René Magritte (1898-1967) was arguably the greatest painter of the Surrealist movement. Today, the paradoxical blend of beauty and menace in his imagery still has the power to unnerve the viewer. This film sets out to analyse why the paintings he produced are so compelling, and how events in his life influenced his work. It begins by tracing his imagery back to childhood impressions, such as the magical experience of trips to the cinema, the bizarre landing of a stray hot-air balloon on the family's house and the tragic suicide of his mother when he was twelve years old. It then follows Magritte's development through his education at the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, his discovery of Futurism and the work of Italian metaphysical painter De Chirico, the evolution of his own unique vision and his later years of international fame and recognition. Shot on location in Belgium, the film covers the vast array of Magritte's oeuvre and includes invaluable archive footage of the artist talking about his life and work, and amusing excerpts from the home movies that were one of his passions.