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The Illusionist Movie Review

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Actors: Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, Jessica Biel, Rufus Sewell
Review Summary and Plot Commentary about The Illusionist
   In "The Illusionist," set in turn-of-the-century Austria, Edward Norton plays Edward Abramovitz, a lowly furniture maker's son, who reinvents himself as Eisenheim, a popular magician. Eisenheim is so skilled a conjuror that Viennese audiences believe he can bring back the dead.

   The title character's prestidigitation skills attract the attention of the dastardly Crown Price Leopold, who attends one of Eisenheim's shows with his fiancee, Sophie. Eisenheim recognizes her as his childhood sweetheart, and after Sophie discovers Eisenheim's true identity, they rekindle their love for each other. Unfortunately, their trysts are not clandestine; that is, Vienna's chief inpector Uhl, an amateur magician in his own right, is trailing the couple and reports their meetings to Leopold. Eisenheim must then attempt to pull off his greatest feat: wresting Sophie away from Leopold's clutches without tipping his hand to Uhl's deductive skills.

--Elana Starr, Resident Scholar




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Analysis of The Illusionist
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Plot
Time/era of movie: - 1900-1920's
Romance/Love/Hugging Yes
Kind of romance: - love triangle/polygon
Job/Profession/Poverty Story? Yes
Job: - performer or comedian
Strong "rags to riches" component? Yes
Lover is... - of a different social class

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - mage/magician
Age: - 20's-30's
Has magical powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character: - telekinesis - mind control - teleportation - is very quick
Hair color? - brunette (Black)
Hair type - (man) short/standard straight
Events of movie makes character more... - happy
Ethnicity/Nationality - General European
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters

Secondary Main Character
Identity: - Female
Hair color - blonde
Hair style - (woman) long wavey
How much in movie? - 40%
Ethnicity/Nationality - General European

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - Prince/Nobleman/King
Eccentric: Yes - wild - emotionally unstable - obsessed
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - 20%
Hair color - brunette (Black)
Hair type - (man) short/standard straight
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged

Setting
Europe Yes
European country: - General Europe
City? Yes
Small town? Yes
Misc setting - theater

Style
Accounts of torture and death? - explicit references to deaths
Movie makes you feel... - challenged
Sex/nudity in movie? Yes
What kind of sex: - sex under blankets
If soundtrack VERY NOTICEABLE... - Orchestra/classical
Is this movie based on a - book
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Elana Starr  

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