Official Movie Website Theatrical Release 08/18/06 (Limited) 09/01/06 (Wide) Home Video Not Available MPAA Rating Rated PG-13 for some sexuality and violence Running Time 1 hour 58 minutes Genre Romance, Drama,Suspense Director/Writer Neil Burger Cast Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, Jessica Biel, Rufus Sewell, Eddie Marsan, James Babson, Brian Caspe, Tom Fisher, Aaron Johnson, Erich Redman, Ellen Savaria, Jake Wood Studio Yari Film Group |
THE ILLUSIONIST
SYNOPSIS
In a world where nothing is as it appears, an
illusionist and a police inspector face off in a
challenge of wills that attempts to determine where
reality ends and magic begins...all the while blurring
the line between power and corruption, love and
devotion, vigilance and mania and ultimately, life
and death.
A supernatural mystery that combines romance,
politics and magic, The Illusionist is the latest film
from the producers of the Oscar® winners Crash
and Sideways. The film stars Academy Award®
nominees Edward Norton (Fight Club, American
History X) and Paul Giamatti (Cinderella Man,
Sideways) as two men pitted against each other in
a battle of wits. Norton plays a mysterious stage
magician, Eisenheim, who bends nature's laws to
his will in front of awestruck crowds. Giamatti
co-stars as Vienna's shrewd Chief Inspector Uhl, a
man committed to uphold the law and for whom
magic holds no place in his ordered world. Jessica
Biel (Elizabethtown) shares the screen as the
beautiful and enigmatic Sophie von Teschen, who
finds her future inexorably altered when she
encounters the man called Eisenheim, and
Eisenheim comes dangerously close to unlocking
the dark secret of the monarchy that she holds.
In a world where nothing is as it appears, an
illusionist and a police inspector face off in a
challenge of wills that attempts to determine where
reality ends and magic begins...all the while blurring
the line between power and corruption, love and
devotion, vigilance and mania and ultimately, life
and death.
A supernatural mystery that combines romance,
politics and magic, The Illusionist is the latest film
from the producers of the Oscar® winners Crash
and Sideways. The film stars Academy Award®
nominees Edward Norton (Fight Club, American
History X) and Paul Giamatti (Cinderella Man,
Sideways) as two men pitted against each other in
a battle of wits. Norton plays a mysterious stage
magician, Eisenheim, who bends nature's laws to
his will in front of awestruck crowds. Giamatti
co-stars as Vienna's shrewd Chief Inspector Uhl, a
man committed to uphold the law and for whom
magic holds no place in his ordered world. Jessica
Biel (Elizabethtown) shares the screen as the
beautiful and enigmatic Sophie von Teschen, who
finds her future inexorably altered when she
encounters the man called Eisenheim, and
Eisenheim comes dangerously close to unlocking
the dark secret of the monarchy that she holds.
When Eisenheim begins to perform his astounding illusions in Vienna, word quickly spreads of his
otherworldly powers...even reaching the ears of one of Europe's most powerful and pragmatic men,
Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell, Dark City). Certain that the illusionist is nothing more than an
accomplished fraud, Leopold attends one of Eisenheim's shows, convinced that he can debunk him
during the performance. But when the Prince's beautiful fiancé and companion, Sophie von Teschen,
assists the magician onstage, Eisenheim and Sophie recognize each other from their childhoods-and a
dormant love affair is rekindled. With Eisenheim and Leopold vying for Sophie's affection, it quickly
becomes apparent that both will go to any length to claim and keep her love.
As the clandestine romance continues, Uhl is charged by Leopold to intensify his efforts to expose
Eisenheim, even while the magician gains a devoted and vocal public following. With Uhl doggedly
searching for the reasons and the man behind the trickery, Eisenheim prepares to execute his greatest
illusion yet.
The Yari Film Group presents a Michael London/Koppelman Levien Production, In Association with
Contagious Pictures, of A Film by Neil Burger: The Illusionist. The film is written and directed by Neil
Burger-who received acclaim and award recognition for his debut feature, 2002's Interview with the
Assassin-and is based on Pulitzer Prize-winning author Steven Millhauser's short story "Eisenheim the
Illusionist." It stars Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, Jessica Biel and Rufus Sewell.
The Illusionist is produced by Michael London (Sideways), Brian Koppelman (Interview with the
Assassin), David Levien (Interview with the Assassin) and Bob Yari (Crash), and features top-notch
production values from a team of superlative artisans, including: director of photography Dick Pope
BSC (Topsy-Turvy); editor Naomi Geraghty (Hotel Rwanda); production designer Ondrej Nekvasil (Emmy
winner for TV's Anne Frank: The Whole Story); costume designer Ngila Dickson (Oscar®-winner for The
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King); and composer Philip Glass (Academy Award®-nominated for
The Hours). Casting is by Deborah Aquila ASC, Tricia Wood ASC and Nina Gold. The executive producer
is Jane Garnett, with Tom Karnowski, Matthew Stillman and David Minkowski serving as co-producers.
--© Yari Film Group
otherworldly powers...even reaching the ears of one of Europe's most powerful and pragmatic men,
Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell, Dark City). Certain that the illusionist is nothing more than an
accomplished fraud, Leopold attends one of Eisenheim's shows, convinced that he can debunk him
during the performance. But when the Prince's beautiful fiancé and companion, Sophie von Teschen,
assists the magician onstage, Eisenheim and Sophie recognize each other from their childhoods-and a
dormant love affair is rekindled. With Eisenheim and Leopold vying for Sophie's affection, it quickly
becomes apparent that both will go to any length to claim and keep her love.
As the clandestine romance continues, Uhl is charged by Leopold to intensify his efforts to expose
Eisenheim, even while the magician gains a devoted and vocal public following. With Uhl doggedly
searching for the reasons and the man behind the trickery, Eisenheim prepares to execute his greatest
illusion yet.
The Yari Film Group presents a Michael London/Koppelman Levien Production, In Association with
Contagious Pictures, of A Film by Neil Burger: The Illusionist. The film is written and directed by Neil
Burger-who received acclaim and award recognition for his debut feature, 2002's Interview with the
Assassin-and is based on Pulitzer Prize-winning author Steven Millhauser's short story "Eisenheim the
Illusionist." It stars Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, Jessica Biel and Rufus Sewell.
The Illusionist is produced by Michael London (Sideways), Brian Koppelman (Interview with the
Assassin), David Levien (Interview with the Assassin) and Bob Yari (Crash), and features top-notch
production values from a team of superlative artisans, including: director of photography Dick Pope
BSC (Topsy-Turvy); editor Naomi Geraghty (Hotel Rwanda); production designer Ondrej Nekvasil (Emmy
winner for TV's Anne Frank: The Whole Story); costume designer Ngila Dickson (Oscar®-winner for The
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King); and composer Philip Glass (Academy Award®-nominated for
The Hours). Casting is by Deborah Aquila ASC, Tricia Wood ASC and Nina Gold. The executive producer
is Jane Garnett, with Tom Karnowski, Matthew Stillman and David Minkowski serving as co-producers.
--© Yari Film Group
************************************
Brenda and David
The Illusionist stars Edward Norton as Eisenheim, a magician that knows how to hold his audiences
spellbound, including Chief Inspector Uhl (Paul Giamatti). Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell)
volunteers his fiance, Sophie Von Teschen (Jessica Biel), to assist Eisenheim one night. What is
unknown to Leopold is the history between Eisenheim and Von Teschen. They were childhood
sweethearts and haven't seen each other in years. The attraction for each other is still there and as
strong as ever. Leopold is threatened by this attraction and hires Chief Inspector Uhl to expose
Eisenheim as a fraud. The Illusionist, directed by Neil Burger is based on a short story by Pulitzer Prize
winning novelist Stephen Millhauser, is a blend of romance and intrigue and is well worth seeing.
Brenda and David
The Illusionist stars Edward Norton as Eisenheim, a magician that knows how to hold his audiences
spellbound, including Chief Inspector Uhl (Paul Giamatti). Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell)
volunteers his fiance, Sophie Von Teschen (Jessica Biel), to assist Eisenheim one night. What is
unknown to Leopold is the history between Eisenheim and Von Teschen. They were childhood
sweethearts and haven't seen each other in years. The attraction for each other is still there and as
strong as ever. Leopold is threatened by this attraction and hires Chief Inspector Uhl to expose
Eisenheim as a fraud. The Illusionist, directed by Neil Burger is based on a short story by Pulitzer Prize
winning novelist Stephen Millhauser, is a blend of romance and intrigue and is well worth seeing.
© 2003 St. Louis Movie Review Weekly. All rights reserved, except where indicated.
All movie titles, pictures, etc...are the property of their respective studios.
All movie titles, pictures, etc...are the property of their respective studios.
| ST. LOUIS MOVIE REVIEW WEEKLY |
