Voila!

Authors: D.W. Dillon
Location: Las Vegas, Canada

"Voila!"

Directed by Oliver Stone
Written by Jeremy Leven and Oliver Stone
Music by William Orbit

Principal Cast:

Sean Penn - Harry Houdini
Ellen Burstyn - Cecilia Steiner Weiss
Bess Houdini - Winona Ryder
Gene Wilder - Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin
James Whitmore - Martin Breck
Carol Kane - Mina Crandon
Shawn Hatosy - J. Gordan Whitehead
Jason Ritter - Sam Smiley
John Abrahams - Jack Price
Christopher Lloyd - Dr. Daniel Cohn
Giovanni Ribisi - Harry Houdini (younger)
and
Hugh Laurie as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Tagline: "They thought he was the master of the universe, he thought they were crazy"

Synopsis: After the death of his mother (Ellen Burstyn), a distraught Harry Houdini (Sean Penn) sets out to debunk spiritualists and denouncing the practice of magic. Through flashbacks of Houdini's (Ribisi) early years, as an apprentice of well known magician Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin (Wilder), to being discovered by theater owner Martin Breck (Whitmore), Houdini would soon gain the fame he set out for. But the death of his mother would be all too much for the magician and the very idea of contacting someone from the grave disgusted a man who knew too much about the art of illusion to believe in. His main target would be spiritualist Mina Crandon (Cane), disguising himself to observe her phony séances. With fellow magicians and spiritualists now at odds with Houdini, even his most trusted friend, spiritual believer and famed author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Laurie) would publicly disregard Houdini's claims. Harry, now torn from the world he once knew when his own fans begin to look down on him, thus leading to his demise as he is pummeled by a college student (Hatosy) who wanted to prove Houdini wrong.

What the press would say:

An intriguing look at one of the greatest entertainers to ever live, Harry Houdini. Oliver Stone takes on this story like Houdini once took on spiritualists. With immense wit and determination. Exploring the emotional struggle that led to Houdini's decision to discredit his own occupation. A brilliant comeback for legend Ellen Burstyn who plays the catalyst to Houdini's transformation with undying devotion. Ironically a spirtual character, Burstyn displays a sense of realism in Cecilia Weiss that hits Penn's Houdini like a brick when she dies. Sean Penn grabs our attention as we see a man who throws away an amazing array of talent and fame for his own beliefs. Only an actor of Penn's caliber, to which there are not many could turn believers into non-believers as Houdini once tried to do can pull off such character development. Jeremy Leven (Don Juan DeMarco, The Notebook) collaborates with Oliver Stone to devise a sharp and philosophical dialogue, none more potent than the scene involving Houdini disguising himself along with friend and believer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (extraordinarily portrayed by Hugh Laurie) to debunk fake spiritualist Mina Crandon, played by none other than Carol Kane. The film also dives into Houdini's past showing how he learned the tricks of the trade through his namesake Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin, portrayed by Gene Wilder, whose scenes with Giovanni Ribisi's younger Houdini are the films most touching and inspiring. There isn't a film this year that has touched base on all parts of the human mind from belief to grief, Oliver Stone's "Voila!" is an engaging life experience that is a lock for the Oscar.

Best Picture
Best Director - Oliver Stone
Best Actor - Sean Penn
Best Actress - Ellen Burstyn
Best Supporting Actor - Hugh Laurie
Best Supporting Actor - Gene Wilder
Best Supporting Actress - Carol Kane
Best Original Screenplay - Oliver Stone & Jeremy Leven
Best Cinematography - Robert Richardson (Eight Men Out, Kill Bill)
Best Editing - David Brenner (World Trade Center)
Best Art Direction - Peter Landsdown Smith (Shawshank Redemption)
Best Score - William Orbit (Heat)
Best Special Effects - Penn & Teller (Bullshit!, Magic & Mystery Tour)