The Prestige: Opening Scene

FADE IN:

TOP HATS. Clustered in a small glade. As we SUPER TITLES,
a BLACK CAT slinks its way through them. As TITLES END-

BORDEN (V.O.)
Are you watching closely?

A SECOND BLACK CAT races into frame, HISSING, SPITTING,
CHASING the first cat into the woods beyond and we-

INT. CLUTTERED WORKSHOP -- DAY

Moving along a row of CANARIES in CAGES.

CUTTER (V.O.)
Every magic trick consists of three part, or acts...

Stop at a cage. Weathered HANDS envelope the canary. Hands
and voice belongs to a man in his 60's- CUTTER.

CUTTER (V.O.) (CONT'D)
The first part is called the Pledge...

A LITTLE GIRL pershes on a chest in the workshop, watching.

CUTTER (V.O.) (CONT'D)
...the magician shows you something ordinary-

Cutter moves to a small ORNATE CAGE resting on a prop table.

CUTTER (V.O.) (CONT'D)
A deck of cards, ar a bird...

INT. SCALA THEATRE, LONDON -- NIGHT

A packed house. Many hands raised. Move in on a BEARDED MAN,
his gloved hand tentatively rising into the air.

CUTTER (V.O.)
...or a man.

A GLAMOROUS ASSISTANT beckons Bearded Man from the aisle. He
shuffles along his row towards her. Embarrassed.

CUTTER (V.O.) (CONT'D)
He show you this object, and pledges to you its utter normality...

Bearded Man and four other VOLUNTEERS follow the Assistant
down towards the stage...

CUT TO:

On which stands the magician, leaning on his cane, smiling. This is ROBERT ANGIER, 35, an American. Looming over him is a large and complex ELETRICAL MACHINE.

CUTTER (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Perhaps he asks you to inspect it...

Bearded Man, FASCINATED, and other Volunteers look over
the vast machine. As Angier GESTURES theatrically at the
various features of the metal and glass apparatus.

CUTTER (V.O.) (CONT'D)
...to see that it is indeed real...

As the Assistant leads the Volunteers off the stage, Bearded
Man slips through the gap at the side of the curtains-

CUTTER (V.O.) (CONT'D)
...unaltered...

INT. STAGE THEATRE, BACKSTAGE -- CONTINUOUS

-looks around, DISORIENTED, then darts for some stairs leading
below stage where he runs into a burly STAGEHAND.

CUTTER (V.O.)
...normal.

STAGEHAND
Where'd you think you're going?!

CUTTER (V.O.)
But, of course, it probably isn't...

Bearded Man pulls off his beard, revealing the face of ALFRED
BORDEN, mid 30's.

BEARDED MAN
I'm part of the act, you fool!

The Stagehand raises his eyebrows and steps aside. Borden
RACES down below the stage. Cutter approaches the Stagehand.

CUTTER
Who was that?

INT. SCALA THEATRE, ONSTAGE -- CONTINUOUS

As the machine GROANS to life. SPARKING and CRACKLING, Angier
gazes at it, forgettig his audience. Entranced. Possessed.

INT. BENEATH THE STAGE -- CONTINUOUS

Borden fumbles through the darkned area, lit by flashes and
sparks through gaps in the boards of the stage above. He
GASPS as a flash illuminates a STAGEHAND with SOLID WHITE
EYES sitting nearby. Borden waves a hand in front of the stagehand's eyes.

INT. WORKSHOP -- DAY

Cutter gently places the canary into the ornate cage.

CUTTER (V.O.)
The second act is called the Turn...

INT. SCALA THEATRE, ONSTAGE -- NIGHT

Angier, facing the audience, steps into the machine.

CUTTER (V.O.)
The magician takes the ordinary something...

INT. BENEATH THE STAGE -- CONTINUOUS

Borden lights a MATCH. In front of him is a LARGE GLASS TANK FILLED WITH WATER, ITs LID PROPPED OPEN. Borden frowns.

CUTTER (V.O.)
...and makes it do something extraordinary.

INT. WORKSHOP -- DAY

Cutter places a SILK SHAWL over the cage. Then SLAMS his
hands down on the shawl, which FLATTENS- The Little Girl
FLINCHES. Then STARES, FASCINATED.

CUTTER (V.O.)
Now you're looking for the secret.

INT. SCALA THEATRE, ONSTAGE -- NIGHT

Bolts of electicity draw inwards, wrapping Angier in a ball
of light which CRACKS-

CUTTER (V.O.)
But you won't find it...

INT. BENEATH THE STAGE -- CONTINUOUS

The ROOM fills with light as a TRAPDOOR snaps open and a
BODY DROPS INTO THE TANK.

CUTTER (V.O.)
Because of course, you're not really looking...

The lid of the tank and trapdoor above SNAP SHUT, leaving
the tank, and Borden, in complete DARKNESS.

CUTTER (V.O.) (CONT'D)
...you don't really want to know.

INT. WORKSHOP -- DAY

Cutter WHIPS the shawl from the table. Cage and bird have
DISAPPEARED.

CUTTER (V.O.)
...you want to be fooled.

The Little Girl stares, EXPECTANT.

CUTTER (V.O.) (CONT'D)
But you couldn't clap yet. Because
making something disappear isn't
enough... you have to bring it back.

INT. SCALA THEATRE, ONSTAGE -- CONTINUOUS

The MACHINE sputters to a stop. Angier is GONE. The audience
sits, WAITING.

CUTTER (V.O.)
That's why every magic trick has a third act. The hardest part...

INT. WORKSHOP -- DAY

Cutter forms a fist. Drapes the shawl over it.

CUTTER (V.O.)
...the part we call...

Cutter WHIPS the shawl away to reveal- the CANARY. The
Little Girl CLAPS.

LINT. BENEATH THE STAGE -- NIGHT

Borden LIGHTS another match. Stares in HORROR-

CUTTER (V.O.)
...The Prestige.

Inside the tank, ANGIER IS DROWNING. His rolling EYES fixes
on BORDEN, he POUNDS desperately on the thick glass, SCREAMING BUBBLES... The screen fades to BLACK.

PROSECUTOR (V.O.)
The Prestige...?

INT. COURTROOM -- DAY

The PROSECUTOR turns to face the witness in the box: Cutter.

PROSECUTOR
And did Robert Angier, the Great
Danton, your employer, get to that
final part of his trick that night?

CUTTER
No, sir. Something went wrong.

PROSECUTOR
What went wrong?

CUTTER
I saw a someone head below the
stage... I followed... and I found
Borden-

Cutter points at the dock: Borden is there, CHAINED TO THE
FLOOR. FLANKED BY GUARDS. Cutter POINTS.

CUTTER (CONT'D)
-watching Mr. Angier drown in a tank.

PROSECUTOR
Would you describe your occupation
to the jury please, Mr.Cutter?

CUTTER
I'm an ingeneur. I design illusions and construct the apparatus necessary for perfoming them.

PROSECUTOR
And for how long had you been
Mr.Angier's "ingeneur"?

CUTTER
Eight years. I was privvy to the
secrets of his entire act.

PROSECUTOR
So, Mr.Cutter, was this water-filled
tank beneath the stage part of
Mr.Angier's illusion- the illusion
billed as "THE REAL TRANSPORTED MAN"?

CUTTER
No, sir. The tank had been used for
the first trick, then taken offstage.
Borden must have put it under the
trap door after the interval.

Cutter looks across at Borden, who is absently tapping his
hand against the rail- it is MUTILATED, MISSING 2 1/2 FINGERS.
The DEFENDER STANDS.

DEFENDER
How large was this tank?

CUTTER
The sort of tank used for underwater
escapes- four or five hundred gallons.

DEFENDER
How do you think Mr.Borden was able
to move the tank under the trap door
without anyone noticing?

CUTTER
Ask him- he's the magician.

Titters from the gallery. The Defenser turns to the JUDGE.

DEFENDER
(impatient)
I ask again that this man explain the mechanics of Mr.Angier's illusion.

CUTTER
(angry)
If I reveal my magician's secrets
here in open court, I'll be
unemployable and the secrets will be
worthless. The Real Transported Man
is the most sought-after illusion in
the business and I have te right to
sell it on.

The Judge considers this. He looks at Cutter. Sympathetic.

JUDGE
Mr.Cutter, I see your predicament
but we are talking about a capital
offence- Alfred Borden's life hangs
in the balance.

Cutter looks down. Quiet.

JUDGE (CONT'D)
If you were prepared to disclose the
details to me in private, I might be
able to judge their relevance to the
case.
(addresses lawyers)
Might this be an acceptable
compromise?

Amid murmurs of assent, the Judge ADJOURNS the proceedings.
As the Guards begin the complex ritual of unlocking Borden's
chainsa from the floor, Borden's looks across the courtroom:
The LITTLE GIRL from the opening stands in the gallery,
looking back at him. Borden gives her a little WAVE. She
waves back, then is GUIDED OUT by a man wearing GLOVES and
BOWLER HAT- this is FALLON. He nods at Borden.

EXT. PRISON YARD, NEWGATE PRISON -- DAY

OWENS, 50's a lawyer, stands at the entry gate. The CAPTAIN
of the guard walks out to greet him.

CAPTAIN
I'm going to have to ask you to turn
out your pockets.

Owens raises his eyebrows.

CAPTAIN (CONT'D)
Not my idea, sir. The Warden saw
his show in Manchester last year
where he vanished into thin air-
he's convinced he'll try an escape.

Owens smiles as he hands over his pocket watch ans wallet.
They walk along a hall wrought iron fence. The PRISON looms
over them.

A door in the prison opens and Borden emerges, trussed
absurdly in chains held by two WARDERS. The other INMATES
begin cattle-calling and whistling as Borden is paraded up
to a WOODEN SECTION of the fence.

CAPTAIN (CONT'D)
I told him the only way Borden's
going to disappear is if I leave him
out with the others inmates.

At the fence, the Warders lock the ends of their chains to a
thick eye hook set into the ground.

CAPTAIN (CONT'D)
(to warders)
Check the locks. Twice.

They check the locks. Then retreat to allow privacy. The
Captain marches away. Borden looks at Owens. Bored.

OWENS
My name is Owens- I'm a solicitor.

Borden says nothing.

OWENS (CONT'D)
I represent Lord Caldlow, and
accomplished amateur magician and
historian of magic-

BORDEN
How much?
OWENS
Lord Caldlow is interested in-

BORDEN
How much for my tricks?

OWENS
Five thousand pounds.

BORDEN
Talk to Fallon, my ingenuer- the
money's for him.

OWENS
I did. He offered to sell all of
your tricks... except the most
valuable one - The Transported Man.

BORDEN
I'd never forgive myself for selling
my greatest trick.

Borden signals the Wardens to come and unlock him.

OWENS
Even for your daughter?

Borden looks up. Owens moves closer, quietly assertive.

OWENS (CONT'D)
If the newspapers are right, and
you're for the drop, your daughter's
going to need looking after.

BORDEN
Fallon can take care of-

OWENS
Bernard Fallon? A man with a past
even more obscure than your own?
The court have already motioned to
have the girl removed from his "care".
No, the girl is to be an orphan.
I've been to the work house...

Owens looks around the prison yard. Shrugs.

OWENS (CONT'D)
It's better than this.

Borden looks at Owens, hard. The Warders unlock Borden.

OWENS (CONT'D)
I'm offering you a way to warp up
your affairs with dignity, and I'm
offering your daughter a future. As
Lord Caldlow's ward she will want
for nothing. Ever.
(hands him a card)
Think it over.

Borden absently VANISHES the card as a REFLEX.

OWENS (CONT'D)
Lord Caldlow wanted you to have this-
(produces a leather
bound JOURNAL)
As a show of good faith. He thought
it might be of interest.

A SULLEN WALDER TALKS the journal, flicks through it.

OWENS (CONT'D)
Robert Angier's diary... It includes
the time he spent in Colorado learning
your trick...

Sullen hands the journal to Borden. Borden takes it.

BORDEN
Angier never learned my trick.

OWENS
Really? When he returned from
Colorado he mounted a version of the
Transported Man that the papers said
was better, even...
(with relish)
Than your original.

BORDEN
(acid)
If you want Angier's secret you can
dig him up and ask him for yourself.

Borden TURNS, dragging the Warders with him.

OWENS
I want your secret, Mr.Borden...
(louder)
Consider your daughter!