Ch 38: Because It Might Be Something Only He Is Prepared To Do (The Prestige - Part III)

Saturday, 10th May, 2008

{3rd Person POV}

It's been a month since the filming for 'The Prestige' began. Oliver and Co had managed to film 80-85% of the film, with mostly zero setbacks. They filmed for an average of 12-14 hours a day, and sometimes, over 15 hours.

And just like any other day, the filming started with the lighting and props department placing down their equipment, while the make-up department prepared the actors as they read their lines.

Today, they were filming the scene where Borden argues that they should use the Langford Double, to which both Angier and Cutter are against. Oliver wanted this to be a long take with as little stops as possible.

Because Oliver would be acting as Angier, he let the Assistant Director Grant Horn direct the scene as he had faith in him and his potential.

The scene had already begun shooting, and the actors, especially Oliver, had become their characters.

"What about something fresh? He won't even try a bullet catch-" Borden said, complaining about their employer Milton's reluctance to try out any new magic tricks.

"Bullet catch is suicide." Interrupted an old, yet soothing voice.

The three of them; Borden, Angier and Julia looked at the location the voice came from. It was Cutter, standing in the doorway and counting the money.

"All it takes is a smart-arse volunteer dropping a button down the barrel…" He continued.

"Use plants-" Borden argued, talking about using him and Angier disguised as audience members.

"He can't use plants for every trick." Cutter said.

"There'd be no seats left for the punters." Julia said, joining the argument.

"Fine- No bullet catch." Borden said, admitting his defeat. "But a real magician tries to invent something new, something other magicians scratch their heads over while trying to figure it out!"

"Then they sell it to other magicians for a small fortune." Cutter explained as he handed Angier his payment. "I suppose you have such a trick, Mr. Borden?"

"Actually, yeah, I do." Borden revealed.

"Care to sell it then?" Cutter asked slyly.

"No one other than me can do this trick." Borden proclaimed.

"I could." Angier chimed in.

Borden turns to Angier, and in an irritated tone, says, "You don't even know what it is."

"Show it to me twice, and I'll do it." Angier said confidently.

Cutter looks at Borden thoughtfully, and then turns towards Angier. "I admire your spirit, Mr. Angier, but if Borden here has really invented his masterpiece, it might actually be something only he can do."

Angier furrows his brows, and asks in an irritated tone, "Why?"

"Because it might be something only he is prepared to do." Cutter explains, and gestures at the props laying behind him. "My illusions employer, Mr. Milton, is a very skilled showman. But Borden's right- he won't get his hands dirty, even a little. If you want to see what it takes to create real magic, then go to Tenley. There's a Chinaman there who's got what you're looking for."

"Chung Ling Soo." Angier mutters the name of the magician.

"I know a lad on the door. You two, go and watch his show. Whoever tells me first how he does his goldfish bowl trick gets a prize."

"Which is?" Angier asked, quite excited about the prize.

Cutter gives the two young men a sly smile, and reveals the prize, "Ten minutes onstage in front of my old friend, Mr. Ackerman."

Both Angier and Borden prick up at the name "Ackerman".

"Who's Ackerman?" Julia asks, not completely in the know-how of showman business.

"The most powerful theatrical agent in London." Borden explains to her.

Cutter holds out his hand holding cash to Borden. Borden reaches for Cutter's hand, but Cutter grabs his arm and looks at him seriously.

"I saw you drop the knot again, Borden." Cutter scolds Borden.

"I think I had my wrists turned-" Julia jumps in to save Borden, but she gets ignored completely by Cutter.

"Some nights you just can't get it, can you? If that knot slips when Julia's on the hoist above the tank she'll fall and break a leg."

"It's the wrong knot that we're tying. A Langford Double is much tighter and would hold her perfectly." Borden argued.

"The Langford Double is not a wet knot. It'd be too dangerous. The ropes would swell and she'll never slip them off-"

"I can slip a Landford underwater." Julia defensively said.

"We've been practising it-"

"He said no, don't you get that?" Angier interrupted. Julia glances at Angier, who is against her idea.

"No more mistakes." Cuter says to Borden.

Borden stares at Cutter for a while before leaving. Angier, too, looks at him leaving.

"Where's he from?" Angier asks Cutter about Borden.

"Where are you from?" Cutter asks him instead.

Angier smiles a little and nods, "Fair enough." He mutters.

"He shuffles props for Virgil at the Hall." Cutter revealed.

"He works for another magician? Aren't you worried that he'll steal your tricks or something?" Angier asked, suspicion laced in his voice.

Cutter shakes his head and explains, "He doesn't deal in methods like that."

"How do you know?" Angier asks, his eyebrows furrowed.

Cutter smiles slyly at Angier, and reveals, "Because I hired him to try and find out the secret to Virgil's orange trick." He reveals.

Angier widens his eyes for a second, but immediately goes back to his suspicious attitude towards Borden. "I don't know If I trust him or not.:

"He's a natural magician. Of course you can trust him!"

"I think he's alright." Julia chimes in.

Angier turns towards her, and smiles, "You think everyone's alright."

"Even you." She says and kisses him on the cheek.

Cutter stands up to leave. "And Mr. Angier," He begins.

Angier looks up at Cutter.

"Learn to control yourself. If I can see you sneaking a peck on your wife's ankle from the wings, then the blokes sitting on each end of rows 3 and 4 can too."

Angier opens his mouth to retaliate, but then closes it and just nods in acknowledgement.

"Cut!" Grant shouted.

Oliver quickly walked to the cameraman, and checked the recording.

"This is really good." Oliver commented. "Don't think there's any need for a retake."

"Really?" Michael asked, a bit surprised.

Generally, it'd take at least 3-4 takes before a director is satisfied. This either meant that Oliver had low standards, which was obviously not true, or that the actors were really talented, something much more believable.

But the thing is, just a talented actor isn't enough for a scene to be good. After all, actorsed guidance too; they can't do anything on their own before being told what to do.

Michael just chalked it up to Oliver being good at guiding the actors, and himself being a good actor that it only took them 1 or 2 takes.

For the rest of the day, they did some small scenes and afterwards, went back home.

***

Monday, 11th May, 2008

Inside of Angier's workshop, Angier is talking to Cutter as Olivia watches from the side.

"Did they applaud when you went to see the show?" Angier asks Cutter about the audience's reaction to Borden's rubber ball trick.

"Not very enthusiastically." Cutter replies.

Angier turns towards Cuter, as he begins talking about Borden's trick.

"The trick is too good- too simple. The audience hardly knows what they've seen."

"He's a dreadful magician." Angier compliments Borden, something very rare for him.

"He's a wonderful magician- but he's a dreadful showman. He doesn't know how to dress his trick up, how to sell the trick."

"How does it do it?" Angier asks, far more concerned about knowing Borden's secret than his faults.

"He uses a double." Cutter says.

Angier shakes his head in disapproval. "No, no, it's not that simple. This is a complex illusion."

"You think that because you don't know the method." Cutter explains. "It's a double that comes out at the end. It's the only possible way."

"I've seen his performance three times now, Mr. Cutter- the one at the Prestige is the same man."

"It's not-" Cutter refutes, but gets cut off by Angier.

"The same man comes out of the second cabinet. I promise you that that's the truth."

"It is the same man." Olivie interrupts the two, giving them her own thought process and also supporting Angier. Both Angier and Cutter turn to look at Olivia, who continues and provides evidence for her belief. "He wears padded gloves to hide his damaged fingers, but if you look closely, you can tell that it's the same man."

Angier looks at Cutter smugly.

"Borden doesn't know how to sell his trick to an audience, but I do."

Cutter nods at Angier's words. "It would give us our climax."

"That man stole my life, and I'm going to steal his trick." Angier said in a hateful voice.

"We'll have to find someone who can look like you on the stage first then."

"He doesn't use a double-"

"I don't know how Borden does it, Robert. So either you wait for Borden to retire and buy his secret, or listen to how I would do this trick." Cutter said in an annoyed tone.

Angier nods, not wanting to anger Cutter more than he already had.

"And the only way I know is to get you a bloody double." Cutter concluded.

Angier smiles, and then turns to Olivia and points at his face. "Take a good look. Let's get out there and find me."

~~~

A/N: This is the first chapter since ch 31 to be under 2k words, which is kinda crazy when you think about it.

Anyways, I watched 'For A Few Dollars More', and I'd rate it like a 7.5/10. Good but not as good as people make it out to be.

I also watched 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly', and I have to say, it's an AMAZING film! You can really tell that the budget was really large for this one, and Tuco's character is great! Although Angel Eyes is a cool character, he barely has 10 minutes of screen time in a 3 hour film (I watched the 177 minute cut)

For me, a 9/10.

P.S: One more of the filming chapters and then we'll be back to normal stuff.

Anyways, see ya later alligator!