Houdini

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Houdini

1953

1h 46m

Drama

Biography

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

85%

Tomatometer

13 Reviews

59%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

While working as a Coney Island entertainer, Harry Houdini (Tony Curtis) meets and falls madly in love with Bess (Janet Leigh). The two quickly marry, and with her at his side, the magician begins his rise to fame as the world's greatest escape artist and magician. But as the escapes get more and more dangerous, Bess worries that Harry may be taking his act too far. This biographical look at the life of Houdini takes several liberties with the facts, including how the magician actually died.

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James Plath

Family Home Theater

01/16/2018

B+

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 then-wife Janet Leigh....

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David Cornelius

DVDTalk.com

07/11/2008

3/5

There's enough whimsy on display to make the film a pleasant charmer.

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Steve Crum

Video-Reviewmaster.com

03/23/2008

3/5

Colorful, but full of falsehoods, story of Houdini. Curtis is pretty good.

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Daniel M. Kimmel

Worcester Telegram & Gazette

11/04/2005

3/5

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

07/21/2005

2/5

Philip Martin

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

05/16/2005

2/5

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steve d

07/21/2020

Surprisingly entertaining and well acted.

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03/29/2015

Excellent movie. The chemistry and timing between Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis makes this movie believable. It concentrates on more of the positive aspects of Houdini's life, rather than the myths and exploitations.

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10/07/2013

Its very entertaining and fun.

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03/26/2013

A great movie! A lady from the Magic Castle recommended it after we heard about Houdini. I loved it! It was funny too.

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03/22/2013

This speedy, swashbuckling biopic tells the story of late, great escape artist, Harry Houdini, offering some sweet performances from big 50s names and bags of pizazz. Wry humour, charming romance and cheeky panache all ensure escapist fun, held together by a beguiling rise-and-fall structure, yet the film falls flat on its face in its misrepresentations of events and failure to address the magician's mysterious death. Fanciful fun flummoxed by falsehoods.

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12/13/2012

The story of the most famous magician of all time, who was the toast of Broadway in the early years of the 20th century, starring Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh. Well done, great musical score, and highly entertaining.

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George Marshall

Director

Tony Curtis

Harry Houdini

Janet Leigh

Bess Houdini

Torin Thatcher

Otto

Ian Wolfe

Malue

Sig Ruman

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Synopsis

While working as a Coney Island entertainer, Harry Houdini (Tony Curtis) meets and falls madly in love with Bess (Janet Leigh). The two quickly marry, and with her at his side, the magician begins his rise to fame as the world's greatest escape artist and magician. But as the escapes get more and more dangerous, Bess worries that Harry may be taking his act too far. This biographical look at the life of Houdini takes several liberties with the facts, including how the magician actually died.

Director: George Marshall
Producer: George Pal
Screenwriter: Philip Yordan
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Genre: Drama, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 2, 1953, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2012
Runtime: 1h 46m

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