On a tour of Britain in 1926, Harry Houdini (Guy Pearce) enters into a passionate affair with a psychic out to con him.On a tour of Britain in 1926, Harry Houdini (Guy Pearce) enters into a passionate affair with a psychic out to con him.On a tour of Britain in 1926, Harry Houdini (Guy Pearce) enters into a passionate affair with a psychic out to con him.
- Awards
- 5 wins & 7 nominations total
Mel Harris
- Rose
- (as Frankey Martyn)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaGuy Pearce spent six weeks learning Houdini's tricks from magician Ross Skiffington.
- GoofsThe opening scene reveals the partially built arches of the Sydney Harbour Bridge behind Houdini as he is lifted to the surface of the water. Houdini died in 1926. Construction of the arches did not commence until 1928.
- Quotes
[last lines]
Benji McGarvie: [narrating] The great Houdini changed our lives. And for a wee short while, we taught him how to love. And me and Mam, we had the here and now. And we had each other.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Lockout (2012)
- SoundtracksThe Flowers of Edinburgh
(uncredited)
Traditional
[Played by fiddler in the pub]
Featured review
Another magician movie? But The Illusionist and The Prestige were great movies, so why not? Catherine Zeta Jones plays a foxy, yet poor, mother, scamming away through life pretending to be a psychic. When Guy Pearce's Houdini comes into town to prove or disprove the existence of the paranormal, they come into contact.
It is both a sad and a hopeful movie. A little too "psychic" for me and too little about the true nature of Harry Houdini except his fascination for his dead mother. The script itself does not lend itself to praise, but the atmosphere and realisation are top notch.
Bottom line: watch it when you are in a mood for a rom-drama, but you don't care much about the subject.
It is both a sad and a hopeful movie. A little too "psychic" for me and too little about the true nature of Harry Houdini except his fascination for his dead mother. The script itself does not lend itself to praise, but the atmosphere and realisation are top notch.
Bottom line: watch it when you are in a mood for a rom-drama, but you don't care much about the subject.
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Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Death Defying Acts: Houdini's Secret
- Filming locations
- Fortune Theatre, Russell Street, Covent Garden, Westminster, Greater London, England, UK(McTavish's Music Hall - exterior)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $20,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $5,665
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $3,561
- Jul 13, 2008
- Gross worldwide
- $8,396,245
- Runtime1 hour 37 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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