Simon Magus (film)

Simon Magus is a 1999 British historical mystery drama film directed by Ben Hopkins and starring Noah Taylor and Stuart Townsend. It was entered into the 49th Berlin International Film Festival.

Background
The film is named for the village fool Simon (Noah Taylor), who is in turn named for the 1st century magician Simon Magus.

Plot
In 19th century Poland, a Jew named Dovid Bendel (Stuart Townsend) tries to revive his dwindling shtetl village by building a railway station next to it. The squire (Rutger Hauer) agrees to provide the land, on the condition that Dovid will read his poetry. A cunning business man (Sean McGinley) is also interested in the land and he tries to compete using money and threats. Through this all wanders the outcast Simon (Noah Taylor), a man rumoured to have magical powers.

Cast

 * Stuart Townsend as Dovid Bendel
 * Noah Taylor as Simon Magus
 * Rutger Hauer as Count Albrecht
 * Embeth Davidtz as Leah
 * Sean McGinley as Hase
 * Ian Holm as Sirius/Boris/Head
 * Terence Rigby as Bratislav
 * Amanda Ryan as Sarah
 * David de Keyser as Rabbi
 * Toby Jones as Buchholtz
 * Kathryn Hunter as Grandmother
 * Walter Sparrow as Benjamin
 * Jean Anderson as Roise