The Illusionist
November 9th 2007 22:12
Category: Movies
Director: Neil Burger.
Producers: Michael London, Brian Koppelman, David Levien, Bob Yari & Cathy Schulman.
Screenplay: Neil Burger.
Starring: Edward Norton (Eisenheim), Jessica Biel (Sophie), Paul Giamatti (Inspector Uhl) & Rufus Sewell (Crown Prince Leopold).
Produced: 2005 Bob Yari Productions.
Released by: Roadshow Entertainment.
Running Time: 104 minutes. Rating: M.
Set in the Vienna of 1900 the Illusionist is an interesting tale of love, intrigue, corruption, politics, privilege and magic which is not quite what you’re expecting if you read the blurb on the back of the DVD cover. In fact if you read the back of the cover you’d be expecting something entirely different, namely a rekindled romance whilst a major political figure attempts to debunk the illusions of the movie’s protagonist through the agency of the romantic interest. The Illusionist is thankfully meatier than its publicity spiel and as a result a better film for it.
The narrative of the story is circular in nature, the film opens at some point near the end of the drama and from that point we are taken though the back story that leads up to that opening point, completing the circle which then in turn leads us into a linear denouement of the movie. In this particular juncture of the story we see Eisenheim the Illusionist on stage performing his show to a packed house; he sits clad in simple garb on a chair on stage with flickering lanterns positioned in front of the stage. Suddenly the forces of the local police make their presence known and the Inspector Uhl, the man in charge arrests Edward Abramowitz also known as Eisenheim the Illusionist in the name of the Emperor and the city of Vienna for disturbing the peace. After arresting Eisenheim we then see the determined Inspector Uhl making his report to Crown Prince Leopold and it is at this point that the narrative regresses back into the past to give us the audience the details involved in this sudden and dramatic action on behalf of the Viennese authorities.
Edward Norton is superb as the movie’s protagonist Eisenheim; he gives the character a degree of gravitas that meshes so well with the story and the atmosphere as well as providing a direct contrast to the other characters within the movie. Eisenheim carries himself with dignity and a mysterious air, he is courteous and well mannered and his performances are delivered with a certain understatement that only heightens the impact of their climax. He is a crowd pleaser and eventually people from all walks of life within Vienna are fascinated by him, by his ‘magic’ and his seemingly mystical abilities. The character has a likeable quality, a certain earnestness and naivety about him that is belied by his on stage persona. We also see that he is a very determined individual and one who has a strong sense of justice.
The interesting aspect of this movie is that even though Eisenhiem is the movie’s main protagonist he is not the person from whom the audience is gaining its information. The story that unfolds is being told from the point of view of Inspector Uhl who is recounting events to his master, the Crown Prince Leopold, so we are left wondering exactly how reliable the good inspector’s narrative actually is. Much of the early events that he recounts are all based on second hand information, then of later events there is some question as to how he could possibly known what had happened, for example how would he know about the conversation between Eisenheim and Sophie as they drive around in a carriage for half an hour in the streets of Vienna? Or how could he know what occurred between the Crown Prince and Sophie? Certainly some of his information would have come from his subordinates and other titbits from those he had questioned himself but he’d only have an incomplete picture. But then again this is the other magic that is woven into the story.
On the one hand we have the magic and prestidigitation of Eisenheim and his routine and on the other hand we have the magic of Inspector Uhl. His narration is intended to portray to the audience the realty of what is going on, not just give a rote recitation of events that is intended to put away a potential menace to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Thus Uhl is as much a magician as the man he has arrested, though where Eisenheim seeks to entertain and astound the inspector is seeking to illuminate and pull back the subterfuge of events. And it is this very fact that indicates that despite his being a member of the authorities he like Eisenhiem has a sense of justice, of honour and decency. He makes an interesting foil to the reserved and enigmatic illusionist as the events of the film unfolds.
All in all the Illusionist is a spellbinding film filled with superb acting, a superb story and a great attention to detail as regards to period costume and setting. I highly recommend this movie and once the final curtain fell I believed my time had been well spent in watching it.
Producers: Michael London, Brian Koppelman, David Levien, Bob Yari & Cathy Schulman.
Screenplay: Neil Burger.
Starring: Edward Norton (Eisenheim), Jessica Biel (Sophie), Paul Giamatti (Inspector Uhl) & Rufus Sewell (Crown Prince Leopold).
Produced: 2005 Bob Yari Productions.
Released by: Roadshow Entertainment.
Running Time: 104 minutes. Rating: M.
Set in the Vienna of 1900 the Illusionist is an interesting tale of love, intrigue, corruption, politics, privilege and magic which is not quite what you’re expecting if you read the blurb on the back of the DVD cover. In fact if you read the back of the cover you’d be expecting something entirely different, namely a rekindled romance whilst a major political figure attempts to debunk the illusions of the movie’s protagonist through the agency of the romantic interest. The Illusionist is thankfully meatier than its publicity spiel and as a result a better film for it.
The interesting aspect of this movie is that even though Eisenhiem is the movie’s main protagonist he is not the person from whom the audience is gaining its information. The story that unfolds is being told from the point of view of Inspector Uhl who is recounting events to his master, the Crown Prince Leopold, so we are left wondering exactly how reliable the good inspector’s narrative actually is. Much of the early events that he recounts are all based on second hand information, then of later events there is some question as to how he could possibly known what had happened, for example how would he know about the conversation between Eisenheim and Sophie as they drive around in a carriage for half an hour in the streets of Vienna? Or how could he know what occurred between the Crown Prince and Sophie? Certainly some of his information would have come from his subordinates and other titbits from those he had questioned himself but he’d only have an incomplete picture. But then again this is the other magic that is woven into the story.
On the one hand we have the magic and prestidigitation of Eisenheim and his routine and on the other hand we have the magic of Inspector Uhl. His narration is intended to portray to the audience the realty of what is going on, not just give a rote recitation of events that is intended to put away a potential menace to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Thus Uhl is as much a magician as the man he has arrested, though where Eisenheim seeks to entertain and astound the inspector is seeking to illuminate and pull back the subterfuge of events. And it is this very fact that indicates that despite his being a member of the authorities he like Eisenhiem has a sense of justice, of honour and decency. He makes an interesting foil to the reserved and enigmatic illusionist as the events of the film unfolds.
All in all the Illusionist is a spellbinding film filled with superb acting, a superb story and a great attention to detail as regards to period costume and setting. I highly recommend this movie and once the final curtain fell I believed my time had been well spent in watching it.
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