Connection
Houdini is a american film of genre Drama directed by George Marshall released in USA on 2 july 1953 with Tony Curtis
Houdini (1953)
If you like this film, let us know!
- Infos
- Casting
- Technical infos
- Photos
- Videos
- Film quotes
- Characters
- Music
- Awards
Add to a movie listHoudini is a 1953 Technicolor, fictionalized, biographical film about the life of the magician and escapologist Harry Houdini, played by Tony Curtis, co-starring with then-wife Janet Leigh.
It was made by Paramount Pictures, directed by George Marshall and produced by George Pal from a screenplay by Philip Yordan, based on the book Houdini by Harold Kellock. The music score was by Roy Webb and the cinematography by Ernest Laszlo. The art direction was by Albert Nozaki and Hal Pereira and the costume design by Edith Head.
The film details a highly fictional account of Houdini's life. The film follows his most dangerous stunts and magic tricks along with his love Bess Houdini.
The death of the magician is depicted in the film as a failure to escape the Chinese Water Torture Cell; in real life Houdini died of peritonitis.
Synopsis
In the 1890s, young Harry Houdini (Tony Curtis) is performing with a Coney Island carnival as Bruto, the Wild Man, when Bess (Janet Leigh), a naive onlooker, tries to protect him from the blows of Schultz (Sig Ruman), his "trainer." Harry then appears as magician The Great Houdini and, spotting Bess in the audience, invites her on stage. Harry flirts with the unsuspecting Bess during his act, but she flees from him in a panic. When Bess shows up to watch Harry perform two more times, however, he corners her. Bess admits her attraction, and soon after, the two appear at Harry's mother's house, newly married. Bess becomes Harry's onstage partner, touring the country with him, but soon grows tired of the low pay and grueling schedule.Actors
Tony Curtis
(Harry Houdini)
Janet Leigh
(Bess Houdini)
Torin Thatcher
(Otto)
Ian Wolfe
(Malue)
Stefan Schnabel
(German Prosecuting Attorney)
Comments
Leave comment :
Suggestions of similar film to Houdini
There are 214 films with the same actors, 85 films with the same director, 69212 with the same cinematographic genres (including 132 with exactly the same 4 genres than Houdini), 1378 films with the same themes, to have finally 70 suggestions of similar films.If you liked Houdini, you will probably like those similar films :
Prince Valiant (1954)
, 1h40Directed by Henry Hathaway, Gerd Oswald, Richard Talmadge
Origin USA
Genres Action, Adventure, Romance
Themes Films about magic and magicians, Films set in the Viking Age, Children's films
Actors James Mason, Janet Leigh, Robert Wagner, Debra Paget, Sterling Hayden, Victor McLaglen
Rating61%
The story begins with the recounting of the forced exile which has befallen the Christian royal family of the Viking kingdom of Scandia - King Aguar (Donald Crisp), his wife, and his son Prince Valiant (Robert Wagner) - by the Viking rebels led by the usurper Sligon (Primo Carnera), a worshipper of the old Norse god pantheon. Aguar has since come under the protection of King Arthur (Brian Aherne), and once Valiant has grown to a man, he is sent to Camelot to undergo training as a knight under the tutelage of Aguar's family friend, the noble knight of the Round Table, Sir Gawain (Sterling Hayden).
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)
, 1h29Directed by Ray Harryhausen, Nathan Juran
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantastic, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, Transport films, Films about dragons, Children's films
Actors Kerwin Mathews, Torin Thatcher, Kathryn Crosby, Richard Eyer, Alec Mango, Danny Green
Rating69%
While lost at sea, legendary adventurer Sinbad the Sailor (Kerwin Mathews) and his crew find the island of Colossa where they encounter Sokurah the magician (Torin Thatcher), fleeing from a giant cyclops. While they escape with their lives, Sokurah loses a magic lamp to the monster. Despite his desperate pleas to Sinbad to return him to the island, Sinbad refuses, since he is carrying Princess Parisa (Kathryn Grant) aboard, with whom he has fallen in love and their marriage meant to secure peace between her father's realm and Sinbad's homeland Persia.
Jack the Giant Killer (1962)
, 1h34Directed by Nathan Juran
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantastic, Fantasy, Adventure
Themes Films about magic and magicians, Children's films
Actors Kerwin Mathews, Judi Meredith, Torin Thatcher, Don Beddoe, Walter Burke, Anna Lee
Rating62%
In the Duchy of Cornwall of fairy tale days, the malevolent sorcerer Pendragon, ruler of giants, witches and all creatures evil, was defeated by the wizard, Herla, and along with his disciples exiled to an uncharted, unknown island. Pendragon however vows revenge and Herla dies, meaning there is no longer a threat against Pendragon. Years later the kingdom celebrates the crowning of Princess Elaine (Judi Meredith). The reception goes well until Pendragon (Torin Thatcher) arrives disguised as a foreign lord. He gives her a magic toy that is actually Cormoran the giant, and which is given to the Princess. When Elaine is asleep, Pendragon uses his magic to make the giant grow to full size and capture Elaine. The castle guards are too late to stop the giant. Cormoran takes Elaine to a ship, but before it can sail a brave farm lad named Jack (Kerwin Mathews) rescues Elaine. Jack then fights the giant and kills it. In gratitude, King Mark (Dayton Lummis) makes Jack her protector and entrusts him to safely guide her to a convent across the sea. However he does not know that Elaine's waiting-maid, Lady Constance (Anna Lee), is a witch in league with Pendragon and reveals the King's plan to him.
The Great Houdinis (1976)
, 1h36Directed by Melville Shavelson
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Biography, Historical
Themes Films about magic and magicians
Actors Paul Michael Glaser, Sally Struthers, Ruth Gordon, Vivian Vance, Clive Revill, Adrienne Barbeau
Rating63%
Lancelot of the Lake (1974)
, 1h20Directed by Robert Bresson, Bernard Cohn
Origin France
Genres Drama, War, Fantasy, Historical, Romance
Themes Films about magic and magicians
Actors Laura Duke Condominas, Luc Simon
Rating68%
King Arthur has sent out 100 knights to retrieve the Holy Grail. Arthur is dismayed when it turns out that the mission was futile and 70 knights have died in its course. Among those who have returned is the Queen's lover Lancelot. Soon Lancelot again takes part in a tournament. There he gets injured. While Lancelot seeks recovery in his own castle, Arthur learns about his wife's affair and, heavily agitated by Mordred, he puts Queen Guinevre in prison. With Lancelot's help she breaks out. Arthur starts immediately a campaign against the castle where the lovers were looking for shelter. During the siege Mordred Lancelet happens to kill his old mate Gawain. Driven by sorrow he tries to end the fight and wants to negotiate a treaty with King Arthur. When he witnesses how Mordred commits an attempt on Arthur he joins without hesitating the side of the king. In the end Arthur and Lancelot and all the other knights of the legendary round table are slaughtered.
Hans Christian Andersen (1952)
, 1h52Directed by Charles Vidor
Origin USA
Genres Biography, Comedy, Fantasy, Historical, Musical, Romance
Themes Films about writers, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, Films about music and musicians, Transport films, Mermaids in film, Musical films, Children's films
Actors Danny Kaye, Farley Granger, Joseph Walsh, Philip Tonge, Erik Bruhn, John Qualen
Rating67%
In the 1830s, in the small Danish town of Odense, cobbler Hans Christian Andersen spends his day spinning fairy tales for the village children, teaching them lessons about pride, humility, love and growing up through his fanciful characters. One day, the stern schoolmaster, who believes Hans is wasting his pupils' precious time, implores the Burgomaster and councilmen to curtail the cobbler's habit of distracting the students with his storytelling, but even the adult citizens easily become a rapt audience for Hans' fables. Hans finally agrees to stop distracting the children and returns to his shop, where his teenage assistant, the orphan Peter, begs him to stop causing trouble. However, later that day Hans is drawn back to the schoolhouse to see the children. As he hears the schoolchildren drone mathematical phrases, he compares an inchworm's myopic measuring of beautiful blossoms to the schoolmaster's blindness to beauty and creativity. On yet another day, when the children do not arrive at the sound of the school bell, the schoolmaster deduces that Hans is again distracting his pupils. When the schoolmaster then demands that the Burgomaster and the councilmen choose between him and the cobbler, they decide that Hans must leave Odense. Peter, who has witnessed the verdict, returns to the shop and secretly tries to save his friend from the shame of being exiled by eagerly suggesting Hans travel to Copenhagen. After much prodding, Peter succeeds in convincing Hans to leave that afternoon by reminding him that he will be the envy of the town for having been the first to visit the famous city. Soon after Hans begins his journey, Peter joins him on the trail, bringing all the shop's tools to start their business anew.
Jade Warrior (2006)
, 1h50Directed by Antti-Jussi Annila
Origin Finlande
Genres Drama, Thriller, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Historical, Romance
Themes Films about magic and magicians, Films about religion, Sports films, Martial arts films, Kung fu films, Wuxia films
Actors Zhang Jingchu, Tommi Eronen, Krista Kosonen, Markku Peltola, Antti-Jussi Annila
Rating57%
Inspired by the Finnish epic The Kalevala, the story opens with a down-on-his luck novice blacksmith named Kai whose girlfriend, Ronja, leaves him. Ronja tries to dispose of his collection of Asian artifacts and what appears to be an urn full of ashes at an antique dealer. The ashes are his burned up hair and nail clippings, used by blacksmiths to prevent rust. This sets off a mythical series of events that holds Ronja back from leaving town. The ashes open a mythical chest, which causes Kai to remember a past life where he was a half-Chinese half-Finnish warrior named Sintai, fated to battle a demon in ancient China, threatening to enslave all of humankind.
, 1h40Directed by Tetsuya Nomura
Origin Japon
Genres Drama, Science fiction, War, Thriller, Comedy, Documentary, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Horror, Historical, Musical, Crime, Animation, Romance, Western
Themes Films about computing, Jeu, Films about magic and magicians, Films about video games, Films based on video games
Actors Takahiro Sakurai, Ayumi Itō, Kenichi Suzumura, Showtaro Morikubo, Māya Sakamoto, Megumi Toyoguchi
Rating71%
Setting Advent Children takes place two years following the events of the 1997 role-playing video game Final Fantasy VII, during which the antagonist Sephiroth attempted to absorb the Lifestream (the lifeblood and soul of the planet) and be reborn as a god. He was defeated by Cloud Strife and his companions but Sephiroth's final spell, Meteor, destroyed the city of Midgar.
Magic in the Moonlight (2014)
, 1h37Directed by Woody Allen
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Romantic comedy, Historical, Crime, Romance
Themes Films about magic and magicians, La provence
Actors Emma Stone, Colin Firth, Hamish Linklater, Marcia Gay Harden, Jacki Weaver, Eileen Atkins
Rating64%
In 1928, a globally famous illusionist, Wei Ling Soo, performs in front of a crowd in Berlin with his world-class magic act. As he walks off stage the film audience sees that he is actually a British man named Stanley (Colin Firth). He berates his employees and is generally curmudgeonly towards his well-wishers. In his dressing-room, he is greeted by old friend and fellow illusionist Howard Burkan (Simon McBurney). Howard enlists Stanley to go with him to the Côte d'Azur where a rich American family, the Catledges, has apparently been taken in by a clairvoyant and mystic, Sophie (Emma Stone). In fact, the son of the family, Brice (Hamish Linklater), is smitten with Sophie, and his sister Caroline (Erica Leerhsen) and brother-in-law George (Jeremy Shamos) are concerned Brice is considering proposing marriage. Howard says that he has been unable to uncover the secrets behind her tricks and he admits that the more he watched her the more he believed she really has supernatural powers. So he would like Stanley, who has debunked charlatan mystics in the past, to help him prove she is a fraud.
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
, 2h10Directed by Chris Weitz
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Fantastic, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Romance
Themes Films about animals, Films about magic and magicians, Wolves in film, Werewolves in film, Vampires in film, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Billy Burke, Anna Kendrick, Michael Welch
Rating48%
On her 18th birthday, Bella Swan wakes up from a dream in which she sees herself as an old woman. She expresses her distaste about growing older than her boyfriend Edward Cullen, a vampire who stopped aging physically at 17. Despite her lack of enthusiasm, Edward's adoptive family throw Bella a birthday party. While unwrapping a gift, Bella gets a paper cut. Edward's brother, Jasper, becomes overwhelmed by the scent of Bella's blood and attempts to kill her. Realizing the danger that he and his family pose to Bella, Edward ends their relationship, and the Cullens leave Forks, Washington.