The Prestige

"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"."

So begins one of my all time favorite movies:  The Prestige.  I have only seen this movie twice, but I think it is one of the most brilliant movies I have ever seen and I love it.  If you haven't seen the movie, you probably don't want to read this as I might spoil parts of it for you.

The movie is about two men, two magicians, with a terrible past who essentially do everything they can to outdo each other with their shows, while at the same time trying to destroy the other man's show or life.

Both of these men are obsessed with this.  You see them go to extraordinary lengths to be on top, often hurting one another and the ones closest to them.  You see each of them, though particularly one of them, destroying themselves with this.  In many ways it's sad to watch, to see how desperate they are.

But how often does this happen in real life?  We see it everyday, people hurting others, pushing them aside, so they can be on top.  Its this never ending cycle, with everyone trying to get to the top.  And there are always those people who are willing to do anything to get there.

Today in my public speaking class, we were practicing impromptu speeches.  One of my classmates was talking about success.  She told this story about a man who asks a guru how to be successful.  The guru tells him to wade out into the ocean.  The man does until the waters up to his chin.  The guru grabs him and shoves his head under the water.  When he finally lets the man up, he asks him, "What did you want most when you were drowning?"  The man says, "I wanted to breathe."  The guru nods and says, "When you want something as badly as you want to breathe, then you will be successful."  In thinking about that story, I think its the people who want something as bad as they want to breathe who are willing to do anything it takes to get to the top.  Its this all consuming desire for them.

Now that doesn't completely go with the movie.  There are so many twists and turns and there's so much to take in.  But you really do see these two men trying to destroy each other, just so one of them can be better than the other.  It's a reminder also of how dangerous obsessions are.

Nikola Tesla: Mr. Angier, have you considered the cost of such a machine?
Robert Angier: Price is not an object.
Nikola Tesla: Perhaps not, but have you considered the cost?
Robert Angier: I'm not sure I follow.
Nikola Tesla: Go home. Forget this thing. I can recognize an obsession, no good will come of it.
Robert Angier: Why, haven't good come of your obsessions?
Nikola Tesla: Well at first. But I followed them too long. I'm their slave... and one day they'll choose to destroy me.

I think that last part is so true.  If we follow an obsession for too long, we do become it's slave and eventually it will destroy us.  Focus on the things that matter in life, not on getting to the top, no matter what it takes.  And don't let you goals or dreams become obsessions.  Give your life, your desires, your dreams, your goals, everything to God.  He'll take care of them for you.