This biopic follows the life of harry houdini as he evolves from sideshow performer to celebrated illusionist. The movie chronicles his beginnings as an illusionist in new york city, his quick courtship and marriage to wife bess leigh, and his subsequent trip to europe where his escape artistry brought him fame. Houdini was big bold technicolor treat that played fast and loose with the facts, but nicely showcased magic and its attractive married stars. Tony curtis was the proper person to play harry houdini when this movie was made. Lavish if not always accurate account of the legendary magicianescape artistspiritualist stars tony curtis as harry houdini and janet leigh as his wife the couples first film together. Both tony curtis and janet leigh are good, if maybe a bit miscast.
Houdini, a 1998 biographical telefilm about harry houdini. But it was paramount who finally released the first bigscreen biopic, houdini 1953, starring tony curtis and janet leigh. The film is bundled with 1969s those daring young men in their jaunty jalopies. Houdini 1953 the spectacular but tragically short career of magician and illusionist harry houdini whose tricks defied explanation and safety. Thanks to the hugely popular and largely fictional 1953 film houdini, starring tony curtis, a common myth youll often hear concerning how houdini died is that he drowned failing to escape from a water tank during a performance, having to ultimately be pulled from the tank as depicted in the film. This is thanks mainly to the star power of tony curtis, who plays the title role, and janet leigh, who plays his wife, bess. Tony curtis gives a winning performance as the great houdini, the struggling circus performer who emerged as the worlds most captivating magician and escape artist.
The dvd packaging nicely promotes houdini as tony curtis first major film role. Despite the 1953 tony curtis depecition, houdini died of a burst appendix. But as the escapes get more and more dangerous, bess worries that harry may be taking his act too far. Its a very shiny take on a very mysterious performer. Houdini, a 2014 play about the life of the brothers houdini disambiguation page providing links to topics that could be referred to by the same search term this disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title houdini. Tony curtis gives a winning performance as the great houdini, the struggling circus performer who emerged as the world s most captivating magician and escape artist. Houdini 1953 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. There, he meets future bride bess janet leigh, a school girl playing hooky from a field trip. The events leading up to his death started at a theatre in montreal, canada when a university student asked houdini if it was true he could withstand a punch to his stomach without pain. Houdini, starring tony curtis as the eternally famous escape artist, still remains the best of all the films about this american magician icon.
Oct 01, 2010 on september 29 at the age of 85, screen legend tony curtis died of a heart attack, leaving behind a wife, five children including actress jamie lee curtis and millions of saddened fans. Reallife husband and wife tony curtis and janet leigh star as harry and bess houdini in this dazzling film based upon the life of legendary magician and escape artist harry houdini. Tony curtis with sidney poitier in the defiant ones. The most famous houdini biopic is paramounts 1953 houdini starring tony curtis and janet leigh. The chemistry and timing between janet leigh and tony curtis makes this movie believable. The two quickly marry, and with her at his side, the magician begins his rise to fame as the worlds greatest escape artist and magician. In tony curtis his performances in george marshalls houdini 1953, as harry houdini. The film begins with houdini tony curtis performing in a lowbrow dime museum, where he doubles in the wild man act.
Houdini 1953 tony curtis dvd january 2020 houdini 1953 the spectacular but tragically short career of magician and illusionist harry houdini whose tricks defied explanation and safety. The film follows houdinis progress from sideshow entertainer to highpriced prestidigitator, and also touches upon his fascination with the occultand his efforts to expose phony mediums. With tony curtis, janet leigh, torin thatcher, angela clarke. Hollywood legend tony curtis gives one of his best performances in houdini, a colorful biography set in the 1890s through 1920s, and he does it playing opposite his thenwife janet leigh.
Using a combination of prestidigitation and boyish charm, houdini woos and marries bess. He acted in more than 100 films in roles covering a wide range of genres, from light comedy to serious drama. The milk jug is described as a white vessel, thirtyfive inches high by twentysix inches in diameter narrowing at the bottom to twentytwo inches. Its probably important, though, to remember that the film weaves back and forth between fact and fiction.
So iconic was this ending that for many years lay people thought that was the way houdini actually died. His acting was so good that once during filming prop personnel rescued him because his acting made them think he was in bodily danger. But while the sidestepping of just about every important fact about the real houdini is disappointing, theres enough whimsy on display to make the film a pleasant charmer. To get publicity, houdini played by tony curtis dangled from a flagpole upside down while escaping from a straight jacket. Houdini, a 2014 television miniseries about harry houdini. The movie established his position in the industry and gained him a reputation of a classic actor. The actor may be best known for his role in some like it hot, named by the american film. Together, they attended two or three studio parties a week and became friends with other actors. This highly fanciful but immensely entertaining biopic stars tony curtis as legendary magicianescapeartist harry houdini. This event has been postponed directed by george marshall 1953, 106 min. Detailed information about this film is available from the afi catalog of feature films at, or by.
Tony curtis at the time, costars as houdini s wife bess, while angela clarke is seen as houdini s mother. In this film, harry and besss meetcute courtship is the stuff of romantic comedies, and there are plenty of. Movie info this highly fanciful but immensely entertaining biopic stars tony curtis as legendary magicianescapeartist harry houdini. Tony curtis has been in the movies for nearly sixty years. The spectacular but tragically short career of magician and illusionist harry houdini whose tricks defied explanation and safety. Jan 25, 2011 legend films has released a new dvd version of the 1953 film houdini as part of a special tony curtis double feature. Janet leigh, his wife in real life then, was outstanding as bess houdini and the sparks between them show on this film.
Tony curtis was an iconic american actor who did more than a hundred films in his career spanning six decades. Jan 11, 2017 though houdini left me wanting in several areas, its still an entertaining film. June 3, 1925 september 29, 2010 was an american film actor whose career spanned six decades but who achieved the height of his popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. Dec 18, 2010 the most famous houdini biopic is paramounts 1953 houdini starring tony curtis and janet leigh. While working as a coney island entertainer, harry houdini tony curtis meets and falls madly in love with bess janet leigh. What followed was a string of successful films that enhanced his status further. With tony curtis, janet leigh, torin thatcher, angela clarke, sig ruman, connie gilchrist. Detailed information about this film is available from the afi catalog of feature films at, or by clicking here. In the defiant ones 1958, set in the racially segregated south, his portrayal of an. Bess houdini 18761943, harry houdini s stage assistant and wife. In the late 1950s and 1960s, curtis starred in films like houdini, operation petticoat, some like it hot, the defiant ones and spartacus. He later appeared in a variety of lowprofile films and on. Houdini fortyfive years after tony curtis offered his fanciful take on famed escape artist and illusionist harry houdini, tnt trots out this dark, cynical and no doubt far more accurate biopic. Houdini, a 1953 biographical film about harry houdini.
Curtis looks like and is built like houdini which adds to the enjoyability of the picture. Tony curtis at the time, costars as houdinis wife bess, while angela clarke is seen as houdinis mother. Tony curtis and janet leigh star in this film biography of the great magician harry houdini curtis, spanning the years from age 21 to his death. The tony curtis double feature dvd is available at. In his later years, curtis made numerous television appearances. Sep 30, 2010 tony curtis with sidney poitier in the defiant ones. The houdini movie with tony curtis shows a different end to houdini s life. From his beginnings as a wild man carnival act to the internationally famous feat of escaping from a locked trunk in an icejammed river, houdini effectively captures the amazing life and courage of this fascinating man. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central. In the 1965 movie the great race, the publicity seeking the great leslie, also played by tony curtis, dangles upside down from a balloon while escaping from a straight jacket. Houdini himself is a but of a legendary figure now, and this movie is a very fictionalized version of his life, but its nonetheless fun to watch tony curtis do all these escapes and gadgets with great charisma. Tony curtis s piercing blue eyes and good looks gained him a great deal of attention at a young age.
The crate, on loan from dunninger, appears in the 1953 film, houdini starring tony curtis. Houdini by george marshall george marshall, tony curtis. Didnt get nearly as accurate a picture of houdini as one would like though, but definitely some entertainment. Curtis through was revered as a talented actor all through, reached the pinnacle of success during the 1950s and 1960s. The film touches on houdinis crusade against fraudulent spiritualists and includes reenactments of some of his most spectacular escapes. Houdini is a 1953 american technicolor film biography from paramount pictures, produced by george pal and berman swarttz, directed by george marshall, that stars then husbandandwife tony curtis and janet leigh. Curtis played houdini in houdini, a film that boosted his career. The film s screenplay, based upon the life of magician and escape artist harry houdini, is by philip yordan, based on the book. Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at. Interestingly, his films covered a wide range of genres, from light comedy to serious drama. While houdini is almost entirely a work of fiction, it does capture the glamor, drama, and danger of harry houdini in a way that i think would have made the master mystifier proud. The fictitious screen biography starring tony curtis as master magician and escape artist harry houdini begins when he is 21 years old and trying to make ends meet by performing as a wild man in. Rent houdini 1953 starring tony curtis and janet leigh on dvd and bluray.
It has three or four wingnuts on the bottom and two false hasps at either side of the neck. From his beginnings as a wildman carnival act to the internationally famous feat of escaping from a locked trunk in an icejammed river, houdini effectively captures the amazing life and courage of this fascinating man. Houdini, tony curtis, janet leigh, vhs 97360522334 ebay. Thanks to the support of an astute sound track, the acting genius of tony curtis, and the formidable actors torin thatcher as the devoted servant, and ian wolfe as the wise old entrepreneur, this film momentarily yet effectively captures the eerie spinetingling atmosphere of. It concentrates on more of the positive aspects of houdini s life, rather. Houdini houdini 1953 the allamerican nick bonelli 1953 forbidden eddie 1953 meet danny wilson man.
The film follows houdini s progress from sideshow entertainer to highpriced prestidigitator, and also touches upon his fascination with the occult. Tony curtis s spectacular body of screen work consists of more than 140 films with starring roles in classics like spartacus, houdini, operation petticoat and sweet smell of sucess. It was in 1953 that curtis first struck a hit with the film houdini. Houdini agreed and was delivered five quick surprising blows. Hollywood legend tony curtis gives one of his best performances in houdini, a colorful biography set in the 1890s through the 1920s, and he does it playing opposite his thenwife janet leigh when they were still relative newlyweds. This enjoyable, highspirited movie is a vintage curtis leigh love story. The film follows houdinis progress from sideshow entertainer to high. The two quickly marry, and with her at his side, the magician begins. Though houdini left me wanting in several areas, its still an entertaining film.
633 823 806 1013 1212 1456 787 949 1402 489 398 1080 1434 20 73 1127 1318 945 285 1104 77 1429 481 1384 923 266 764 1474 780 1335 891 1163 1331 1181