Stage magicians set us up to be fooled. They use misdirection, sleight of hand, and our own expectations. We eagerly want to be fooled, to know full well that what we see cannot possibly be real, but experience its reality in spite of that. This allows us a sense of awe – in part at the mystery of it, in part at the skill of the magician, and in part at our own gullibility at being taken in.
The Illusionist is its own magic show. It sets the viewer up to be deceived. It uses all the tricks a magician keeps up his sleeve, then it sends us on our way marveling at what a good time we’ve had being fooled. The film spins an entertaining tale of love and political intrigue (although the love story could have used a bit more development). It has beautiful locations, a nice score by Philip Glass and well done performances. It also is the kind of film to challenge the viewer with a plot that requires attention and thought.
It tells the story of Eisenheim, a magician that has captivated turn of the century Vienna. We learn that as a young boy, he had a friendship with Sophie. But Sophie was of the manor house; he was a peasant. They dreamed of going off together, but instead they were kept apart. The boy goes off to see the world and learn magic and returns many years later as Eisenheim the Illusionist with a stage show so well received that the Crown Prince Leopold comes with his almost fiancée, Sophie. Soon the two old friends are plotting to run off together once more. But tragedy lies ahead. (Along with plot twists that are best left unspoiled.)
The art of illusion is to hide what is really happening. That is the key metaphor of The Illusionist. Eisenheim cleverly hides things in his show. Even when questioned by Chief Inspector Uhl, he keeps his professional secrets. But there are secrets and illusions far more serious going on in Vienna. The Crown Prince is setting up Machiavellian mechanizations to depose his father and steal the empire. Outwardly, he is the epitome of law and order, but behind the scenes, he is manipulating people and events for his own purposes.
Leopold is one of those who doesn’t want to be awed by illusions. He wants everything to be explainable. He feels it his duty to try to explain away everything Eisenheim does on stage. When others say they want to be entertained by the tricks, he points out that Eisenheim is trying to deceive them while he himself is trying to enlighten them and asks which is the nobler undertaking?
But Eisenheim applies that same principle of enlightenment to Leopold’s illusions. As he discovers the prince’s plans, Eisenheim sets up a grand illusion that has the potential of bringing down the prince and all his scheming. It is a dangerous game as Eisenheim takes on a much more powerful opponent in the prince – an opponent who has no qualms about destroying those in his way. Eisenheim’s illumination of the prince’s hidden tricks is indeed a noble undertaking. Through Eisenheim’s illusions, he exposes the prince’s illusions for what they really are.
One of the key differences between Eisenheim and Leopold is that Eisenheim is honest about his illusions. He declares publicly that they are tricks, that what the audience sees is not real. Leopold, on the other hand, pretends that he has no illusions.
Certainly the illusions of a stage magician can be entertaining, but the illusions used by the powerful can be very threatening. World affairs are filled with illusions – spin, false intelligence, misdirection, exploiting our fears and prejudices. Often such illusions are necessary. Often they are abused to lead people into paths that lead away from truth and into destruction.
Perhaps the most dangerous illusions are the ones we have of ourselves, because we never even know they are illusions. We place ourselves at the center of the universe, convinced that our needs and wants supersede those of other people. We trick ourselves into believing that we have no need for others or for God. Such illusions also lead to destruction.
The gift that Eisenheim brings to Vienna (and The Illusionist brings to us) is the chance to see that reality is easily manipulated by those skilled at doing so. At times that manipulation can be entertaining and even liberating. If not seen to be the trick that it is, however, it can lead to despair and misery.
