The Great Houdini

This made-for-TV movie didn't do much for the careers of Paul Michael Glaser and Sally Struthers, who were starring in successful TV series at the time but didn't go on to bigger careers. It is simply a darker remake of the 1953 "Houdini," which starred Tony Curtis as legendary magician Harry Houdini and Janet Leigh as his wife. It's no more accurate than the previous film, and it's inferior in almost every way. Its only advantage is the physicality of action star Glaser in the title role. Houdini, like all the great escape artists of his day, was as much an athlete as an illusionist. Glaser looks like an athlete, which Curtis did not.

I have seen this TV movie twice, and have been searching for a copy of the video to purchase. I've seen other Houdini movies and biographies, but this is one I really want. Paul Michael Glaser and Sally Struthers were very real in their portrayal of Harry (Erich Weiss) Houdini and his wife, Bess.

This is one of those made for TV movies which sadly few people now will probably ever see, and that is quite a shame. No if it was released in theaters, it likely wouldn't have won any Oscars. But it was a very good movie with fine performances by Glaser, Struthers, et al and a well done telling of the Houdini story. God knows it's infinitely better than many, many movies I have seen in theaters (and that won Oscars). If you can somehow find or rent or get a copy of this, do it. If you like Houdini, you won't be disappointed.

I guess this version of the great Houdini's life is closer to the reality than the George Marchall's film, starring Tony Curtis, in the fifties, more Hollywood oriented feature, as you can guess. This is truly a TV material, faithful to the authentic facts. It is very pleasant to watch, especially Paul - Starsky - Michael Glaser, who is convincing at the most as the famous magician. Yes this film for TV industry is quite different from the Hollywood made movie; if you are interested by Harry Houdini, you need to watch both features. This one, though, is deeper, more emotional.

Accurate mini-biography of the great escapist and illusionist Harry Houdine, this real name is Erich Weisz, Jewish from Hungarian descendant, the name Houdini coming from the French magician Robert Houdini, due Erich held in high regard a sort of spiritual master, his closest mother is an earnest orthodox Jewish.

The movie starting in the night of new years's eve of new 20th century 1900 when Harry Houdini (Paul Michael Graser) brings at home his girlfriend Bess (Sally Struthers) when he introduces a catholic Bess to his mother Cecilia Weiss (Ruth Gordon) she falls apart over such misbelief, Houdini always have a special fond over his mother, thus such sudden marriage hurts so much Cecilia, mainly because Bess demands a catholic church wedding, hence Bess and Cecilia usually were in inharmonious coexistence.

Houdini didn't get enough success on America, then his mother sponsored thru his lifetime savings to the couple travel to London, where he meets Arthur Conan Doyle that leverage his career at Europe, as promised he brings his mother to Budapest to meet his closest circle ancestors, there once more Bess was not welcome due she is catholic, back at America the quarrelsome couple split for little while, to worsen his sick mother came to die, then Houdine withdraw of the shows and cloister himself in everlasting grieving process, aid by a suppose lover Daisy White (Adrienne Barbeau) followed into hospital aftermaths.

After exhaustive pleas of Bess finally Houdini back on tour, and come out the fatal day when he had received a punch at stomach without expect and the rest is history, well as TV movie it wasn't made it properly, has many mistakes on the picture, a careless production when exposes London in beginning of century with asphalt streets as instance, the lower budge scratch the movie in many aspects, quite sure it was the reason this feature was under appreciated and still wasn't restored and released on DVD, that a question that needs an answer.

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First watch: 1978 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-Youtube / Rating: 6.5.