 · scale: 100 · review count: 37
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Cinematography · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was one of three 2006 films to explore the world of stage magicians.; The film was shot primarily in the Czech Republic.; The original story did not include the plot point of the protagonist framing the prince.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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