title: Simon Magus (film)
text: # 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
  