The Illusionist (2006 film)
| The Illusionist | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Neil Burger |
| Produced by |
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| Screenplay by | Neil Burger |
| Based on | "Eisenheim the Illusionist" by Steven Millhauser |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Philip Glass |
| Cinematography | Dick Pope |
| Edited by | Naomi Geraghty |
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Production
company |
Bob Yari Productions
Contagious Entertainment |
| Distributed by |
Yari Film Group Releasing Freestyle Releasing |
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Release date
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Running time
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110 minutes |
| Country | United States Czech Republic |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $16.5 million |
| Box office | $87,892,388 |
The Illusionist is a 2006 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 (Edward Norton) is arrested by Chief Inspector Walter Uhl (Paul Giamatti) of the Vienna Police during a magic show involving necromancy. Later, Uhl explains the story of Eisenheim's life to Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell).
Eisenheim was born to a peasant cabinet-maker and became interested in magic after meeting a travelling magician. He also fell in love with Sophie, the Duchess von Teschen (Eleanor Tomlinson), 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 (Jessica Biel) 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. Eisenheim conducts a private show for the Crown Prince and humiliates him in the course of it, in response to which the Crown Prince bans him from performing again in Vienna. Eisenheim asks Sophie to flee with him, but Sophie is afraid that they will be executed. Sophie also reveals that the Crown Prince is planning a coup d'etat against his elderly father, the Emperor Franz Joseph I.
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