The Prestige

Cutter: "Every great magic trick consists of three parts or acts. The first part is called "The Pledge". The magician shows you something ordinary: a deck of cards, a bird or a man. He shows you this object. Perhaps he asks you to inspect it to see if it is indeed real, unaltered, normal. But of course... it probably isn't. The second act is called "The Turn". The magician takes the ordinary something and makes it do something extraordinary. Now you're looking for the secret... but you won't find it, because of course you're not really looking. You don't really want to know. You want to be fooled. But you wouldn't clap yet. Because making something disappear isn't enough; you have to bring it back. That's why every magic trick has a third act, the hardest part, the part we call "The Prestige"."

The Story

It all begins in rapidly changing, turn-of-the-century London. At a time when magicians are idols and celebrities of the highest order, two young magicians set out to carve their own paths to fame. The flashy, sophisticated Robert Angier is a consummate entertainer, while the rough-edged purist Alfred Borden is a creative genius who lacks the panache to showcase his magical ideas. They start out as admiring friends and partners. But when their biggest trick goes terribly awry, they become enemies for life--each intent on outdoing and upending the other. Trick by trick, show by show, their ferocious competition builds until it knows no bounds, even utilizing the fantastical new powers of electricity and the scientific brilliance of radical inventor Nikola Tesla--while the lives of everyone around them hang in the balance.

Cast

Hugh Jackman ..................... Robert Angier
Christian Bale ....................... Alfred Borden
Michael Caine .................................... Cutter
Piper Perabo ... Julia McCullough / Angier
Rebecca Hall ......................... Sarah Borden
Scarlett Johansson ..... Olivia Wenscombe
Samantha Mahurin ................. Jess Borden
David Bowie ........................... Nikola Tesla
Andy Serkis ......................................... Alley
Daniel Davis ....................................... Judge
Jim Piddock ................................ Prosecutor
Christopher Neame ...................... Defender
Mark Ryan ....................................... Captain
Roger Rees ......................................... Owens
Jamie Harris .......................... Sullen Warder

[last lines]
Cutter: "Now you're looking for the secret... but you won't find it because you're not really looking. You don't really want to know the secret... You want to be fooled."