This evening, in prime time on Iris, The Prestige by Christopher Nolan will return to enchant audiences. Based on Christopher Priest’s novel of the same name, this 2006 film explores the depths of human rivalry and the lengths to which one will go in pursuit of success. Considered by many to be Nolan’s true masterpieceThe Prestige It is not only a tribute to the art of illusionism, but also a profound reflection on cinema as a means of entertainment.
The film intelligently mixes fiction and history, inserting real characters such as Tesla and Chung Ling Soo. The choice of the latter is not at all accidental. Here is his story.
What is The Prestige about?
Set in Victorian London, The Prestige tells the story of two rival illusionists: Robert Angier (played by Hugh Jackman) e Alfred Borden (Christian Bale). At first, the two work together as apprentices, but a tragic accident during a show causes the death of Angier’s wife, sparking a rivalry that will last for years. Both magicians devote themselves body and soul to creating the perfect illusion, in a no-holds-barred challenge that will lead them to sacrifice everything they hold dear.
Christopher Nolan, intreccia in The Prestige themes such as obsession, sacrifice and identity. The film explores how much the protagonists are willing to lose in order to emerge as the best illusionist, posing profound questions about the value of success and the nature of deception. To learn more about the film’s ending, here is our dedicated article.
The true story behind The Prestige
One of the most intriguing aspects of The Prestige is its connection to the story of the magician Chung Ling Soo, briefly depicted in the film. Chung Ling Sooin fact, was the stage persona of William Ellsworth Robinson, an American illusionist who, to exploit Western audiences’ interest in the exotic, assumed the identity of a Chinese magician. Born in 1861, Robinson lived as Chung Ling Soo for nineteen years, never breaking character in public. He spoke only through an interpreter and was devoted to keeping his secret, so much so that even in the most informal settings he played the role of the Chinese magician.
The public was shocked when, after his death, it was discovered that Chung Ling Soo was not Chinese at all. Robinson’s tragic end came on March 24, 1918, during one of his most famous performances, the “bullet catcher”. This trick involved the magician stopping a bullet fired from a rifle with his hands. However, that evening something went wrong: the secret mechanism protecting Robinson failed and the bullet struck him fatally. His last words, “My God, they shot me“, were spoken in English, breaking his public persona for the first time in nineteen years.
The revelation of Chung Ling Soo’s true identity shocked the public. For years they had believed they were witnessing a truly exotic show, only to discover that it had all been a hoax. However, among professional magicians, the true identity Robinson’s identity was well known. A year before his death, magician Will Goldston had declared that the public would never question his identity because “he gives them what they like, not what he likes“.
While we will watch The Prestige tonight, it will be fascinating to think about how deeply fictional stories are intertwined with historical reality. Chung Ling Soo’s story reminds us that behind every great illusion there is often a sacrifice hidden from the eyes of the audience. The magic of cinema and illusionism lies in their ability to make us question what we see and what we believe. And The Prestige It’s a perfect example of how reality and fiction are often so intensely interconnected. Keep following us on CiakClub.it
