The Great Houdini

The film is more about seances, mediums, and communicating with the dead, than it is about great escapes. Under the influence of his overbearing Mother, Ruth Gordon, "The GreatHoudini", Paul Michael Glaser, has her shadow over him in both life and death. Once she passes on, Houdini is obsessed with trying to communicate with his Mother through seances and mediums. It is only after he is convinced that all efforts to speak with the dead are either through unhinged charlatans or out and out frauds, that he becomes a non believer, and sinks into the deepest of depressions. His long suffering wife, Sally Struthers, stands by him even as the religious right relentlessly attacks Houdini as a sort of anti-Christ. - MERK

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'm lucky enough to say that I own a copy of this movie, taped very late one night a long time ago. Upon repeated viewings, the movie still stands the test of time! Paul Michael Glazer is excellent as Harry Houdini, but that's only the tip of the iceberg with this wonderful cast...Sally Struthers plays the role of Harry's wife (both young & old) very convincingly, Vivian Vance is perfect as the nurse (bringing quite a bit of humor to the role), Adrienne Barbeau is as sultry as ever but brings a lot of heart to her role, Bill Bixby - although in the movie only briefly - is very believable as the Medium trying to contact Houdini's ghost, hell - even Peter Cushing gets in on the action! The best role by far was played by the late Ruth Gordon, who should have gotten much more notoriety for her role as Houdini's mother...WHAT A CAST! Aside from all of that is a very interesting (and at times VERY scary) story not to mention a wonderful love story! Why isn't this movie out on DVD?!? If at all possible, do yourself a favor and watch this one if fortunate enough to get a chance! EXCELLENT IN EVERY WAY!

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.

Another outrageously ignored, underrated and neglected biopic excellently staged on film with great performances everywhere, especially by Paul Michael Glaser, Sally Struthers and Ruth Gordon as the three main characters in the complicated relationships between son, mother and wife, the two latter having problems with each other, the wife coming between the mother and son and the mother always intruding in his marriage even after her death. The best scene is the first London scene, when Houdini accidentally meets Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Peter Cushing, not very like the real Doyle) and the director of Scotland Yard (the old incorrigible Wilfred Hyde-White) with consequences. The development of the relationship between Houdini and Doyle is true to history, they actually became almost enemies after having started as true friends understanding each other, while Houdini never could accept Doyle's weakness for elves. The spiritualistic part of the story though gives Doyle the right, who survived Houdini with five years, and this is actually the most interesting part of his story. All the tricks with his constantly risking his life twice a day ("and thrice on Saturdays") is all too well known, so not more than necessarily much celluloid is spent on all that, while the drama is his personal relationships. The domestic family scenes and the one in Budapest are priceless for very convincing insights, especially the Jewish wedding scene at home. The jewel in the crown however is the fantastic performance by Vivian Vance as the nurse and indispensable factotum who actually both introduces the drama and finishes it, in a very clearly surveyable interesting and skillful composition to explain the extraordinary life of one of the greatest magicians ever.