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The Illusionist Details

FULL SYNOPSIS

A supernaturally talented magician attempts to undermine the rigid social structure of turn-of-the-century Vienna by using his powers to win the love of his upper-class, childhood sweetheart in director Neil Burger's cinematic adaptation of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Steven Millhauser's short story. Though the ill-fated childhood romance between cabinetmaker's son Eisenheim (Edward Norton) and upper-class Sophie von Teschen (Jessica Biel) eventually resulted in the heartbroken young man leaving Austria to explore the world, his dreams of one day reuniting with the beautiful duchess never faded. Upon returning to Vienna 15 years later as a talented and renowned illusionist, Eisenheim's hopes of a reunion seem dashed when he learns that Sophie is currently engaged to the Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell). As the tensions between the Eisenheim and Leopold elevate, urbane Chief Inspector Uhl (Paul Giamatti) finds his sympathy toward Eisenheim growing, despite his formal obligations to the powerful prince. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

  • Release date:August 18, 2006

Awards

Awarded by
Nominee
Category
Year
Status
Independent Spirit Awards Neil Burger Best Screenplay 2006 Nominee
Costume Guild Awards Ngila Dickson Best Costumes in a Period Film 2006 Nominee
Broadcast Film Critics Association Philip Glass Best Score 2006 Winner
New York Film Critics Online Philip Glass Best Score 2006 Winner
Online Film Critics Association Philip Glass Best Original Score 2006 Nominee
San Diego Film Critics Association Dick Pope Best Cinematography 2006 Winner
New York Film Critics Online Dick Pope Best Cinematography 2006 Winner
American Society of Cinematographers Dick Pope Best Cinematography 2006 Nominee
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Dick Pope Best Cinematography 2006 Nominee

Cast

Edward Norton
as Eisenheim
Paul Giamatti
as Chief Inspector Uhl
Jessica Biel
as Duchess Sophie von Teschen
Rufus Sewell
as Crown Prince Leopold
Eddie Marsan
as Josef Fischer
Jake Wood
as Jurka
Tom Fisher
as Willigut
Karl Johnson
as Doctor/Old Man
Aaron Johnson
as Young Eisenheim
Eleanor Tomlinson
as Young Sophie

Crew

Neil Burger
Director
David Levien
Producer
Brian Koppelman
Producer
Cathy Schulman
Producer
Bob Yari
Producer
Michael London
Producer
Neil Burger
Screenwriter
Dick Pope
Cinematographer
Philip Glass
Composer (Music Score)
Naomi Geraghty
Editor
Ondrej Nekvasil
Production Designer
Stefan Kovacik
Art Director
Vlasta Svoboda
Art Director
Thomas Karnowski
Co-producer
Matthew Stillman
Co-producer
Joey Horvitz
Executive Producer
Jane Garnett
Executive Producer
Tom Nunan
Executive Producer
Ted Liebowitz
Executive Producer
Petra Habova
Set Decorator
Ngila Dickson
Costume Designer
Petr Forejt
Sound/Sound Designer
Kieron Phipps
First Assistant Director
Jan Mensik
First Assistant Director
Tricia Wood
Casting
Deborah Aquila
Casting
Nina Gold
Casting
Viktor Muller
Visual Effects Supervisor
Rudolf Tudzaroff
Special Effects Supervisor
Steven Millhauser
Short Story Author
Michael Weber
Technical Advisor
Ricky Jay
Technical Advisor
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