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Short filmTranscript
00:00Come with me to a place of wondrous contradictions, a place that is silent and unstirring, yet restless and alive,
00:10a place of untold peace and boundless dread.
00:16Come with me into the very cradle of darkness, where those who dwell, dwell alone.
00:31Larry and Ellen Calvin didn't know it, but this fateful, dreary night was filled with magic, the kind of magic
00:39that makes anything possible, even one's wildest ambitions.
00:45The Calvins have traveled from far away to meet Vance Delbert, Grand Master of Magic, who retired suddenly at the
00:55height of his fame.
00:56I remember. Let me do the talking.
01:00Welcome. You must be the Calvins.
01:07It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Delbert, at last.
01:11It's my privilege, Mrs. Calvin.
01:13Ellen, and this is my husband, the amazing Calvin.
01:17Please call me Larry. Let me take your coats.
01:24Um, I can't tell you what an honor it was to receive your invitation, Mr. Delbert.
01:30Larry has always been your biggest fan.
01:33You know, ever since I retired two years ago, I've been searching for a young magician to mentor, but no
01:39one seemed to be quite right.
01:41There was something about your letter that set you apart.
01:45Larry's a very quick study.
01:48Uh, I sure hope so.
01:51Technique can be taught.
01:53What I'm looking for is ambition, the drive to succeed.
01:57That's what I gleaned from your letter.
01:59Oh, believe me, we're ambitious.
02:02Teamwork is extremely important to our craft.
02:06We're a team, all right. Through thick and thin.
02:10Fans.
02:16Miranda, these are the Calvins.
02:19It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Delbert.
02:23It's time for bed, fans.
02:25I'll be right up, darling.
02:32Let me show you to your room.
02:34We'll talk magic in the morning.
02:36We did it, Larry.
02:38We finally hit the mother load.
02:40Can you believe the way that Delbert aged?
02:42He can't be more than 45.
02:43Gosh, he looks like he's 60.
02:46He's gonna give us the secrets.
02:49He's gonna make us headliners.
02:50What about that wife of his?
02:52What the hell's wrong with her?
02:54Larry, who cares about his wife?
02:57Delbert is gonna teach you his illusions.
03:00No more kiddie parties.
03:02No more state fairs.
03:04Hey, I thought we did pretty good at those state fairs.
03:07The hell with the state fairs.
03:09We're gonna be opening for Wayne Newton in no time.
03:13It's just that his illusions are so complicated.
03:15You know, I'm not the quick study you said I was.
03:19But you can be, Larry.
03:22If you believe in yourself.
03:25You wanna succeed, don't you?
03:27Well, yeah, but I...
03:28Well, then that's all you need.
03:29But what if I'm not good enough?
03:32We're here to succeed.
03:34And that's all there's to it.
03:37Okay?
03:56I'm glad you enjoyed the show.
03:58Is there another reel?
04:00An encore, perhaps?
04:02Anything in particular you missed?
04:04Naturally.
04:05We were expecting your showstopper.
04:07Ah.
04:08You must mean the mystery of the stainless blade.
04:12It's only the greatest sword trick anyone's ever seen.
04:16We never recorded the stainless blade on film.
04:20Because you didn't want anyone to study it or copy it.
04:24What a shame.
04:26Larry was dying to see it.
04:28Weren't you, Larry?
04:28Uh, it's a hell of a trick.
04:32The mystery of the stainless blade is what is called high magic.
04:37Mastering it requires great discipline, great endurance, and above all, commitment.
04:47Would it be, uh, asking too much to see a live demonstration of it?
04:54Please, Mr. Delbert.
04:56It would make Larry so happy.
05:00What do you think, my dear?
05:02Are you up to the strain?
05:08Give us fifteen minutes to prepare the library.
05:16Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the world of high magic.
05:21A world where anything is possible.
05:23Certainly you are familiar with sword tricks.
05:26But I assure you this is no mere foolery.
05:30While honeymooning in Martinique,
05:32my wife and I happened upon a mystic.
05:36A keeper of secrets.
05:41As a wedding present,
05:43he bestowed on us this sword
05:46and all its magical powers.
05:49Examine the blade, if you will.
05:51Be careful when you finger its razor-sharp edge,
05:55for it is indeed an instrument of death.
05:58The mystic warned
06:00that only the committed ones,
06:02the true believers in magic,
06:05may keep the mystery of the stainless blade.
06:08We are the keepers.
06:11Ladies and gentlemen,
06:13prepare yourself for the impossible.
06:17We are ready.
06:20We are ready.
06:21We are ready.
06:31We are ready.
06:39We are ready.
06:40There is no one.
06:41Larry.
06:47I can't give anything to learn that trick.
06:49It looks so real.
06:51I will never be able to do it like that.
06:53Larry.
06:54How is Delbert going to believe in you if you don't believe in yourself?
06:57I just can't figure out how it's done, that's all.
07:00Well, just give it time, baby.
07:03Delbert will show you everything.
07:52Delbert will show you everything.
08:21Delbert will show you everything.
08:49Delbert will show you everything.
08:54I'm telling you, Ellie, we ought to pack up right now and just get out of here as fast as
08:58we can.
09:00Same old Larry.
09:03Still quaking in his boots.
09:05Thought of success.
09:06I know what I heard.
09:07I know what I saw.
09:08There was blood gushing under the door.
09:10Larry, it was a nightmare.
09:15You've had plenty of them before.
09:17Honey, the woman was screaming in pain.
09:23Have you been drinking again?
09:25No.
09:26I have been sober for six weeks.
09:29You know that.
09:32Fine.
09:34Then let's go have a look at your pool of blood.
09:51Now, are you satisfied?
09:54It was here.
09:56It was here.
09:56I swear to you it was.
09:58You must have cleaned it up.
09:59Larry, get it, Greg.
10:00Is everything all right?
10:02Fine.
10:03It couldn't be better.
10:04We were just admiring those beautiful antiques.
10:11I was just about to fix some breakfast.
10:13Would anyone care to join me?
10:14Oh, we'd love to.
10:16Is Miranda coming?
10:17I'm afraid my wife is recuperating this morning.
10:22Oh, my goodness.
10:23Nothing serious, I hope.
10:24No.
10:25Just a bit of stomach discomfort.
10:28Well, she seemed to be in terrible pain last night.
10:30The practice of high magic is quite stressful emotionally and even physically.
10:35But I'm happy to report that Miranda is much better now.
10:39But there was blood at your door.
10:41Blood?
10:42What blood?
10:43Ah, we really should get dressed for breakfast.
10:45We'll meet you downstairs.
10:47Okay.
10:55Listen up.
10:56And listen up good.
10:57I'm going to go downstairs and I'm going to try and smooth things over.
11:01Okay?
11:02And I don't want to see you going down those steps until you are ready to act like a rational
11:07human being.
11:15You and Larry are an ideal team.
11:18Because you both seem so driven, so hungry to achieve success.
11:23Mr. Delbert, we're so hungry we can taste it.
11:32Mrs. Calvin, my wife and I came to a decision last night.
11:41We've decided to teach you how to perform the mystery of the stainless blade.
11:47Oh, my God.
11:50You mean now?
12:00Oh, my God.
12:03Oh, my God.
12:26Ellie, my hand to God.
12:28The woman had holes through her body.
12:30She's gonna be alright.
12:31Oh.
12:32Big, gaping holes.
12:34You could see right through her.
12:35He must be delusional.
12:38Tell the truth.
12:40How you skewered your wife with that sword.
12:43The only real trick here is that she's still breathing.
12:49Anyone care for some tea?
12:55Mr. Dalbert?
12:56Mr. Dalbert.
12:58Look, I just want to apologize for my husband's outburst.
13:02No need for apologies, my dear.
13:03High magic isn't for everyone.
13:06Sometimes the commitment isn't there.
13:07No, no, no.
13:08That's not the problem at all.
13:11It's just that my husband has a small, a very small drinking problem.
13:17And it never interferes with his work, mind you.
13:20It's just that his imagination runs a bit wild.
13:23Perhaps we should postpone the lesson.
13:25No, no.
13:26Absolutely not.
13:29It is crucial that both of you have the commitment.
13:33It takes two to make this work.
13:34Believe me.
13:36Larry is committed.
13:38You just give me half an hour.
13:40And he'll be bursting with commitment.
13:43In that case, I'll prepare the library.
13:53It's time, darling.
13:56But it doesn't make any sense.
13:58We've only been here two days.
14:00And think about it.
14:00They want to now hand us their showstopper.
14:02For the love of God.
14:04That's what we came here for.
14:06I can't go through with it.
14:08It's more than just a trick.
14:10That woman ought to be dead.
14:13What are you saying?
14:14What are you saying, Larry?
14:16That we've been having tea with a corpse?
14:18Don't ask me to explain it, all right?
14:19But I'm telling you, I heard those screams.
14:21I saw the wounds.
14:23I cannot cause you that kind of pain.
14:26I can live with the pain.
14:28I've lived with it every day of our marriage.
14:43No matter how hard I try to make a life for us,
14:47you always have to deliberately ruin it.
14:51Not true.
14:52Not this time.
15:04This is where your hallucinations come from.
15:08This is where all our problems come from.
15:15I only had a little.
15:16You can't hold I've had too much.
15:19What are you doing?
15:22I'm just tired.
15:24I'm tired of living my life with a loser.
15:29Ellie, please, please, please don't do this.
15:32You know how much I love you.
15:34I can't live without you.
15:38I'll do anything to make you stay.
15:41Anything you want.
15:45I'll do with you.
15:46"'Beneces' sea, force obscure.
15:49Novos offron, un nouvelle art."
15:56Mary...
15:57This is your big chance.
16:00It's everything we've ever been waiting for.
16:04And there is absolutely no reason to be scary.
16:08But I'm afraid for you.
16:12I would never do anything to hurt you.
16:14If you love me, you'll go downstairs and learn that trick.
16:21Move to me.
16:23You're the amazing Calvin.
16:27Move it to yourself.
16:30My precious Miranda, you'll always be with me.
16:34Always in my heart.
16:37We're ready.
16:41Force Obscure, venez Ă moi.
16:46Un nouveau candidat se présente.
16:50Join us in the circle.
16:52What circle?
16:53Oh.
16:55I don't remember a circle of force.
17:00Force Obscure, prenez son cĆur.
17:04Elle vous l'offre.
17:06Prenez-le et donnez-lui leurs secrets en Ă©change.
17:17C'est la fin.
17:19C'est le début.
17:23Nous sommes prĂȘts.
17:26Venez Ă nous.
17:44Thrust the sword.
17:46C'est tout.
17:49Do as he says.
17:53Larry, thrust the damn sword.
18:20What the hell is going on here?
18:22What the hell is going on here?
18:29Oh, my God.
18:31What have I done?
18:35You freed my wife.
18:37And you gave Ellen what she wanted.
18:40Oh, me.
18:42She's dying.
18:45Yes, I know.
18:48But soon she will return to a life of sorts.
18:52And you too will have the fame you always coveted.
18:57Thrilling audiences all over the world as we did.
19:02On stage, she will be the perfect assistant.
19:06But at night, she will feel the agonizing pain of death as my Miranda did.
19:13And just as I shared her suffering, so will you share hers.
19:19No!
19:23Success always comes at a price.
19:28The bliss that comes with fame and fortune can sometimes be an illusion.
19:34I'd give anything to learn how to do that trick.
19:39No sleight of hand is required because those eager to attain success are often deceived by their own desires.
19:48And resisting one's desires may be the greatest magic feat of all.
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