truelyana
11-02-2008, 11:50 PM
Michael Goorjian's gentle drama "Illusion" stars Kirk Douglas as an elderly man on his deathbed, looking back at a life spent working in the movies. It's an appropriate bit of casting, and it's one of the movie's pleasures to see Douglas again. Now in his late 80s, his voice slurred from a stroke suffered a decade ago, Douglas strives mightily to bring life to Donald Baines, a legendary film director dying alone in his elegant screening room.
And he almost succeeds in bringing life to the film, a well-meaning but uneven story reminiscent of "A Christmas Carol." Donald is visited one night by Stan, his favorite editor, who died 30 years ago. Stan takes Donald to a magical theater — a lovely, art deco palace with dusty light — and shows him three versions of the life of the illegitimate son Donald rejected long ago.
The son, Christopher (Goorjian), has led a troubled life, but a thread within it has been his love for a beautiful woman named Isabelle (Karen Tucker). The third reel ends with Christopher facing a tragic fate — but there may just be time for Donald to intervene.
And he almost succeeds in bringing life to the film, a well-meaning but uneven story reminiscent of "A Christmas Carol." Donald is visited one night by Stan, his favorite editor, who died 30 years ago. Stan takes Donald to a magical theater — a lovely, art deco palace with dusty light — and shows him three versions of the life of the illegitimate son Donald rejected long ago.
The son, Christopher (Goorjian), has led a troubled life, but a thread within it has been his love for a beautiful woman named Isabelle (Karen Tucker). The third reel ends with Christopher facing a tragic fate — but there may just be time for Donald to intervene.