Houdini is pure hollywood magic
Added 11/22/2009
I was a child when I had orginally seen this film on television and the story of a man trying to escape from a bottle completely captivated me. I'm glad this film in on DVD as the quality and colour is excellent. Tony Curtis and then wife Janet Leigh create a wonderful on screen chemistry and they have fun with the roles of Mr and Mrs Houdini. If you like a lot of hollywood smoke and mirrors then you will enjoy this film as it hits all the hightlights of The Great Houdini's life and delves into the supernatural quite well even though it may not be always accurate. Ten out of ten for pure movie 'escapism'.
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Tony and Janet's HOUDINI: a Halloween tradition
Added 10/14/2009
When I was a kid, HOUDINI (1953) with Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh was always broadcast in October, usually as a Saturday afternoon movie.
There are two mentions in it of Halloween.
The first happens when Harry and Bess Houdini visit a magician's convention on Halloween night. Unhappy Harry failed at magic and took a job in a lock factory at his wife's urging, but when given the opportunity to go on stage as one of five challengers who must try to escape from strait jackets, Harry jumps at it. He wins the contest and his prize is a single round-trip ticket to Europe. Eventually the couple trades it for two one-way ducats. Harry and Bess find fame in Britain and on the Continent and then repeat their success in America.
The second Halloween reference is to a near-tragic stunt held on Halloween afternoon: an escape from a locked trunk submerged in the iced-over Detroit River. When he emerges from the trunk, Harry's swept downstream by the current, can't find the large hole cut in the ice and nearly drowns and/or freezes to death.
Despite that and a sad ending, this is generally an upbeat film. Colorful re-creations of late 19th Century sideshows are fun and so are the many magic tricks and escapes. Also, Leigh and Curtis make a most pulchritudinous couple and are clearly in love (for real!).
I recommend HOUDINI to all as a pleasant October diversion.
BTW-- does the Detroit River REALLY ice over before October 31st and is the outside temperature ZERO degrees in the DAYTIME? (Don't answer that!)
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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The real Harry Houdini
Added 8/14/2009
Harry Houdini was perhaps the greatest magician of all time. The most remarkable thing about him was his ability to contort or control his body enough to escape handcuffs, straight jackets, and other means of restraint of his day and age. Biographies of the man show him to be a remarkable individual. Tony Curtis' portrayal of Houdini is, in my humble opinion, both accurate and entertaining. It's the type of entertainment the whole family can enjoy. I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves biographies and clean, wholesome entertainment.
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A classic from yesteryear
Added 5/4/2009
A clasic from yesteryear. This movie, although not entirely acurate, is great family entertainment. It brought back sentimental memories of when I first viewed this film with my brothers.
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Houdini the Great
Added 1/5/2009
This is one of the 2 best movies about the world greatest escape artist.
Tony curtis does a wonderful job and you can't go wrong with Janet Leigh as his wife.Pick this up and enjoy and keep an eye for The Great Houdini starring Paul Michael Glaser and Sally Struthers(1976).
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Houdini is pure hollywood magic
Added 11/22/2009
I was a child when I had orginally seen this film on television and the story of a man trying to escape from a bottle completely captivated me. I'm glad this film in on DVD as the quality and colour is excellent. Tony Curtis and then wife Janet Leigh create a wonderful on screen chemistry and they have fun with the roles of Mr and Mrs Houdini. If you like a lot of hollywood smoke and mirrors then you will enjoy this film as it hits all the hightlights of The Great Houdini's life and delves into the supernatural quite well even though it may not be always accurate. Ten out of ten for pure movie 'escapism'.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Tony and Janet's HOUDINI: a Halloween tradition
Added 10/14/2009
When I was a kid, HOUDINI (1953) with Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh was always broadcast in October, usually as a Saturday afternoon movie.
There are two mentions in it of Halloween.
The first happens when Harry and Bess Houdini visit a magician's convention on Halloween night. Unhappy Harry failed at magic and took a job in a lock factory at his wife's urging, but when given the opportunity to go on stage as one of five challengers who must try to escape from strait jackets, Harry jumps at it. He wins the contest and his prize is a single round-trip ticket to Europe. Eventually the couple trades it for two one-way ducats. Harry and Bess find fame in Britain and on the Continent and then repeat their success in America.
The second Halloween reference is to a near-tragic stunt held on Halloween afternoon: an escape from a locked trunk submerged in the iced-over Detroit River. When he emerges from the trunk, Harry's swept downstream by the current, can't find the large hole cut in the ice and nearly drowns and/or freezes to death.
Despite that and a sad ending, this is generally an upbeat film. Colorful re-creations of late 19th Century sideshows are fun and so are the many magic tricks and escapes. Also, Leigh and Curtis make a most pulchritudinous couple and are clearly in love (for real!).
I recommend HOUDINI to all as a pleasant October diversion.
BTW-- does the Detroit River REALLY ice over before October 31st and is the outside temperature ZERO degrees in the DAYTIME? (Don't answer that!)
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
The real Harry Houdini
Added 8/14/2009
Harry Houdini was perhaps the greatest magician of all time. The most remarkable thing about him was his ability to contort or control his body enough to escape handcuffs, straight jackets, and other means of restraint of his day and age. Biographies of the man show him to be a remarkable individual. Tony Curtis' portrayal of Houdini is, in my humble opinion, both accurate and entertaining. It's the type of entertainment the whole family can enjoy. I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves biographies and clean, wholesome entertainment.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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