Fantastic little movie.

Rating: 7/10 (17 September 2006)

Its so nice to see American actors acting superbly. The best kind of film. So a big fat middle finger to all the blinkered casting directors who cast so many mediocre English actors in American films. (Particularly applies to the casting of Pirates2.)
The lighting in this film is absolutely amazing. Basically there's a big oval of yellow light that hogs the centre of most scenes and the actors do their thing around its periphery. So, so clever and effective. It makes the film seem like it was made in the 1800s.
The Illusionist is a costume drama. I'm not sure about the plot...would a duchess really give up her privileged position to go live in a farmhouse in a field somewhere with the son of a cabinet maker. Well the answer is yes if she loves horses which she obviously does.
The music is also good but I like the music to most films anyway. I say this again. Norton and Giametti are totally excellent in this film. Norton never overacts as far as I can tell.
Poor Crown Prince. He was completely correct. A man undone by gossip and a sense of honour which is something Eisenheim certainly doesn't have.
In fact the Illusionist is a great deal more ruthless than the Crown Prince. And that really is the only flaw in the story.