The Prestige Quotes
[Borden is explaining how he used a double in his act]
Alfred Borden: What I didn't count on was that, when I incorporated this bloke into my act, he had complete power over me.
Gerald Root: Complete power, you say?
Alfred Borden: What I didn't count on was that, when I incorporated this bloke into my act, he had complete power over me.
Gerald Root: Complete power, you say?
Movie: The Prestige
Alfred Borden: A real magician tries to invent something new, that other magicians are gonna scratch their heads over.
Movie: The Prestige
Alfred Borden: So... we go alone now. Both of us. Only I don't have as far to go as you. Go. You were right, I should have left him to his damn trick. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for a lot of things. I'm sorry about Sarah. I didn't mean to hurt her... I didn't. You go and live your life in full now, all right? You live for both of us.
Fallon: Goodbye.
Fallon: Goodbye.
Movie: The Prestige
[Borden is explaining how he used a double in his act]
Alfred Borden: What I didn't count on was that, when I incorporated this bloke into my act, he had complete power over me.
Gerald Root: Complete power, you say?
Alfred Borden: What I didn't count on was that, when I incorporated this bloke into my act, he had complete power over me.
Gerald Root: Complete power, you say?
Movie: The Prestige
[In reference to a bird from a trick]
Alfred Borden: See? He's fine!
Boy: But where's his brother?
Alfred Borden: See? He's fine!
Boy: But where's his brother?
Movie: The Prestige
Cutter : Every great magic trick consists of three parts or acts. The first part is called "The Pledge". The magician shows you something ordinary: a deck of cards, a bird or a man. He shows you this object. Perhaps he asks you to inspect it to see if it is indeed real, unaltered, normal. But of course... it probably isn't. The second act is called "The Turn". The magician takes the ordinary something and makes it do something extraordinary. Now you're looking for the secret... but you won't find it, because of course you're not really looking. You don't really want to know. You want to be fooled. But you wouldn't clap yet. Because making something disappear isn't enough; you have to bring it back. That's why every magic trick has a third act, the hardest part, the part we call "The Prestige"."
Movie: The Prestige
[ last lines ]
Cutter : Now you're looking for the secret. But you won't find it because of course, you're not really looking. You don't really want to work it out. You want to be fooled.
Cutter : Now you're looking for the secret. But you won't find it because of course, you're not really looking. You don't really want to work it out. You want to be fooled.
Movie: The Prestige
Robert Angier : I never thought I'd find an answer at the bottom of a pint glass.
Cutter : Hasn't stopped you looking, has it?
Cutter : Hasn't stopped you looking, has it?
Movie: The Prestige
Alfred Borden : You went half way around the world... you spent a fortune... you did terrible things... really terrible things Robert, and all for nothing.
Robert Angier : For nothing?
Alfred Borden : Yeah
Robert Angier : You never understood, why we did this. The audience knows the truth: the world is simple. It's miserable, solid all the way through. But if you could fool them, even for a second, then you can make them wonder, and then you... then you got to see something really special... you really don't know?... it was... it was the look on their faces...
Robert Angier : For nothing?
Alfred Borden : Yeah
Robert Angier : You never understood, why we did this. The audience knows the truth: the world is simple. It's miserable, solid all the way through. But if you could fool them, even for a second, then you can make them wonder, and then you... then you got to see something really special... you really don't know?... it was... it was the look on their faces...
Movie: The Prestige
Alfred Borden : [ to dying Angier ] You went halfway around the world. You spent a fortune. You did terrible things. Really terrible things Robert. And all for nothing.
Movie: The Prestige
Alfred Borden : So... we go alone now. Both of us. Only I don't have as far to go as you. Go. You were right, I should have left him to his damn trick. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for a lot of things. I'm sorry about Sarah. I didn't mean to hurt her... I didn't. You go and live your life in full now, all right? You live for both of us.
Fallon : Goodbye.
Fallon : Goodbye.
Movie: The Prestige
Sarah : I know what you really are. And Alfred, I can't live like this.
Alfred Borden : Oh, you think I can live like this? You think I bloody enjoy, living like this? We have a beautiful house, lovely little girl, we're married, what is so wrong with your life?
Alfred Borden : Oh, you think I can live like this? You think I bloody enjoy, living like this? We have a beautiful house, lovely little girl, we're married, what is so wrong with your life?
Movie: The Prestige
Sarah : Alfred I can't live like this!
Alfred Borden : Well, what do you want from me?
Sarah : I want... I want you to be honest with me. No tricks, no lies, no secrets. [ pause ]
Sarah : Do you... do you love me?
Alfred Borden : Not today. No.
Alfred Borden : Well, what do you want from me?
Sarah : I want... I want you to be honest with me. No tricks, no lies, no secrets. [ pause ]
Sarah : Do you... do you love me?
Alfred Borden : Not today. No.
Movie: The Prestige
[ after showing a little boy how to do a coin trick ]
Alfred Borden : Never show anyone. They'll beg you and they'll flatter you for the secret, but as soon as you give it up... you'll be nothing to them.
Alfred Borden : Never show anyone. They'll beg you and they'll flatter you for the secret, but as soon as you give it up... you'll be nothing to them.
Movie: The Prestige
Alfred Borden : The secret impresses no one. The trick you use it for is everything.
Movie: The Prestige
Robert Angier : [ to Borden ] You always were the better magician. We both know that. Whatever your secret was, you have to agree, mine is better.
Movie: The Prestige
Julia McCullough : I thought up a name for you: The Great Danton. Do you like it? It's sophisticated.
Robert Angier : [ scoffs ] It's French.
Robert Angier : [ scoffs ] It's French.
Movie: The Prestige
Nikola Tesla : Nothing is impossible, Mr. Angier. What you want is simply expensive.
Movie: The Prestige
Alfred Borden : He came in to demand an answer and I told him the truth. That I have fought with myself over that night, one half of me swearing blind that I tied a simple slipknot, the other half convinced that I tied the Langford double. I can never know for sure.
Movie: The Prestige
Robert Angier : Many of you may be familiar with this technique, but for those of you who aren't, do not be alarmed. What you're about to see is considered safe.
Movie: The Prestige
Alfred Borden : [ realizes Fallon's buried after trading him back ] Alive?
Robert Angier : How fast can you dig?
Robert Angier : How fast can you dig?
Movie: The Prestige
Sullen Warder : The only way Borden's going to disappear is if I leave him out there with the other inmates.
Movie: The Prestige
Robert Angier : I haven't had a chance yet to compliment you on your beautiful theatre.
Merrit : It'll be a lot more beautiful when it's full, Mr Angier.
Merrit : It'll be a lot more beautiful when it's full, Mr Angier.
Movie: The Prestige
Robert Angier : So what's going to be the climax of our show?
Merrit : Show? You don't have a show.
Merrit : Show? You don't have a show.
Movie: The Prestige