Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh turn in wonderful performances as Harry and Bess Houdini in "Houdini," a 1953 film. And why shouldn't romance be the centerpiece? Curtis and Leigh were newlyweds and one of the most gorgeous couples in Hollywood.
It's an odd thing - photos of Houdini don't show him as being that much of a hunk, but he seems to always be played by them, probably thanks to Curtis. A musical with Hugh Jackman starring is in the works.
Undoubtedly the greatest magician of all time, the film touches on some of Houdini's big escapes and magic, his relationship with Bess, of course, and his relationship with his beloved mother. And much of what is shown in the film is true: Houdini did double as the Wild Man in a side show, he did buy a dress belonging to Queen Victoria for his mother and presented her wearing it, he did escape from a London cell, etc. He also worked to debunk spiritualists and, though it isn't shown here, he came into conflict with Arthur Conan Doyle over this.
For some reason, the producers decided to change the way Houdini died, though the story of how he died is well known. Go figure.
The film is in color, with beautiful costumes, and the stars look marvelous.
One thing I've never been able to find out is if he did or did not communicate with Bess from the beyond. Bess said he did and then recanted. In a film I saw, a really old one, the woman playing Bess (or maybe it was Bess, I don't know) stated that she did get the secret code from Harry. Then she was visited by a bishop or higher up from the Catholic church (Bess was Catholic) and she was talked into saying that she never heard from him. So I wonder.
Good film, very entertaining, beautiful stars at the peak.
It's an odd thing - photos of Houdini don't show him as being that much of a hunk, but he seems to always be played by them, probably thanks to Curtis. A musical with Hugh Jackman starring is in the works.
Undoubtedly the greatest magician of all time, the film touches on some of Houdini's big escapes and magic, his relationship with Bess, of course, and his relationship with his beloved mother. And much of what is shown in the film is true: Houdini did double as the Wild Man in a side show, he did buy a dress belonging to Queen Victoria for his mother and presented her wearing it, he did escape from a London cell, etc. He also worked to debunk spiritualists and, though it isn't shown here, he came into conflict with Arthur Conan Doyle over this.
For some reason, the producers decided to change the way Houdini died, though the story of how he died is well known. Go figure.
The film is in color, with beautiful costumes, and the stars look marvelous.
One thing I've never been able to find out is if he did or did not communicate with Bess from the beyond. Bess said he did and then recanted. In a film I saw, a really old one, the woman playing Bess (or maybe it was Bess, I don't know) stated that she did get the secret code from Harry. Then she was visited by a bishop or higher up from the Catholic church (Bess was Catholic) and she was talked into saying that she never heard from him. So I wonder.
Good film, very entertaining, beautiful stars at the peak.