Death Defying Acts (2007)

On a tour of Britain in 1926, Harry Houdini enters into a passionate affair with a psychic out to con the famous magician.

Director:

Gillian Armstrong

Writers:

Tony Grisoni, Brian Ward

Stars:

Guy Pearce, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Timothy Spall

3 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Guy Pearce	...	Harry Houdini
Catherine Zeta-Jones	...	Mary McGarvie
Timothy Spall	...	Sugarman
Saoirse Ronan	...	Benji McGarvie
Malcolm Shields	...	Leith Romeo
Leni Harper	...	Leith Romeo's wife
Ralph Riach	...	Mr. Robertson
Olivia Darnley	...	Flower Stall Seller
Anthony O'Donnell	...	Oily Librarian
Billy McColl	...	McTavish
James Holmes	...	Ugly Mug
Melanie Harris	...	Rose (as Frankey Martyn)
Aileen O'Gorman	...	Effie - Elderly Seamstress
Raymond Griffiths	...	Music Hall Dwarf
Shaun Mason	...	Heckler

Storyline

During Harry Houdini's tour of Britain in 1926, the master escapologist enters into a passionate affair with a Scottish psychic. The psychic and her daughter attempt to con Houdini during a highly publicized séance to contact his mother whose death has haunted him for many years. However all does not go to plan...

---

Plot Keywords:

psychic | scottish | death | edinburgh scotland | lock | 

---

Taglines:

Love is inescapable.

---

Genres:

Drama | Romance | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some sensuality, thematic material, language, violent content and smoking

Details

Country:

UK Australia

Language:

English Hungarian

Release Date:

13 March 2008 (Australia)

Also Known As:

Death Defying Acts: Houdini's Secret

Filming Locations:

Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$3,561 (USA) (11 July 2008)

Gross:

$3,561 (USA) (11 July 2008)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Australian Film Finance Corporation (AFFC), Myriad Pictures, BBC Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

The opening scene reveals the partially built arches of the Sydney Harbour Bridge behind Houdini as he is lifted to the surface of the water. Houdini died in 1926. Construction of the arches did not commence until 1928.

---

Connections

Referenced in Lockout (2012)

User Reviews

Disappointingly flat

This film is about a woman who works as a con artist trying to deceive Harry Houdini into believing that she has psychic powers.

"Death Defying Acts" sounds like an action movie, but the poster looks more like a romantic film. In fact it is neither. It is a slowly unfolding drama about how Mary attempts to con Harry, and how harry falls for her.

As Houdini is the greatest escape artist of all times, a film about him should have been exciting, thrilling and even death defying. However, this film has none of these attributes. The plot is slow, plain and not exciting at all. There is not much tension or drama to captivate me. I do not care about the characters, and whatever relationship they have between them. There is little chemistry between Guy Pearce and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Frankly, I think they are both miscast. Fortunately, Saoirse Ronan is delightful as the psychic sidekick. She is the one who save the film.

"Death Defying Acts" turns out to be a bore. I am quite disappointed by it.