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:

Catherine Zeta-Jones, Guy Pearce, Timothy Spall

4 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...

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Plot Keywords:

psychic | scam | charlatan | scottish | dying | 

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Taglines:

Love is inescapable.

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Genres:

Drama | History | Romance | Thriller

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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:

Fortune Theatre, Russell Street, Covent Garden, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,561, 13 July 2008, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$3,561, 13 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:

Black and White (newsreel footage) Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

In the scene before Houdini try to communicate with his passed mother via Mary McGarvie, it can be clearly seen there is a vacuum tube that happened to be a 6C33C Russian vacuum tube, which does not exist until the 60s, and further more, that vacuum tube couldn't work anymore, since it was leaked (it has a white layer of powder inside the tube that shows there is air inside).

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Quotes

[first lines]
Benji McGarvie: [with Scottish accent] When I was very small, I had a gift. I saw things other folk did nae see. It was like looking into deep water and seein' things on the other side. As I grew up, the gift vanished, just like my mam said it would. And I saw the world as it really was - with all its sweet lies and trickery. The the great Houdini came into our lives, and changed everything forever.

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Connections

Referenced in Lockout (2012)

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Soundtracks

The Flowers of Edinburgh
(uncredited)
Traditional
[Played by fiddler in the pub]

User Reviews

The Most beautiful motion picture of the year

When i went to the screening of this movie,i wasn't so excited. You know, last year there have been severals magicians movies just like "The Prestige", Neil Burger's "The Illusionist, "Next". But i noticed myself that "Death Defying Acts" is not just a simple "magic" movie. It's something "bigger", you know..the story is captivating, fairly, helped by a ligated editing work. I can't spoil you most of the story, but i'm advising you to go and see this when it's gonna be released on screen. Gillian Armstrong gives a touch of real magic directing this impressing, fascinating and thrilling movie, being helped by Guy Pearce and Catherine Zeta Jones, that are simply amazing and are "victims" of an unspeakable chemistry that in my opinion should be awarded with an Oscar. 10/10