yes, hollyweird takes liberties when making "biographical" films, but this is the worst farce ever perpatrated on the american public. and since a large percentage get their views on history from the movies, all the prints of this garbage should all be destroyed.
shareI think not! Most intelligent people, after seeing this film, would probably be inclined to research the life of Houdini (not necessarily in depth, of course), and would quickly realize that many liberties were taken. However, Tony Curtis gives a very sensitive performance: his relationships with Bess (the ever dependable and elegant Janet Leigh) and his mother (Angela Clarke) are beautifully portrayed, and the scene in which he has emerged from the icy river and mentions that he heard his mother calling his name, only to find out that she had just died, is truly touching (at least I think it would be to anyone who has lost a loved one). Also, the scene in which Tony focuses on the glittering chandelier in order to free himself from the strait-jacket is both unsettling (thanks to brilliant music and the strained expression on Tony's face) and a dramatic highlight. And, when the senior magician (Ian Wolfe) warns Houdini that he should stop dabbling in what he claims is "real magic," the audience is given a strong sense of foreboding that Houdini may very well be doomed. Of course, it WAS a trick -- or more likely attributable to Houdini being a skilful contortionist, but the suggestion that true magic was at work heightens the drama. And I mustn't forget Torin Thatcher as his assistant in his latter years; there are many fans of classic films who recognize the brilliance of Torin Thatcher. Subtlety does not always equal entertainment. If the prints of any films should be destroyed, "American Pie" and its sequels would be fantastic candidates. Only sick people would find it amusing to watch a girl spit her boyfriend's semen into a beer, only to have his friend drink it down, and be "treated" to the sight of a teenager thrusting his penis into a warm apple-pie to simulate vaginal intercourse. THAT is trash!!!
shareI bought a copy of Houdini for myself for Christmas - it's still a great film after all these years and yes Torin's performance is indeed brilliant (is it me or does that guy have a really unique talent with his voice?!).
I'd save all film prints of Houdini.
A man of taste! Good for you!!! :-)
shareI'm really a she, but thanks! :)
shareOh, sorry. What threw me was the fact that your nickname is the authentic Old Persian form of the royal (male) name "Darius." I admire your creativity. :-)
shareNo problem!
" I admire your creativity. :-) "
Thanks! :)
Someone once said something about History being the way things were, and Fiction telling things the way they ought to have happened. Whatever Houdini's life was like, his demise was unglamorous, and his legendary status deserved something more dramatic. The movie gave him that.
Houdini, with Tony Curtis, will always be one of my favorites.
Terence
First: Bullshit. Houdini is 1 of my heroes and deserves an accurate history.
Second: Now I know where the smug assholes who write Billions did their research on Houdini’s death. They parroted this movie. My scorn and contempt for the Billions’ “writing staff” just hit a new level, and not a good one.
[deleted]
dont be such an idiot, films are entertainment, Houdini was an entertainer...no one in their right mind would watch a biog film expecting fact and nothing else, especially from a golden-era film. I love this filma and Curtis/Leigh are superb in it. The idiot who started this thread is the same sort of lowlife who tells kids theirs no santa claus, refuses to use their imagination and just looks for reasons to complain, get back under your rock.
shareNo, I agree with the OP. This movie simply should have been called "The Escape Artist" or something similar.
This movie is SO FAR apart from Houdini's real story that it is merely "essence of Houdini".
It's a fine "adventure/thriller" movie for the times it was made in, but it's a HORRIBLE biopic, and would never be made in that style today.
A definitive version of Houdini's life story has yet to be made, it's MUCH more interesting than this cheesy little movie.
I CANNOT agree with you more sir. This is an extremely fine movie that captures one's attention from beginning to the end, via wonderful acting, directing, cinematography,and especially THE MUSIC. And YES, movies like American Pie ARE trash. We need MORE movies made in the same vein as "Houdini" once again.
shareThanks for replying to my post, Sinemah Freek. At this point I would hardly care if Hollywood stopped making movies.
shareI really enjoyed "Houdini"l it was very entertaining.
"I love corn!"
I have a vague memory of seeing this movie when I was about 7 years old. The final water torture scene lodged in my memory although I had forgotten the rest of the film. Hey, at 7 years you ain't interested in the romantic life of Harry and Bess.
Over the years I've read a bio of Houdini (sorry, can't recall the author) and many stories of the man as an escape artist and silent film star.
When I finally had the chance to see the movie again, for the first time in over four decades, I approached it with trepidation. First, there was Tony Curtis. Houdini was a short Jew with wiry hair, a muscled body from the work involved in his profession and hypnotic eyes that transfixed people with their intensity. Curtis, in the 1950's, was a rising pretty boy movie star, still relatively untested by dramatic parts.
I was pleasantly surprised to discover that although the movie is 80% bs, it is thoroughly entertaining bs. All Hollywood bios have to be taken with a grain of salt, but if you can suspend your disbelief and put the actual life of Harry Houdini in the back of your mind for two hours, you will readily succumb to the charm of the charismatic Curtis and entrancing Janet Leigh.
Now, if you really want a wretched screen bio of an early 20th Century star, look up Valentino (1951) with Anthony Dexter. I got through the first 40m or so before giving up, but if the last 40m were as bad as the first, I'm sure I made the right decision.
Houdini won't get raves for accruacy, but it certainly gets applause for its energy and good old fashioned Hollywood charm.
I couldn't agree more. This is a fun, engaging film and the entire cast is wonderful, most especially the young Mr. and Mrs. Tony Curtis. And let's not forget that Curtis is also Jewish--he's a charming choice, I think, to play the hyper-charismatic Houdini.
shareI love this movie. I saw it the other day and really enjoyed it.
Tony Curtis = Legend!
R.I.P Tony
To the Original OP.. When I was a young boy I was caught up in this film's story, not knowing how much of it was bs, when I was older I became facenated by Houdini and found out what was Houdinis reAl life was like, I would never had been inspired to find out the truth about his amazing entertainer and escape artist if I had never seen this marvelous movie.
Oh GOOD!,my dog found the chainsaw
I wasn't alive in the '50s, but it's movies like 'Houdini' that sparks the imaginations of kids (and older...kids lol), and there's nothing more valuable than that. The story of Harry Houdini, with the "Halloween" thing, has always carried a bit of magic with it, like a scary story best told around a campfire.
Plus, anyone who'd claim to wish to destroy all prints of a film with the beautiful and talented Janet Leigh at the very height of her powers (In the back of the taxi on the way to the seance, in her brown outfit with matching hat, Ms. Leigh is knee-weakeningly gorgeous) is surely a troll, as evidenced by the fact they never returned.
"Love has got to stop some place short of suicide."
[deleted]
Yes it was! Totally inaccurate!
😎
"Houdini" is a decent movie. The poor OP isn't intelligent enough to differentiate between entertainment and a documentary. This film is good entertainment.
share