TRIVIA
-The character Prince Leopold says during a performance of Eisenheim at the palace: "He tries to trick you ... I try to enlighten you. Which is the more noble pursuit?" This reference is to a famous slogan the RJ Reynolds tobacco company used in the 1930's that said "It's fun to be fooled ... it's more fun to know." The slogan was combined with adverts showing the secrets behind famous mysteries. The impetus for this was a tribute to the popularity of the American magician Horace Goldin.
-During the scene where Eisenheim is performing at the Hofburg, he places the Crown Prince's sword upright on the stage. The first officer who attempts to lift it is unable. The second person to try - to whom the Crown Prince says "Not so eager, cousin" - is also unable. That second person was probably meant to be Karl von Habsburg-Lothringen, who succeeded "Crown Prince Leopold's" father, Franz Josef, as Emperor in 1916.
-According to the director's commentary, Jessica Biel dressed in a period costume for her audition.
-The love scene was entirely lit by kerosene lamps. By the end of each take, the small room was filled with smoke that it was hard to see.
-Although the film is set in Austria, it was filmed mostly in the Czech Republic.
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-Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who plays the teenage Eduard in the beginning of the film, also learned how to do the ball trick.
-The method for creating the ghosts as shown to inspector Uhl involved the projection of a pre-recorded image into a hazy background. Since the ghosts Eisenheim conjured could speak to and interact with the audience, he most likely used a different method popular among magicians at that time. A fantascope was used to illuminate a real person off stage. The image was reflected off of a mirror or glassplate, creating a ghosted image. The lanterns that Eisenheim tells his assistants to leave behind when they are packing up the workshop bear a strong resemblance to fantascopes.
-Director Cameo
Neil Burger: man projected onto smoke when Uhl tries to see how Eisenheim does his 'ghost' trick
-The trivia items below may give away important plot points.
The original story on which the movie is based does not include the artifice of the protagonist framing the Duke for murder. The protagonist gets away with a serious crime and yet is made to seem justified in this film. However, it was stated earlier in the story that Leopold had actually killed another woman to cover up the fact he was abusing her. Also, he was planning to overthrow his father, the Emperor. This would have been considered high treason and was punishable by death, even if you were a member of the royal family. Therefor, Leopold did pay for his previous crimes, albeit in a roundabout manner.
-When inspector Uhl and his men are searching Eisenheim's workshop he picks up a glass bottle with a dark red liquid in it. This is the same bottle Eisenheim placed in the suitcase he gave to Sophie before her 'murder'. It contained the blood mixture used to fake the murder.
