THE ILLUSIONIST
US, 2006, 116 minutes, Colour.
Edward Norton, Paul Giammatti, Jessica Biehl, Rufus Sewell.
Directed by Neal Burger.
Not infrequently, film-makers hook on to an idea for a film – and two get made simultaneously.
This happened recently with the story of Truman Capote and the writing of In Cold Blood. Philip Seymour Hoffman won an Oscar for his portrayal of the author in Capote. Soon after came Toby Jones with a very strong performance (along with Daniel Craig) in Infamous. Now we have two stories about magicians close together (plus Woody Allen as a contemporary magician in Scoop). First we saw The Prestige with Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale. Now we have The Illusionist with Edward Norton.
The Prestige reminded us that there were three parts to the performance of magic. First is The Pledge, the setting up of the situation. Then comes The Turn, the performance. Finally, there is the illusion itself, The Prestige. The Illusionist works in exactly that same way.
However, while the former film focused on the rivalry between two magicians in turn of the century England, The Illusionist focuses on a rivalry between a renowned magician and the Crown Prince Leopold of the Hapsburg empire in Vienna. This means that the film offers a lavish and beautiful re-creation of the city, its ordinary life, the theatre as well as the imperial palaces.
It also offers a more sinister glimpse into the last years of the Hapsburg dynasty and its increasing paranoia which contributed to the outbreak of World War I. Emperor Franz Joseph lived a long life and had ill fortune with his sons. The story of Mayerling and the suicide of his son Rudolph for love’s sake has been a staple of the more romantic tales of Vienna. Wariness of uprisings and coups meant that the police were ever vigilant and agents stalked suspects and reported their findings. No one was exempt. In the film, Sophie, the intended wife of the Crown Prince, is spied on.
The first part of the film suggests three aspects of the pledge for the ultimate illusion: Eisenheim entertains the throngs of Vienna but is under suspicion by the police; flashbacks to his childhood indicate how he became interested in magic as well as his friendship with the aristocratic Sophie; the Crown Prince attends a performance and tells Sophie to go on stage to participate in the act (where Eisenheim and Sophie declare they do not know each other).
The second part is The Turn. Eisenheim performs, encounters the police chief (Paul Giamatti), does an audience for the Crown Prince who feels humiliated and commands the police to close Eisenheim down. In the meantime, Sophie and Eisenheim have begun a liaison and Sophie tells the Prince she will not marry him.
Then comes The Prestige which should not be revealed, of course, in a review. Suffice to say that most audiences will believe what they see before them and not recognise it as an illusion and so be amazed at the outcome.
The Illusionist is the second film written and directed by Neal Burger (the first being a mock documentary about a dying witness to the Kennedy assassination: Interview with the Assassin). He has made a decorous, even stately film which action audiences might find too slow for their taste. But, it is a fine and elegant piece of film-making.
Edward Norton is effective as the calm and seemingly emotionless Eisenheim but also a commanding presence. Paul Giamatti is fine as the police chief who faces challenges of career and conscience. Jessica Biehl is Sophie. A real surprise is Rufus Sewell’s excellent playing of the Crown Prince, an embodiment of selfishness, ruthlessness and sadism.
This is a satisfying adult drama.
1.The title and expectations? The focus on magic? Tricks, conjuring, illusions? The mystery of the illusionist?
2.Cinema as illusion, tricks of the camera, editing, deceptions and truth?
3.The re-creation of the Austro-Hungarian? empire, Vienna, the country towns, the theatre, the police, officers, the palace? An authentic feel? The classical style musical score? The work of Philip Glass?
4.The structure: the present, the illusionist on stage, his contemplation, acting, the reaction of the audience, the police? The police intervening? The conflicts, the crown prince? Moving back into the past, setting up the story, the young boy, the encounter with the magician, vanishing, the tricks, the effect of this experience, his wanting to be a magician? The encounters with Sophie, childhood friends, their meetings, her enjoying his magic? Her being taken away? The return to the present, the illusionist’s success, his manager, the crown prince, performances, at the palace? The encounters with Sophie, the violence, the encounter with the police? The build-up to the final illusion and the end?
5.The scenes of childhood, the illusionist as a boy, his background, the mentor, the tricks, Sophie, the bonds between them, giving the necklace – and its use in the later sequences? His hopes? Her future? He and his disappearance, travelling? She to the aristocracy? The victim of snobbery?
6.The illusionist and Edward Norton’s presence and style, intense, concentration on stage, the elegance of the performance, the orange tree, the cards and the slowing of time, the disappearing handkerchief, the butterflies bearing it in, the cape and the loss of the soul, the mirrors? The ghostly presences? Sophie? Her death as an illusion? Yet the background of his ability to philosophise, the meaning of life, the slowing of time, the reality of the soul?
7.His background, the time away, travels, changing his name, the crowds, the theatre, the acclaim, the manager and his money hopes, the discussions with the illusionist, the role of the police, the inspector?
8.The change with the crown prince coming to the performance, Sophie coming on stage, denying that she knew the illusionist? Later her sending a message, meeting the coach, the discussions, making each other known? The development of the affair? Defying the prince, his hold over her, being at the palace, the performance at the palace, the sword, the reaction of the prince? The guests? The prince and his anger, her refusal to be married?
9.The inspector, his admiration for the illusionist, expressing this, coming to examine the theatre, the discussions with the illusionist, his assistants, their following the magician, eyes for the prince? The fact that the inspector could become the chief of police? But his lowly background, following orders, his suspicions of the illusionist, his suspicions of the prince? The gathering of information, his reaction to the search for Sophie, her death, the corpse, the further investigations and discussions, with the illusionist in his office, the illusionist on the balcony with the crowds? Their going away? His suspicions about the prince, the theatre and the images, Sophie? The build-up to the crown prince’s suicide, his investigation? Following his conscience, going into action? Losing the possibilities for his promotion?
10.Sophie as a young girl, with the crown prince, on the stage, the note, the meeting, the discussions in the coach, the affair, the sexual liaison, at the palace with the prince, the performance, her reaction to the illusionist’s manners, alienation of the prince? The issue of marriage, her refusal, the prince and his brutality, her defying him, on the horse, her death, the body in the river, its being examined? Her appearance as a ghost? The truth?
11.The police force, their role in the empire, spying, following the illusionist, going to the train station, their expectations, dashed?
12.The illusionist and his discussion with the doctor, the doctor coming to certify that Sophie was dead? His complicity?
13.The portrait of the prince, his place in the empire, his disdain for his father, his love for power, arrogant manner and character, with Sophie and his expectations, the wedding? Sadistic, his past victims? At the theatre with Sophie, his reaction to the performance? Inviting the illusionist to the palace, the issue of the sword, those not able to draw it, the humour, his own hesitation, his finally drawing it out and being praised by the illusionist? His being against the illusionist, wanting him closed down? His reaction to Sophie, the marriage, brutality and the effect of her death? His orders to the police chief, the build-up of the investigation, the pressures, the truth, the accusations, confrontations, taking his own life?
14.The new theatre, the illusionist and the ghosts, the boy coming through the theatre – real? The police and the explanation of the projection? The explanations of the conjuring – and non-explanation? The illusionist explaining to the inspector about detecting which hand the object was hidden in?
15.Sophie, the mystery, the truth? How the conjuring was done? The finding of the body, the role of the illusionist, the role of the police?
16.A happy future for the illusionist and Sophie? The effect on the police chief – his future or lack of future?
17.The overall impact of the film as drama, the themes of the time, illusions and reality – on screen?
