I guess this version of the great Houdini's life is closer to the reality than the George Marchall's film, starring Tony Curtis, in the fifties, more Hollywood oriented feature, as you can guess. This is truly a TV material, faithful to the authentic facts. It is very pleasant to watch, especially Paul - Starsky - Michael Glaser, who is convincing at the most as the famous magician. Yes this film for TV industry is quite different from the Hollywood made movie; if you are interested by Harry Houdini, you need to watch both features. This one, though, is deeper, more emotional.
13 Reviews
Extremely well made
JasparLamarCrabb23 December 2013
Warning: Spoilers
An extremely well made TV-movie directed by Melville Shavelson and starring Paul Michael Glaser as Harry Houdini. The films tracks the great magician's rise to fame in the early 1900s, his smashing success in London (where he befriends author Arthur Conan Doyle), and his ultimate demise in 1926. Covering Houdini's obsession with debunking spiritualists of the day, the film has quite a number of creepy séance scenes. Glaser is quite energetic in the title role and he's well paired with Sally Struthers as his infinitely patient wife Bess. Ruth Gordon is miscast as Houdini's meddlesome and highly intolerant mother. It's a role better suited for Shelley Winters. Director Shavelson (along with co-writer Peter Benchley) moves things along briskly. The supporting cast includes Adrienne Barbeau, Jack Carter, Peter Cushing (as Conan Doyle), Maureen O'Sullivan and Vivian Vance, who steals her scenes as the Houdini's wise-cracking live-in nurse.
Great character biopic
Leofwine_draca24 July 2016
Warning: Spoilers
A slow-paced yet engaging biopic of the famous Houdini, which claims to be based on both "fact and fiction". The first half of this seemingly forgotten television movie concentrates on Houdini's struggle to rise to fame from the gutters of obscurity, mainly through perseverance and "being in the right place at the right time". The second half of the movie surprisingly takes a darker turn as it ventures into the spirit world, with the Houdinis going on a crusade to 'out' as many fake mediums as possible while all the while being warned of a terrible danger from the other world.
Paul Michael Glaser (TV's STARSKY AND HUTCH) may initially seem like an odd choice for the role, but he fits it like a glove. As well as looking like the man himself (which always helps), Glaser invests Houdini with a great character, a muddled and weak human being with a great drive behind him and a talent for showmanship. Sally Struthers is the put-upon Bess Houdini, his wife, and has some strong characterisation as the supportive wife (who is a bit weepy at times, it has to be said). The great cast also includes the ever-ancient Ruth Gordon (ROSEMARY'S BABY) as Houdini's wicked mother, Vivian Vance as a nurse, Adrienne Barbeau (typecast at an early age as a floozy), Bill Bixby and Jack Carter, Geoffrey Lewis and Wilfrid Hyde-White. To top it all off we have Peter Cushing playing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (yes!), with his wife played by Maureen O'Sullivan. Although Cushing's role is a small one, he makes an impact as usual.
While there are lots of feats of strength and escapism that Houdini was famous for portrayed on screen, this is a movie which focuses on characterisation without becoming boring. For instance, we learn the ins and outs of Houdini's life, his suffering from bouts of depression and self-doubting. His wife in comparison is a pillar of strength. I did like the (fictional) contact with the spirit world in the second half, peppered by a series of spooky seances. In the film's spooky highlight, the bobbing blue head of Houdini's dead mother appears while a medium is in a trance.
Indeed the film becomes very dark, mysterious and packed with foreboding towards the end, as Houdini refuses to listen to reason as his mother reaches out to warn him from beyond the grave of impending danger. I'm sure everybody knows the ending, in which Houdini is punched unawares in the stomach and dies as a result of complications arising from the injury, but the film has time to tack on a supernatural (and sadly very sentimental) epilogue concerning his supposed return from the grave. In all, this is a superior biopic, benefiting from strong characterisation and an intelligent, thorough script.
Paul Michael Glaser (TV's STARSKY AND HUTCH) may initially seem like an odd choice for the role, but he fits it like a glove. As well as looking like the man himself (which always helps), Glaser invests Houdini with a great character, a muddled and weak human being with a great drive behind him and a talent for showmanship. Sally Struthers is the put-upon Bess Houdini, his wife, and has some strong characterisation as the supportive wife (who is a bit weepy at times, it has to be said). The great cast also includes the ever-ancient Ruth Gordon (ROSEMARY'S BABY) as Houdini's wicked mother, Vivian Vance as a nurse, Adrienne Barbeau (typecast at an early age as a floozy), Bill Bixby and Jack Carter, Geoffrey Lewis and Wilfrid Hyde-White. To top it all off we have Peter Cushing playing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (yes!), with his wife played by Maureen O'Sullivan. Although Cushing's role is a small one, he makes an impact as usual.
While there are lots of feats of strength and escapism that Houdini was famous for portrayed on screen, this is a movie which focuses on characterisation without becoming boring. For instance, we learn the ins and outs of Houdini's life, his suffering from bouts of depression and self-doubting. His wife in comparison is a pillar of strength. I did like the (fictional) contact with the spirit world in the second half, peppered by a series of spooky seances. In the film's spooky highlight, the bobbing blue head of Houdini's dead mother appears while a medium is in a trance.
Indeed the film becomes very dark, mysterious and packed with foreboding towards the end, as Houdini refuses to listen to reason as his mother reaches out to warn him from beyond the grave of impending danger. I'm sure everybody knows the ending, in which Houdini is punched unawares in the stomach and dies as a result of complications arising from the injury, but the film has time to tack on a supernatural (and sadly very sentimental) epilogue concerning his supposed return from the grave. In all, this is a superior biopic, benefiting from strong characterisation and an intelligent, thorough script.
Great movie
SnwflkG8 June 2002
This is by far the best movie about Houdini. Paul Michael Glaser was wonderful as Houdini, Sally Struthers was excellent, and Vivian Vance was terrific as the Nurse. Would love to get this movie pre-recorded but have not been able to find it.
Communicating with the dead 101 ........
merklekranz26 September 2019
The film is more about seances, mediums, and communicating with the dead, than it is about great escapes. Under the influence of his overbearing Mother, Ruth Gordon, "The GreatHoudini", Paul Michael Glaser, has her shadow over him in both life and death. Once she passes on, Houdini is obsessed with trying to communicate with his Mother through seances and mediums. It is only after he is convinced that all efforts to speak with the dead are either through unhinged charlatans or out and out frauds, that he becomes a non believer, and sinks into the deepest of depressions. His long suffering wife, Sally Struthers, stands by him even as the religious right relentlessly attacks Houdini as a sort of anti-Christ. - MERK
Harry Houdini accurate small biography!!
elo-equipamentos1 August 2023
Accurate mini-biography of the great escapist and illusionist Harry Houdine, this real name is Erich Weisz, Jewish from Hungarian descendant, the name Houdini coming from the French magician Robert Houdini, due Erich held in high regard a sort of spiritual master, his closest mother is an earnest orthodox Jewish.
The movie starting in the night of new years's eve of new 20th century 1900 when Harry Houdini (Paul Michael Graser) brings at home his girlfriend Bess (Sally Struthers) when he introduces a catholic Bess to his mother Cecilia Weiss (Ruth Gordon) she falls apart over such misbelief, Houdini always have a special fond over his mother, thus such sudden marriage hurts so much Cecilia, mainly because Bess demands a catholic church wedding, hence Bess and Cecilia usually were in inharmonious coexistence.
Houdini didn't get enough success on America, then his mother sponsored thru his lifetime savings to the couple travel to London, where he meets Arthur Conan Doyle that leverage his career at Europe, as promised he brings his mother to Budapest to meet his closest circle ancestors, there once more Bess was not welcome due she is catholic, back at America the quarrelsome couple split for little while, to worsen his sick mother came to die, then Houdine withdraw of the shows and cloister himself in everlasting grieving process, aid by a suppose lover Daisy White (Adrienne Barbeau) followed into hospital aftermaths.
After exhaustive pleas of Bess finally Houdini back on tour, and come out the fatal day when he had received a punch at stomach without expect and the rest is history, well as TV movie it wasn't made it properly, has many mistakes on the picture, a careless production when exposes London in beginning of century with asphalt streets as instance, the lower budge scratch the movie in many aspects, quite sure it was the reason this feature was under appreciated and still wasn't restored and released on DVD, that a question that needs an answer.
Resume:
First watch: 1978 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-Youtube / Rating: 6.5.
The movie starting in the night of new years's eve of new 20th century 1900 when Harry Houdini (Paul Michael Graser) brings at home his girlfriend Bess (Sally Struthers) when he introduces a catholic Bess to his mother Cecilia Weiss (Ruth Gordon) she falls apart over such misbelief, Houdini always have a special fond over his mother, thus such sudden marriage hurts so much Cecilia, mainly because Bess demands a catholic church wedding, hence Bess and Cecilia usually were in inharmonious coexistence.
Houdini didn't get enough success on America, then his mother sponsored thru his lifetime savings to the couple travel to London, where he meets Arthur Conan Doyle that leverage his career at Europe, as promised he brings his mother to Budapest to meet his closest circle ancestors, there once more Bess was not welcome due she is catholic, back at America the quarrelsome couple split for little while, to worsen his sick mother came to die, then Houdine withdraw of the shows and cloister himself in everlasting grieving process, aid by a suppose lover Daisy White (Adrienne Barbeau) followed into hospital aftermaths.
After exhaustive pleas of Bess finally Houdini back on tour, and come out the fatal day when he had received a punch at stomach without expect and the rest is history, well as TV movie it wasn't made it properly, has many mistakes on the picture, a careless production when exposes London in beginning of century with asphalt streets as instance, the lower budge scratch the movie in many aspects, quite sure it was the reason this feature was under appreciated and still wasn't restored and released on DVD, that a question that needs an answer.
Resume:
First watch: 1978 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-Youtube / Rating: 6.5.
The Greatest Escapologist In the last one hundred years
theowinthrop16 February 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Except for the 18th Century criminal, Jack Sheppard, who managed to escape from Newgate Prison four times in two years, Harry Houdini is the greatest escapologist (as an expert in escaping traps or prisons is called) in modern times. He was an above average magician, and a first rate show-man as well, but the man who got out of prison cells, out of chains in locked trunks, out of trunks dunked into ice covered rivers, has never been forgotten - even though he died 80 years ago (on October 31, 1926 to be exact). It helped Houdini's reputation and fame that he also became an acute critic and exposer of spiritualists and their rackets. He was one of the few members of the magician profession who became a genuinely interesting public figure.
Most people recall Houdini as the subject of the film of that name starring Tony Curtis. It's a good movie, but it has too many fictional devices in the plot (some good, some inexplicable) to make it a reliable guide to the life of the man. This 1976 television film was far better. It is not flawless, but it has more of the personal problems of the man's career in it, and (unlike the Curtis film) it does show the death of Houdini correctly.
For one thing, it comments on the marriage of Harry and Bess Houdini, and Bess's struggles with her mother-in-law. Harry Houdini was originally Erich Weiss, an immigrant boy from Hungary who was Jewish. His family settled in Wisconsin. His father died early, so Erich was very close to his mother. Despite the change of his name for professional reasons ("Houdini" is based on the famous French magician, Robert-Houdin). When Harry married Bess, Mrs. Weiss was not happy about it: Bess was Catholic. Mrs.Weiss (Ruth Gordon) tells Bess (Sally Struthers) why she is not sure about the success of the marriage. "Look at me", she tells Struthers,"I'm five thousand years old!" She means that she knows the history of the persecutions of Jews by non-Jews, so despite Struthers' protestations of affection she is not sure of their worth.
Although it does not delve deeply into the spiritualist matter as one would wish (and as a recent film with Harvey Keitel and Peter O'Toole did)it touches on it enough to show the rise and fall of the friendship between Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Peter Cushing). Both men liked each other, but they were coming from different ends of the spectrum on the subject of accepting the "evidence" of spiritualists. Houdini's mother had died, and he did want to find proof of an afterlife - but no spiritualist ever appeared whom he could not analyze and expose. Conan Doyle had been interested in the occult since the 1880s, but the deaths of his mother and oldest son Kingsley (and several other friends and relatives) in World War I made him a too ready convert to accepting Spiritualism as a new, necessary religion to help ease the pains of millions of people. Inevitably they would have parted as friends. What happened was that Sir Arthur's wife had a trance where she got a message from Mrs. Weiss. Sir Arthur and his wife gave the message (supposedly written by Mrs. Weiss using Lady Conan Doyle as her medium) to Houdini. He read it. Possibly if he had thanked Sir Arthur and said he would think about it, he would have kept the friendship. Instead (as this film shows) Houdini pointed out that his mother could not write in English her entire life. The Conan Doyles felt this was a slur on the integrity of Lady Conan Doyle.
He never did get through to the other side. But the film suggests, at the end, that a decade or so after his death he managed to use another medium (Bill Bixby) to send a message to Bess. That is a pleasant fiction that hurts the film's usual truthfulness. One wishes he could have done so - but it didn't happen.
Glaser, Struthers, Gordon, Cushing, Bixby, Vivian Vance (as a nurse who becomes a friend of Struthers), and Wilfred Hyde-White all perform well in this film. Except for the pleasant white lie at the end, it is an excellent place to begin looking at one of the most fascinating figures in 20th Century entertainment.
Most people recall Houdini as the subject of the film of that name starring Tony Curtis. It's a good movie, but it has too many fictional devices in the plot (some good, some inexplicable) to make it a reliable guide to the life of the man. This 1976 television film was far better. It is not flawless, but it has more of the personal problems of the man's career in it, and (unlike the Curtis film) it does show the death of Houdini correctly.
For one thing, it comments on the marriage of Harry and Bess Houdini, and Bess's struggles with her mother-in-law. Harry Houdini was originally Erich Weiss, an immigrant boy from Hungary who was Jewish. His family settled in Wisconsin. His father died early, so Erich was very close to his mother. Despite the change of his name for professional reasons ("Houdini" is based on the famous French magician, Robert-Houdin). When Harry married Bess, Mrs. Weiss was not happy about it: Bess was Catholic. Mrs.Weiss (Ruth Gordon) tells Bess (Sally Struthers) why she is not sure about the success of the marriage. "Look at me", she tells Struthers,"I'm five thousand years old!" She means that she knows the history of the persecutions of Jews by non-Jews, so despite Struthers' protestations of affection she is not sure of their worth.
Although it does not delve deeply into the spiritualist matter as one would wish (and as a recent film with Harvey Keitel and Peter O'Toole did)it touches on it enough to show the rise and fall of the friendship between Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Peter Cushing). Both men liked each other, but they were coming from different ends of the spectrum on the subject of accepting the "evidence" of spiritualists. Houdini's mother had died, and he did want to find proof of an afterlife - but no spiritualist ever appeared whom he could not analyze and expose. Conan Doyle had been interested in the occult since the 1880s, but the deaths of his mother and oldest son Kingsley (and several other friends and relatives) in World War I made him a too ready convert to accepting Spiritualism as a new, necessary religion to help ease the pains of millions of people. Inevitably they would have parted as friends. What happened was that Sir Arthur's wife had a trance where she got a message from Mrs. Weiss. Sir Arthur and his wife gave the message (supposedly written by Mrs. Weiss using Lady Conan Doyle as her medium) to Houdini. He read it. Possibly if he had thanked Sir Arthur and said he would think about it, he would have kept the friendship. Instead (as this film shows) Houdini pointed out that his mother could not write in English her entire life. The Conan Doyles felt this was a slur on the integrity of Lady Conan Doyle.
He never did get through to the other side. But the film suggests, at the end, that a decade or so after his death he managed to use another medium (Bill Bixby) to send a message to Bess. That is a pleasant fiction that hurts the film's usual truthfulness. One wishes he could have done so - but it didn't happen.
Glaser, Struthers, Gordon, Cushing, Bixby, Vivian Vance (as a nurse who becomes a friend of Struthers), and Wilfred Hyde-White all perform well in this film. Except for the pleasant white lie at the end, it is an excellent place to begin looking at one of the most fascinating figures in 20th Century entertainment.
This movie is Excellent!!!
LFoxylala29 April 2002
I have seen this TV movie twice, and have been searching for a copy of the video to purchase. I've seen other Houdini movies and biographies, but this is one I really want. Paul Michael Glaser and Sally Struthers were very real in their portrayal of Harry (Erich Weiss) Houdini and his wife, Bess.
THE GREAT HOUDINI...NOT JUST GREAT...EXCELLENT!!!!!!
evildead19787 October 2004
I'm lucky enough to say that I own a copy of this movie, taped very late one night a long time ago. Upon repeated viewings, the movie still stands the test of time! Paul Michael Glazer is excellent as Harry Houdini, but that's only the tip of the iceberg with this wonderful cast...Sally Struthers plays the role of Harry's wife (both young & old) very convincingly, Vivian Vance is perfect as the nurse (bringing quite a bit of humor to the role), Adrienne Barbeau is as sultry as ever but brings a lot of heart to her role, Bill Bixby - although in the movie only briefly - is very believable as the Medium trying to contact Houdini's ghost, hell - even Peter Cushing gets in on the action! The best role by far was played by the late Ruth Gordon, who should have gotten much more notoriety for her role as Houdini's mother...WHAT A CAST! Aside from all of that is a very interesting (and at times VERY scary) story not to mention a wonderful love story! Why isn't this movie out on DVD?!? If at all possible, do yourself a favor and watch this one if fortunate enough to get a chance! EXCELLENT IN EVERY WAY!
Credible portrait of Houdini with his disagreements with his mother, wife and Conan Doyle
clanciai6 January 2016
Another outrageously ignored, underrated and neglected biopic excellently staged on film with great performances everywhere, especially by Paul Michael Glaser, Sally Struthers and Ruth Gordon as the three main characters in the complicated relationships between son, mother and wife, the two latter having problems with each other, the wife coming between the mother and son and the mother always intruding in his marriage even after her death. The best scene is the first London scene, when Houdini accidentally meets Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Peter Cushing, not very like the real Doyle) and the director of Scotland Yard (the old incorrigible Wilfred Hyde-White) with consequences. The development of the relationship between Houdini and Doyle is true to history, they actually became almost enemies after having started as true friends understanding each other, while Houdini never could accept Doyle's weakness for elves. The spiritualistic part of the story though gives Doyle the right, who survived Houdini with five years, and this is actually the most interesting part of his story. All the tricks with his constantly risking his life twice a day ("and thrice on Saturdays") is all too well known, so not more than necessarily much celluloid is spent on all that, while the drama is his personal relationships. The domestic family scenes and the one in Budapest are priceless for very convincing insights, especially the Jewish wedding scene at home. The jewel in the crown however is the fantastic performance by Vivian Vance as the nurse and indispensable factotum who actually both introduces the drama and finishes it, in a very clearly surveyable interesting and skillful composition to explain the extraordinary life of one of the greatest magicians ever.
Lost gem
bill-1755018 March 2022
This is one of those made for TV movies which sadly few people now will probably ever see, and that is quite a shame. No if it was released in theaters, it likely wouldn't have won any Oscars. But it was a very good movie with fine performances by Glaser, Struthers, et al and a well done telling of the Houdini story. God knows it's infinitely better than many, many movies I have seen in theaters (and that won Oscars). If you can somehow find or rent or get a copy of this, do it. If you like Houdini, you won't be disappointed.
Not the best "escapist" fare
gerdeen-120 May 2008
This made-for-TV movie didn't do much for the careers of Paul Michael Glaser and Sally Struthers, who were starring in successful TV series at the time but didn't go on to bigger careers. It is simply a darker remake of the 1953 "Houdini," which starred Tony Curtis as legendary magician Harry Houdini and Janet Leigh as his wife. It's no more accurate than the previous film, and it's inferior in almost every way. Its only advantage is the physicality of action star Glaser in the title role. Houdini, like all the great escape artists of his day, was as much an athlete as an illusionist. Glaser looks like an athlete, which Curtis did not.
Sadly it was not worth being made
Stebaer411 April 2020
Yes Because it heavily dwelt upon Houdini's failures as even my Mom told me about this as well as the way little kids felt about this.Also being so as the basic premise of the Movie.
But It still has a great all star cast including Paul Michael Glaser of Starsky and Hutch;Sally Struthers of All in the family;and Vivian Vance of I Love Lucy ;The Lucy Show and that 1977 Special of The President of The USA.Bill Bixby of My Favorite Martian and The Incredible Hulk fame,Also Jack Carter.
Truly,
Stephen "Steve" G. Baer of Framingham,MA
P.S.
Like Magic my personal Family name of Ste was come up with by the gift of gab and when my older Brother J.Kevin couldn't say Stephen.Also of which is a result of why i couldn't be brought up to prefer Stephen.Yes this is also the way allot of people get there nicknames.Like my Late Great Grandmother Alice Bouchet when my father Jack couldn't Say Grammy and when he said Bambi it thusly stuck. When I told this guy Stephen "Steve" Nutile of how I got to be Ste he then told that he knew of some other that that happened to and that when one of these boys couldn't say Brothers they Became the Bubs.Yes these memories more than have just brought happy tears to my eyes.
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