Illusion Infinity

Illusion Infinity (aka Paradise) is a 2004 Swiss-USA drama, written and directed by Swiss Roger Steinmann[1]. The film stars Dee Wallace, Mickey Rooney [2], Timothy Bottoms, Barbara Carrera, Martin Kove, Theresa Saldana [3] and Lilyan Chauvin.

Illusion Infinity
Directed byRoger Steinmann
Produced byRoger Steinmann, Markus Imthurn, Eric Louzil
Written byRoger Steinmann
StarringDee Wallace, Mickey Rooney, Timothy Bottoms, Barbara Carrera, Martin Kove, Theresa Saldana, Lilyan Chauvin
Music byAlbritton McClain
CinematographyRuurd M. Fenenga, Mark Melville
Edited byJeff Wood
Production
company
Sunset International AG
Running time
107 min.
CountrySwitzerland / USA
LanguageEnglish

Illusion Infinity deals about successful Las Vegas-singer Patricia Paradise's yearning for a genuine soul-mate, and a home she calls 'Shangri-La’. Faith brings her to Death Valley, where she finds a harmonic family life – until 18 years later her teenage son's doubts about his father's identity shifts Patricia's reality once again up-side-down.



Plot

Singer Patricia Paradise got everything: beauty, fame, success, money. Though her 40th birthday inevitably approaches, she increasingly longs for the only thing missing in her life: a child. Leaving her successful career and Las Vegas forever in order to build her family in a healthy environment was long prevented by Katherine Hiller, her discoverer and business manager. This spider-woman, secretly connected to the mob, has jealously controlled Patricia's life as well as the one of Patricia's husband, casino owner Francis Hiller who happens to be Katherine's half-brother. Due to his enormous debts with the mafia, he continually pushes Patricia to keep her career going.

One day, Francis mysteriously disappears. The word in Las Vegas is that he is dead. But Patricia, as she confides to her good-hearted maid Maria, is convinced that her husband got away and awaits her in 'Shangri-La', the fabulous get-away-paradise where she will fulfill her infinite happiness of a family. Patricia is able to escape Las Vegas, not before having had to overcome the heavily threatening Katherine and a brutal nurse who was ordered to keep her constantly drugged.

Dee Wallace as Patricia, and Timothy Bottoms, as 'Douglas', one of his five characters

After hours of driving through the Nevada desert, the taxi driver abruptly quits of the search of this Shangri-La. He demands the pay-up, then angrily rapes Patricia. At this moment of highest desperation, Patricia's guardian angel, grandfather-like Simon, conveys strength and faith. She is able to flee into the desert and to hide in a deserted shack. Mysteriously, she gets to see the wise angel who explains that her dream place can be anywhere, even at a rotten shack where she is right now. Though, as her husband always has prevented her realization of this fact, she must be true to her own heart. With a knock at the door, a rejuvenated Francis appears. He charmingly convinces her to reverse all her plans in order to continue her career. On their way back to Las Vegas, they pass the Death Valley. Patricia increasingly becomes suspicious that this arrogant man impossibly can be her beloved husband - he indeed is Douglas, a perfect look-a-like of her Francis. Shocked, all of Patricia's dreams fall apart. But again, her guardian angel reactivates her will to live. And yes, suddenly she spots her beloved who wanders over sand dunes. By following him, the exhausted Patricia reaches an oasis she is convinced being her eternal 'Shangri-La'.

But the man, despite his close looks of Francis, is indeed Henry. He is a park ranger, contently living with his father, Henry Sr. – another mysterious incarnation, as he just looks like the angel Simon. Henry bears a much more refined character than Francis. Patricia is in seventh heaven. Her goal of happiness is achieved, a life in Shangri-La, with a harmonic family complete with her offspring Alan.

Mickey Rooney as guardian angel Simon, one of his two characters, and Dee Wallace as older Patricia

Eighteen years of unique happiness pass by. But slowly, their teenage-son Alan got obsessed that sterile Henry can't possibly be his father. Even worse, he nags at the thought of Henry having killed his real father who must be Douglas, the one Patricia had spent a night with back in the desert-shack. Henry can't stand these incriminations and, deadly hurt, he passes away. Ashamed, Alan escapes to the excessive Las Vegas, devastating Patricia even more so. Now, she suddenly is all-alone at her dream-place Shangri-La.

Her guarding angel Simon, the true incarnation of the good grandfather, calms his protégé: Genuine happiness only comes from within. Patricia regains her joy of life - although living in complete isolation.

As the years pass by, the aged Patricia gets a visit by...Francis. But does she realize, that this Francis, or is it Henry, or even Douglas, is in reality her grown up son Alan...?


Cast
  • Dee Wallace as Patricia Paradise
  • Timothy Bottoms as Francis, Douglas, Henry, Allen as adult, and young Patricia's Father (quintuple-role)
  • Mickey Rooney as Henry Sr. and Simon (dual-role)
  • Barbara Carrera as Katherine
  • Martin Kove as Taxi Driver
  • Theresa Saldana as Maria
  • Lilyan Chauvin as Nurse
  • Kristian Hans Horn as Alan as teenager
  • Phil Peters as Attorney
  • Buddy Daniels Friedman as Talent Manager
  • Nic Greene as Doctor
  • Rosemarie Belden as German TV-Reporter
  • Max Freeman as Shadow Man
  • Doyle E. McCurly as Alan as Baby


Production
Ray Walston as Simon, shortly before his death, with director Roger Steinmann

Illusion Infinity was labeled as biopic; however, it's an original story and screenplay by Roger Steinmann he wrote 1997-2000 about the supposed real Las Vegas-singer Patricia Paradise.

In December 2000, principal photography started in Hollywood with newcomer Jolie Jackunas as Patricia; Edward Albert in the triple-role as Francis, Douglas and Henry; Ray Walston as Simon; and Eddie Albert as Henry Sr.

Illusion Infinity would have marked the first pairing of this Hollywood-legend with his actor-son Edward, if not the untimely death of 'Favorite Martian'-Ray Walston on Jan 1, 2001 would have put an immediate stop to the production.[4]

With the help of veteran casting director Gerald I. Wolff, a new cast was eventually assembled [5] Mickey Rooney replaced both Ray Walston and Eddie Albert as playing both characters Simon and Henry Sr., and Timothy Bottoms assumed the altered screenplay's quintuple-roles, including older Alan and young Patricia's father when filming resumed in November 2002.


References
  1. "Illusion Infinity". WorldCat.
  2. Marill, Alvin H. (2005). Mickey Rooney: Mickey Rooney: His Films, Television Appearances, Radio Work, Stage Shows, and Recordings. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc. pp. 161. ISBN 0-7864-2015-4.
  3. Saldana, Theresa (June 8, 2016). "THERESA SALDANA - ACTERIEUR DI CINEMA". Cinestranger. Archived from the original on Jan 2, 2020.
  4. "Ray Walston, Broadway Star And TV Martian, Dies at 86". The New York Times. Jan 3, 2001. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  5. Wolff, Gerald Ira (Sep 30, 2019). "Gerald I. Wolff, Casting Director and Producer, Dies at 77". The Hollywood Reporter.



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