Vienna, 1900: Eisenheim (Norton) is a brilliant stage magician, the greatest illusionist Vienna has ever seen. When his childhood friendship with Duchess Sophie von Teschen (Beil), now betrothed to the power-hungry Crown Prince Leopold (Sewell), is rekindled he finds himself a target for the Prince's anger. As the Clandestine romance continues, Leopold orders the shrewd Chief Inspector Uhl (Giamatti), the head of the secret police, to close down the theatre and make Eisenheim vanish. But as the net tightens around him and tragedy, Eisenheim prepares to execute his greatest illusion yet.