So.....did he actually have supernatural powers?

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Yes, he actually had supernatural powers.

No, it was all an illusion.

Life is just one damned thing after another - Elbert Hubbard

I doubt it. What many great stage actors have is an ability to make their audience believe in the impossible. He may have been a hypnotist -- Mesmer predated the time the movie is set in by nearly a century and his principles had been discussed and emulated.

Good tech -- I like that he was a cabinet maker's son, lots of practice, and a touch of personal magnetism could explain other people's belief in his supernatural powers.

I think that's kind of the point. Like with all the greatest magicians in the world - you never really know. Yeah, you always think "oh, it must be a trick", but there's always that small part in your mind that can't help but wonder.

I think that's why they never really gave a full explanation of how all the tricks worked, for example the sword in the ground one. The whole film had a kind of magical feel to it so I never really expected the film to explain all the tricks to me - it never felt like the focus of the film. It was like a great magic show, once its finished you want to know how the trick is done but, really, you don't.

On a side note: the orange tree trick is actually a real trick.


http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=43425730