Houdini (1953)

Director:

George Marshall

Writers:

Harold Kellock (book)
Philip Yordan (writer)

Release Date:

2 July 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Plot Keywords:

Stunts | Trial | Stage Performance | Debunking | Skepticism

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Tony Curtis	...	Harry Houdini
Janet Leigh	...	Bess Houdini
Torin Thatcher	...	Otto (Von Schwager's assistant)
Angela Clarke	...	Harry's mother
Stefan Schnabel	...	German Prosecuting Attorney
Ian Wolfe	...	Malue
Sig Ruman	...	Schultz
Michael Pate	...	Dooley (of the London Examiner)
Connie Gilchrist	...	Mrs. Shultz
Malcolm Lee Beggs	...	British jail warden
Frank Orth	...	Mr. Hunter (safe expert)
Barry Bernard	...	Insp. Marlick
Douglas Spencer	...	Simms (of the New York Observer)

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

West Germany:12 | Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #16247) | Sweden:15

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Harry Houdini's real name was Weiss, and he is played here by Tony Curtis, whose real name is Schwartz.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Newspaper editor looks over layout for "whatever happened to Houdini?" article, then assigns a reporter to go out and investigate the story. This is absolutely backwards - a story of such a speculative nature would always be written first, with layout following after the fact.

Quotes:

Harry Houdini: I hadn't prepared anything for tonight, but perhaps I have something that will amuse you. So if you'll get a couple of broomsticks, I'll get my wife - and we'll see what we can do.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Mau Mau Sex Sex (2001)

Soundtrack:

Waltz from 'The Poet and Peasant Overture'

Super glossy, super fictionalized bio pic...

The story of master magician Harry Houdini (1874–1926) becomes a glossy star-vehicle for Tony Curtis in the lead--and though the facts of Houdini's life are lumped right together with the Hollywood dross (as if this movie magazine-styled spread were one big true-life story), one is drawn in by Curtis' apparent commitment to the role. Director George Marshall stages some exciting set-pieces and a nice romance ensues between Tony's Houdini and assistant Bess, played by Curtis' real-life spouse Janet Leigh (doing appealing work). Philip Yordan adapted Harold Kellock's book, and the results are (surprisingly) entertaining despite all the requisite corn and clichés. **1/2 from ****