The magician would have found a more thriving business and demand in the Glasgow of 1959 - why he went to Edinburgh makes no sense other than aesthetically. Edinburgh is gorgeous in this - but the Oban train would have taken him and ALice to Glasgow first and I think he'd have found a gig there. More historically accurate?
share
Who on earth cares if it makes more sense? You've answered your own question. It's more aesthetically pleasing to set the film in Edinburgh, Glasgow's an ugly dump.
-- You're going on after Crispy Ambulance! --
Maybe I'm being biased (as I am Glasweigan), but I feel that Glasgow is far from being an ugly dump. I think its' beauty comes from its' perceived ugliness. It would be a great place to set an animated film, but oh well, that's my opinion. I enjoyed 'The Illusionist' and its' portrayal of Edinburgh.
shareread the trivia for the reason why the film is in Edinbourgh. I've visited both towns and Edinbourgh is much prettier in my book.
Dictated, but not read.
Aside from what's in the trivia, I thought that they went to Edinburgh mostly because it was yet one of the things Alice pointed at. She wanted to go there, pointed at its sign at the train station. And, of course, the Illusionist obliged.
shareIsn't Endinburgh famous for its magicians and street performers?
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"Isn't Endinburgh famous for its magicians and street performers?
Yes - especially during the Festival season. However in the period the film is set, Glasgow was the place to go for Variety theatre.
Although there are a number of very good reasons why this film was set in Edinburgh, the OP does have a point in that in "real life", Tatischeff would have been better off going to Glasgow instead. For a start, the "Five Past Eight" show (previously the "Half Past Eight" show] was still on at the Alhambra. This was a legendary variety show, chock-full of big stars and dancing girls, which put London's West End to shame.
Then there was the infamous Glasgow Empire... The Empire remains notorious as the "Graveyard of Comics", with even major talents like Morcambe and Wise getting a hard time there. However it still continued to attract famous international stars.
Another advantage of going to Glasgow instead of Edinburgh would have been that Alice may have felt more at home there. At that time (and well into the 70's and 80's), there were significant pockets of Gaelic-speaking Highlanders around Glasgow in places like Partick. It was quite possible for those "in the know" to be able to go into shops, etc and talk freely in Gaelic rather than English.