"The illusionist"

In the turn of the Twentieth Century, in Vienna, the teenager Eduard Abramovich is the son of a cabinetmaker that becomes fascinated with magic. While practicing some tricks on the streets, he meets the upper-class Sophie, they become friends and later they fall in love for each other. When they are separated by Sophie's family, the broken-hearted Eduard travels to the Far East and fifteen years later he returns to Vienna as a famous illusionist with a different name, Eisenheim. While performing a show in the presence of the ambitious and ruthless Crown Prince Leopold and the corrupt Inspector Uhl, Sophie volunteers for a trick on the stage and they immediately recognize each other. The flame of their passion bursts, but Sophie is engaged of Leopold, as part of his political game to be crowned king with the support of Hungary in a coup d'état against his father. Sophie and Eisenheim plan to runaway together, but when the drunken Leopold discloses their intention, he apparently kills Sophie. The grieving Eisenheim brings his Chinese acquaintances and performs an amazing show, where nothing is what it seems