The Illusionist

The Illusionist Quotes

In turn-of-the-century Vienna, a magician uses his abilities to secure the love of a woman far above his social standing.

Eisenheim: From the moment we enter this live we are in the flow of it. We measure it and We mock it, but we cannot defy it. We cannot even speed it up or slow it down. Or can we? Have we not each experienced the sensation that a beautiful moment seemed to pass to quickly, and wished that we could make it linger? Or felt time slow on a dull day, and wished that we could speed things up a bit?
Eisenheim: Everything you have seen here has been an illusion.
Eisenheim: I was meant to return... I just... I kept thinking I'll find around the next corner...
Sophie: What?
Eisenheim: A real mystery. I saw remarkable things but the only mystery I never solved was... why my heart couldn't let go of you.
[last lines]
[the illusionist's voice in the inspector's memory]
Eisenheim: Everything you've seen is an illusion, it's a trick.
Chief Inspector Uhl: Then why are you doing this?
Eisenheim: To be with her.
Crown Prince Leopold: You're late.
Chief Inspector Uhl: My apologies, your Highness. I was attending to loose ends of the case.
Crown Prince Leopold: Are there still loose ends?
Chief Inspector Uhl: Very few.
Crown Prince Leopold: Did he do it again?
[Uhl nods]
Crown Prince Leopold: How does he do it?
Chief Inspector Uhl: I'm afraid I still don't know.
Crown Prince Leopold: Did you ask him?
Chief Inspector Uhl: He's not talking at this point.
Crown Prince Leopold: Well, I'm sure you have methods for that kind of thing. I want you to put an end to it. Surely you have something on him. Something from his past?
Crown Prince Leopold: I want you to put and end to it.
Chief Inspector Uhl: Promise me you won't do it again.
Eisenheim: I promise you you'll enjoy this next show.
Crown Prince Leopold: What do you want?
Chief Inspector Uhl: Nothing.
Crown Prince Leopold: Then you shall get nothing.
Eisenheim: Why don't you leave him?
Sophie: It's not that easy.
Sophie: What did you do to him?
Eisenheim: I gave him what he asked for.
Sophie: What possessed you to do something so foolish?
Crown Prince Leopold: Well done.
Eisenheim: Thank you for coming. I hope you enjoyed it.
Crown Prince Leopold: Oh, we more than enjoyed it. Stimulated great debate among us, hasn't it? Except of course for your assistant Duchess Von Teschen. You seem to have struck her quite speechless. A feat in itself. Did you hypnotize her?
Eisenheim: In a fashion.
Crown Prince Leopold: I'd like to learn that trick. Rainer here seems to think you have supernatural powers. Do you claim supernatural powers?
Eisenheim: I've never said anything of that kind.
Crown Prince Leopold: Then you won't mind a question or two?
Sophie: Now let's not ruin it.
Crown Prince Leopold: You needn't divulge anything I can't guess.
Eisenheim: As you wish.
Crown Prince Leopold: Your assistants are behind the mirrors somewhere, in robes obviously. Lights in the frame perhaps to illuminate them, or angled mirrors.
Eisenheim: That would be one way to do it.
Crown Prince Leopold: I think I understand it all except the ghost. That was very, very good.
Josef Fischer: Another viewing, perhaps?
Crown Prince Leopold: You must come to the Hofburg next time. We'll make an evening of it.
Eisenheim: That would be my pleasure.
Crown Prince Leopold: So be it.
[motions to Sophie]
Crown Prince Leopold: Sophie?
[leaves with Sophie, then turns]
Crown Prince Leopold: And we'll gather our best minds next time. You'll really have a challenge then.
Eisenheim: Then I shall prepare something special. Perhaps I'll make you disappear.
Josef Fischer: Life and death. Space and time. Fate and chance. Theses are the forces of the universe. Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you a man who has unlocked these mysteries. From the furthest corners of the world where the dark arts still hold sway he returns to us to demonstrate how nature's laws may be bent. I give you Eisenheim.
Sophie: Then why did you speak to me? Why did you even bother talking...
Eisenheim: [goes forward and passionately kisses her]
Crown Prince Leopold: He has tricked you, it is all an illusion!
Chief Inspector Uhl: Perhaps there is truth in this illusion.
Crown Prince Leopold: How do I look?
Chief Inspector Uhl: Ordinary, sir. Very ordinary.
Young Eisenheim: [When showing Young Sophie the locket he made for her] There's a secret way to open it.
Chief Inspector Uhl: [pacing] Eisenheim, I don't want to arrest you. I'm a cynical man, God knows... but if your manifestations are somehow real... then even I'm willing to admit, you're a very special person. And if it's a trick, then it's equally impressive. Either way, you have a gift. So don't make me put you in jail!
Chief Inspector Uhl: As a boy, I'm told, he had a chance encounter with a traveling magician.
Traveling Magician: Boy!
Chief Inspector Uhl: One version of the story was that the man himself then vanished. Along with the tree! Who knows what actually happened.
Chief Inspector Uhl: You know, I have seen things like this before... but never one like that.
Spiritualist Leader: [Regarding Eisenheim's latest stage performance, in which he conjured up lifelike apparitions of dead people] With these spirits, these manifestations, Eisenheim has given us hard proof of the soul's immortality. The spirit has been reaffirmed in the face of modern scientific materialism. The work of spiritualism will rouse humanity to a new moral earnestness! It is a revolutionary movement and we will turn the Empire into a spiritual republic.
Chief Inspector Uhl: As you know... we some times follow Duchess Von Teschen for her protection... Yesterday she was seen in the company of another man...
Crown Prince Leopold: What man?
Chief Inspector Uhl: Eisenheim, the illusionist.
Crown Prince Leopold: What were they doing?
Chief Inspector Uhl: Well they were meeting and uh...
Crown Prince Leopold: Touching? Kissing?... Fornicating?
Eisenheim: Do you know me?
Sophie: No.
Eisenheim: Are you quite certain that we've never met?
Sophie: Yes, of course.
Chief Inspector Uhl: You don't know that.
Eisenheim: No. But you do.
Eisenheim: I thought we might end this evening with a discussion of the soul. All of the greatest religions speak of the soul's endurance before the end of life. So what then does it mean to die?
Crown Prince Leopold: Has he tricked you? Is that it?
Chief Inspector Uhl: No, Your Highness.
Crown Prince Leopold: Then why are you failing me? I thought I could trust you. I thought you were a man I could bring with me when I took the throne. Am I wrong about you?
Chief Inspector Uhl: No. You're not wrong, Your Highness. No.
Crown Prince Leopold: [shouting and gesticulating] I need men who can complete the tasks assigned to them!
Crown Prince Leopold: [Now calmly and quietly] Instead I am surrounded by fools. In the end I must do everything myself. I can see this case will be no different.
Chief Inspector Uhl: In the name of his Imperial Majesty in the city of Vienna, I hereby arrest Edward Abramovich, also known as Eisenheim The Illusionist, on charges of disturbing public order, charlatanism and threats against the empire.
[first lines]
woman in audience: It's her. I know it's her! She wants to tell us something.
Chief Inspector Uhl: As a boy, I'm told, he had a chance encounter with a travelling magician. One version of the story was that the man himself vanished... along with the tree. People began to think he had some sort of special power... or at least that he was a bit different. And then he met her.
Crown Prince Leopold: And you? Can you even bear children? Are you any use at all?
Young Sophie: Make us disappear!
Eisenheim: My intention has only been to entertain, nothing more.
Eisenheim: [Angrily] Are you completely corrupt?
Chief Inspector Uhl: No, not completely, which is why I'll advise you not to accuse anyone.
Crown Prince Leopold: I know you've been with him.
Sophie: It has nothing to do with you.
Crown Prince Leopold: It has EVERYTHING to do with me!

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