The Illusionist

In Neil Burger’s 2006 romantic period mystery The Illusionist, set in turn-of-the-century Vienna, Eisenheim (Edward Norton) is a master stage magician whose mesmerizing, seemingly supernatural illusions captivate the city. During a high-profile performance, he re-encounters his childhood love, Duchess Sophie von Teschen (Jessica Biel). Their rekindled romance faces a dangerous obstacle: Sophie is betrothed to Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell), a ruthless, power-hungry heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne with a violent past. When Sophie plans to flee with Eisenheim and is subsequently found murdered, suspicion falls on the volatile Prince. Dedicated Inspector Walter Uhl (Paul Giamatti)—a pragmatic police chief torn between his loyalty to the Crown and his duty to the law—investigates the crime. As Eisenheim uses his stagecraft to summon Sophie's ghost during public performances, he pushes Leopold toward a public breakdown, setting off a high-stakes battle of wits where nothing is quite what it seems.