The Illusionist (2006 film)

The Illusionist is a 2006 American romantic mystery film written and directed by Neil Burger and starring Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, and Jessica Biel. It is based loosely on Steven Millhausers short story, Eisenheim the Illusionist. The film tells the story of Eisenheim, a magician in fin de sicle Vienna, who reunites with his childhood love, a woman far above his social standing. The film also depicts a fictionalized version of the Mayerling Incident.

In Vienna, AustriaHungary, 1889, a magician named Eisenheim Edward Norton is arrested by Chief Inspector Walter Uhl Paul Giamatti of the Vienna Police during a magic show involving necromancy. Later, Uhl explains the story of Eisenheims life to Crown Prince Leopold Rufus Sewell.Eisenheim was born to a peasant cabinetmaker and became interested in magic after meeting a travelling magician. He also fell in love with Sophie, the Duchess of Teschen Eleanor Tomlinson, but the two were forbidden to see each other on account of the former being a peasant. They kept meeting secretly but were caught one day and separated by force. Eisenheim proceeded to study magic by travelling the world, and fifteen years later returned to Vienna to perform. During one performance, he encounters the adult Sophie Jessica Biel and learns that she is expected to marry the Crown Prince Leopold, who, it is rumored, is brutal towards women and in the past even murdered one. Eisenheim conducts a private show for the Crown Prince and humiliates him in the course of it, in response to which the Crown Prince bans him from performing again in Vienna. Eisenheim asks Sophie to flee with him, but Sophie is afraid that they will be executed. Sophie also reveals that the Crown Prince is planning a takeover of the government against his elderly father, the Emperor Franz Joseph I. ........

Source: Wikipedia