The Illusionist (2006)
Drama, Fantasy, History |
The Illusionist is a American romantic mystery film written and directed by Neil Burger and starring Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, and Jessica Biel. It is based loosely on Steven Millhauser’s short story “Eisenheim the Illusionist”. The film tells the story of Eisenheim, a magician in turn-of-the-century Vienna, who reunites with his childhood love, a woman far above his social standing. The film also depicts a fictionalized version of the Mayerling incident.
The film premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival and opened the 2006 Seattle International Film Festival; it was distributed in limited release to theaters on August 18, 2006, and expanded nationwide on September 1. The film was a commercial and critical success.
In Vienna, Austria-Hungary, 1889, a magician named Eisenheim is arrested by Chief Inspector Walter Uhl of the Vienna Police during a magic show involving necromancy. Later, Uhl explains the story of Eisenheim’s life to Crown Prince Leopold.
Eisenheim was born to a cabinet-maker and became interested in magic after meeting a travelling magician. He also fell in love with Sophie, the Duchess von Teschen, but the two were forbidden to see each other on account of the former being a peasant. They kept meeting secretly but were caught one day and separated by force. Eisenheim proceeded to study magic by travelling the world, and fifteen years later returned to Vienna to perform. During one performance, he encounters the adult Sophie and learns that she is expected to marry the Crown Prince Leopold, who, it is rumored, is brutal towards women and in the past even murdered one.
Director: Neil Burger
Writers: Neil Burger (screenplay), Steven Millhauser (short story “Eisenheim the Illusionist”)
Stars: Edward Norton, Jessica Biel, Paul Giamatti, Rufus Sewell, Eddie Marsan, Jake Wood, Tom Fisher
Cast:
| Edward Norton | … | Eisenheim |
| Paul Giamatti | … | Inspector Uhl |
| Jessica Biel | … | Sophie |
| Rufus Sewell | … | Crown Prince Leopold |
| Eddie Marsan | … | Josef Fischer (as Edward Marsan) |
| Jake Wood | … | Jurka |
| Tom Fisher | … | Willigut |
| Aaron Taylor-Johnson | … | Young Eisenheim (as Aaron Johnson) |
| Eleanor Tomlinson | … | Young Sophie |
| Karl Johnson | … | Doctor / Old Man |
| Vincent Franklin | … | Loschek |
| Nicholas Blane | … | Herr Doebler |
| Philip McGough | … | Dr. Hofzinser |
| Erich Redman | … | Count Rainer |
| Michael Carter | … | Von Thurnburg |
| Vanessa Gendron | … | Shouting Woman |
| Matthew Blood-Smyth | … | Man Who Incites Riot |
| David Forest | … | Traveling Magician |
| Laurie Athey | … | Aristocratic Boy |
| Oliver Blaha-McGillick | … | Aristocratic Boy (as Oliver Blaha) |
| Thomas McEnchroe | … | Aristocratic Boy |
| Andreas Grothusen | … | Eisenheim’s Father |
| Brian Caspe | … | Eisenheim’s Assistant |
| Ellen Savaria | … | Mrs. Uhl |
| Elias Bauer | … | Street Urchin Messenger |
| Dominik Havelka | … | Street Urchin |
| Robin Ferenc | … | Street Urchin |
| Vitezslav Bouchner | … | Sophie’s Driver |
| David O’Kelly | … | Archduke |
| Richard Rowlands | … | Archduke |
| Sean Hall | … | Young Prince |
| Reuben-Henry Biggs | … | Frankel (as Rueben-Henry Biggs) |
| Vadam Bat-Orshikh | … | Asian Assistant |
| Purevdorj Boldsaikhan | … | Asian Assistant |
| Chen Feng | … | Asian Assistant |
| Sondom Nararbadrakh | … | Asian Assistant |
| Erdenbileg Sengee | … | Asian Assistant |
| Jan Cibulka | … | Boy Apparition on Stage |
| Fasihiddin Khasanov | … | Boy Apparition in Audience |
| Alfred Strejcek | … | Guard |
| Robert Russell | … | Spiritualist Leader |
| Noel le Bon | … | Arrested Man (as Noel Lebon) |
| David Fellowes | … | Respectable Man |
| Eva Kelemenová | … | Sobbing Woman (as Eva Kelemenova) |
| John Early | … | Man on Street |
| Jan Nemejovský | … | Senior Officer |
| Ivo Novák | … | Senior Officer |
| Vladimír Kulhavý | … | Train Conductor |
| Nancy Bishop | … | Audience Member |
| Duke Faeger | … | Audience Member (as Dusan Fager) |
| Brendan Gunn | … | Audience Member |
| Ryan James | … | Audience Member |
| Alistair Macnaughtan | … | Audience Member (as Alistair Macnaughton) |
| Petr Meissel | … | Audience Member |
| Anezka Novak | … | Audience Member |
| Jeff Smith | … | Audience Member |
| Noelle Trkulja | … | Audience Member |
| Ivan Urbánek | … | Audience Member |
| Jirí Vacek | … | Audience Member (as Jiri Vacek) |
| Jaroslav Vízner | … | Audience Member |
| James Babson | … | Young Father (uncredited) |
| Jesse Phillips March | … | Boy on Street (uncredited) |
Sources: imdb & wikipedia