Swann...
And the fire said to me,
it said to me...
"Nix! Nix!"
"You are my instrument. "
"From now on, you shall be known
as...
the Puritan. "
"You will find a few good men
and women. "
"And together,
together...
you will cleanse the world. "
Master!
Swann's here.
Are we ready?
- Ready. - Look, maybe we should think about this.
He's gone too far.
So he took a kid.
Gonna kill her.
If he gets in our heads he'll drive us crazy.
So stay out here!!
Hush!
Please don't hurt me!
I said, hush!
What is it?
What's the matter, huh?
Please, please!
What are you gonna do to me?
No, leave me alone!
Leave me alone!
Want me to shoot Swann?
Please leave me alone!
You don't like him, do you?
- He wants your magic. - Maybe.
Go, fetch him!
No!
I think he's in love.
No!
Look around. If you see the kid, yell.
- Quaid! - Hey, man!
Hey, Quaid!
I thought you said you weren't comin' back.
I changed my mind.
You can't leave, man!
He won't let you.
You're gonna be OK.
OK?
I knew you'd come.
I've got so much power to give you, Swann.
All you have to do
is beg.
Fuck you.
You don't think that I've got it to give?
No.
You're wrong!
I could eat your fucking soul!
Now be a good girl.
No, stop!
Fuck!
- Stay here! - Fuck!
- Jennifer, you OK? - Jesus!
Jennifer!
Stay away.
Stay the fuck away!
You OK?
How would you like
to see the world
the way it really is?
Do you wanna see flesh... with a god's eyes?
Swann?
Here he is!
Take a look, Swann.
These are your friends!
No!
What have you done to him?
Swann?
Don't touch me! He got into my head!
Do you wanna be like that, Swann?
Mud? Shit?
Come here.
Share the power!
Swann!
Help me!
Bag.
Swann!
Swann! Help me!
- What are you doing? - Binding you.
You piece of shit!
Fu...!
This isn't over,
Swann!
This isn't finished!
Dead?
Dead.
What now?
We bury him so deep,
no-one will ever find him.
I've been calling you for three days, Harry.
I missed you too, Loomis.
You got a beer?
I got a job for you, if you can tear yourself away from all this weird shit.
You need a woman's touch in here.
Why don't you get yourself a... secretary?
On what you pay me?
So, get married.
Tried that.
Oh, yeah.
"Harry D'Amour, who describes himself as a private detective,
has been linked with occult activities on several occasions. "
"'We regard D'Amour as a highly dubious character', quoted one source. "
That's nice, Harry!
It's all bullshit.
It was on TV last night.
You looked like shit, by the way.
- Thanks. - What's the story?
Was the kid really possessed?
Probably.
You gonna tell me by what?
Well, you know.
The usual.
You... need a vacation.
Somewhere sunny! Like, uh...
LA?
That's where the job is?
The guy's name's Tapert. Big insurance fraud.
He's gone west to spend his ill-gotten gains.
It's worth ten grand if you catch him doing it.
If I don't?
Catch a tan.
I need someone of your caliber on this, Harry.
Taste the darkness, D'Amour. It's been waiting for you!
Yeah, well.
Maybe I do need a vacation.
You'll like LA! It has great weather, great women...
- Here you go. - Thanks. Have a nice evening.
You bet.
Hello, LA!
9.18pm.
If Tapert's paying by the hour,
he's getting his money's worth.
Come here, you fuckers! Come on in!
Wait a minute. He's late for somethin'.
Gimme, gimme... aagh!
Jesus!
What the hell...?
Ever watched a man die?
If you watch very closely, you can sometimes see the soul escaping.
And if you're very quick,
you can catch it!
I wasn't there!
Ask Pimm.
Pimm's dead.
Jennifer Desiderio's disappeared.
They knew the Puritan was coming home.
So do you.
Wait! Don't leave me!
Did you come up here for a reading?
My God!
What?
You're drawn... to the dark side.
Over and over.
You don't like that.
Not much.
You can't change it.
You must walk the line
between heaven and hell.
It's your destiny.
Accept it.
Hang on.
I'm not afraid to die.
There is something
terrible coming home soon.
The Puritan.
Who is he?
Shit!
What were you doin' up here?
I'm a private detective. I was hired to follow a guy for a couple of days. Tapert.
- Insurance fraud. - Tapert.
So now I've got Tapert, Butterfield...
Tapert's got nothing to do with this.
He just came to get his palm read.
This is somethin' else.
You ever heard of somebody called the Puritan?
New one on me.
OK, let's see him.
Where the fuck is he?
He got up and walked.
After that fall, he would have broken half his bones.
I don't think he'd have given a shit.
D'Amour.
D'Amour. Why do I know that name?
I know him.
I saw him on TV.
Some kid got possessed. He saved the little bastard's life.
A priest.
No.
He's just some guy
who's got a nose for this shit.
Like you.
I don't want him getting in the way.
He won't.
We've all of us waited too long to have the Homecoming spoiled.
What do you mean, all of us?
A lot of people believed in Nix.
They haven't forgotten his promise.
About...?
Death.
What about death?
It's an illusion.
Coffee, Mrs. Swann?
Yes, thank you.
Where's Mr. Swann?
In his study.
He got something on his mind?
Hey, Mr. Sunshine.
That's what I'm gonna call you.
Bad show?
The usual. Full house.
Standing ovation. I tell them it's magic.
They believe you.
Yeah.
Remember Quaid?
Sure.
I think they killed him.
Oh, God.
I just saw him too.
I'm putting in a new illusion tonight.
Something special. I want you to be there. Will you?
Of course.
You want me to... find out about Quaid?
- I mean, the funeral? - No.
No.
I'm not going anywhere near him.
Higher.
Another inch.
The left-hand side is too low.
Valentin?
Good. There.
Yes?
I want you to find this man D'Amour for me.
Think there are any movie stars buried here?
Probably.
It's not a bad place. It's warm. Lots of palm trees...
I don't think the dead much care.
You sure?
Are you a believer, then?
Oh, yeah. I've signed on for all of them in my time.
Catholic, Hindu, Moonies...
Can't have too many saviors!
Who's that?
Swann's wife.
I want you to help me help my husband.
I know he's in trouble. It's something to do with the man you saw murdered.
I think Philip believes all that stuff with the tarot cards.
And you don't?
I think we make our own futures.
So what's the connection?
I don't exactly know. Philip doesn't like to talk about the past.
Why not?
He's a secretive man.
And you don't ask questions?
We don't share our lives the way a lot of people do.
But obviously you still care about him.
We wouldn't be having this conversation if I didn't.
Swann is one of the most remarkable men alive.
- Hmm. - You don't believe me?
He's an illusionist. It's not exactly brain surgery.
I'm sorry. You asked.
No, uh...
You're right.
He could have been something more.
Maybe a lot more.
But sometimes people get lost. Even good people.
- Too much money, too much fame... - Where do I sign up?
Will you take the job, Mr. D'Amour?
- Harry. - Harry.
When do you want me to start?
Come to the show with me.
It's his last performance in LA tonight.
I want you to see him with an audience.
They love him.
Do you?
I didn't marry him for love, Mr. D'Amour.
- Tonight? - Sure.
OK.
Excuse me.
Sorry.
- Hi. - I'm glad you could make it.
Are you kidding? This is a big deal for me.
I got to have the tux back by midnight.
Valentin!
Shh, shh! I'm here.
The guy with Dorothea. Is that him?
OK.
- Check if he's ready. - Ready?
Ready.
How the fuck does he do that?
- It's wires. - I don't see no wires.
So what is it? Magic?
Ladies and gentlemen, you are standing on the threshold of a miracle.
Come with me into the great beyond.
- He's good. - You haven't seen anything yet.
This is the new illusion.
Have you seen this before?
There's something wrong here.
For God's sake!
Who are you?
Oh, God!
Please.
Please, Dorothea!
- Come away. - No!
It's no use.
I got you, you fucker!
Who did this, D'Amour?
Who killed Swann?
You did.
- Didn't you? - Why would I do that?
Beats me.
You don't have a clue what you're into.
I feel it!
Deep shit?
Who did this?
It was...
It... was...
It was...
God! You...
And this Butterfield guy?
Vanished.
Another fucking magician. Jesus.
You through with me?
For now.
You planning on moving back to New York?
No, not yet.
- Treating you all right? - Yeah.
I heard what happened.
I think I'm gonna stick around for a while.
Maybe dig in places that cops wouldn't look.
I... I wouldn't know where you'd start.
Maybe with the other illusionists?
They won't tell you anything.
I can be very persuasive.
Yeah.
I think you probably can.
# Magic moments
# When two hearts are caring
# Magic moments...
Now, down here is what they call the repository.
Behind those locked doors lies every secret of magic known to mankind.
- You ever been in there? - Me? No, no.
No, there are only three keys.
Vinovich has got one, of course.
It is more than entertainment. We are opening up people's heads.
We are bringing miracles back into their miserable little lives.
But they're fake miracles.
Houdini believed he had spirit guides.
- You believe that? - I believe...
that we walk a narrow path...
between...
- Heaven and hell? - Divinity and trickery.
So then sometimes... the miracles are real?
No.
They are always fake.
The saints, the Messiahs - they were just illusionists.
You could walk on water?
I can reproduce any miracle that has ever been performed.
With a little preparation!
Even one of Swann's miracles?
They were no damn good.
Really?
That's funny, cos I heard that he was one of the best.
If he was so good, why is he so dead?
You tell me.
No?
I figured you'd have some theory.
Theories? I have many theories.
Well, I'd like to hear one of 'em.
No!
I am not saying another word.
You damn fool, Wilder!
This man is journalist!
No, no. I'm not a journalist. I just want to know about Swann.
He was a freak.
Everything he did was tainted.
- With what? - Evil!
He was evil.
Are you coming?
Do not speak another word to this man if you wish to keep my company!
Great accent, by the way. What is it, Brooklyn?
'Ey, fuck you, all right?
Harry!
Gotta be careful.
- If Vinovich sees me talking to you... - What do you want, Billy?
I've heard a name.
Someone they talk about in whispers.
Who?
Nix.
Nix...
He's dead now, but I think maybe he taught Swann.
Who's doing the talking?
Vinovich. But you burned your bridges there!
This is me.
Good luck.
I loved what you did in there!
What are you lookin' at?
I want somebody to find out what Philip saw in those cards and stop it happening.
Divinity and trickery.
Jennifer Desiderio's disappeared.
- D'Amour. - Harry?
I know it's late.
It's OK.
How'd it go today?
I went up to the Magic Castle.
He didn't have a lot of friends there.
They were jealous of him.
Why? Because he had you?
He didn't have me. I told you.
Yeah, you didn't marry him for love.
So why did you marry him?
That's none of your business, Harry.
You ever hear of somebody called Nix?
Dorothea?
Yeah. I'm here. Um...
No, I... I don't know the name.
What about Jennifer Desiderio?
It doesn't ring a bell. Um...
Harry, I have to go.
That's it?
All right, look. I'll, uh... keep digging.
Yeah. You do that.
Ever watched a man die?
Yes!
"Desiderio. "
What the fuck are you doin' here?
Looking for you.
- I tried the hotel. - So why'd you come here?
You're a detective with no clues.
Where else are you going to look?
Do you mind?
I'm going to keep this brief.
Here's $30,000.
What for?
- Take it home. - No.
You didn't hire me, she did. She wants me off the job, I want to hear it from her.
She doesn't want to see you.
- No? - No.
- People are dying here. - Yes.
It's a terrible tragedy.
Is that all you have to say?
It's a fucking terrible tragedy?
- I wanna know why. - Why people die?
Give it up, D'Amour.
Go home.
Don't try to see her, D'Amour.
- Just leave her alone. - Lock up, will ya?
Jennifer has only ever had one visitor.
- Mr. Quaid? - Right.
He's dead, isn't he?
- Yeah. - Heard it on the news.
Jennifer doesn't know, and frankly, this isn't the best time for her to be told.
I won't say anything.
She's been with us for four years and she was coming along nicely.
- Past month, she's been worse than ever. - What's her problem?
She has no real grip on reality.
- Does anybody? - Oh, yes.
We have to agree on what's real and what's not. That's what holds us together.
What does Jennifer think is real?
She thinks the devil's coming for her.
- Have we met before? - No.
Only... I-I forget.
They give me pills, you know?
To make me even.
And I, uh... I forget things.
You didn't forget me.
I just came by to see if you remembered a man named Butterfield.
Maybe. I...
I- I'm... I don't...
It's OK. What about Philip Swann?
I knew Swann.
He's a fucking liar.
- Why is that? - He said he knew how to protect us.
But he didn't know anything.
He made us think it was over and done with.
What was?
I don't want to think about it. Whew!
If I think about it, he'll...
He'll-he'll hear me. He'll-he'll-he'll find me.
Swann?
I told you, I don't want to...
No.
No...
- No, no! - Calm down.
No! No!
He's not going to get me! He-he's not. He's not! He's... No!
Who's not gonna get you?
Nix!
- And he's the Puritan? - Yes!
Yes.