Death Defying Acts

Houdini Affairs of the Heart and Head.

Death Defying Acts is directed by Gillian Armstrong and written by Tony Grisoni and Brian Ward. It stars Guy Pearce, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Timothy Spall and Saoirse Ronan. Music is by Cezary Skubiszewski and cinematography by Haris Zambarloukos.

Not a biopic of Harry Houdini, but an episode in his life, Death Defying Acts (a bum steer of a title) is lukewarm across the board. Story charts the years after the death of Houdini’s mother, where he travels to 1920s Edinburgh and falls in with Psychic Tricksters Mary (Jones) and Benji McGarvie (Ronan), a mother and daughter team who spy an opportunity to prise a cash reward offered by the great escapologist.

What is intended to be a searching examination of Houdini, his mental fragility, hang-ups, strengths and etc, just plays out as a romantic period piece lacking vim and vigour. Pearce works hard as Houdini but never gets to grasp the tormented angle of the man, while Jones is miscast and not even her pretty face can light up a dull performance. Ronan is sprightly enough and Spall shows some emotive verve as Houdini’s concerned manager. The moments of trickery perk things up a bit, but even then the makers think it’s wise to debunk the mysticism. The romanticism of the era, and that of Houdini’s place in it, is well crafted onto the screen, but the flatness and confused thematic threads elsewhere leave this well below average. 4/10

Part factual, part fictional accounting of Houdini’s final months in 1926

The showman (Guy Pearce) visits Edinburgh, Scotland, where he meets a psychic woman and her daughter, who are out to con him (Catherine Zeta-Jones and Saoirse Ronan). Timothy Spall is on hand as Harry’s protective tour manager.

"Death Defying Acts” (2007) is not a biopic of Houdini, but rather historical fiction, aka ‘faction.’ Assuming Harry was faithful to his beloved Bessie, it’s offensive to have him romancing a fake spiritualist. All we have are a few words in a diary and no physical evidence of any such encounters. Walking a woman to a carriage, as was witnessed, doesn’t mean much; after all, he was an actor with twinkling eyes and one of the most famous people of the era. On the other hand, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he had a secret affair (or affairs) since he was famous and gone from home for weeks on end, touring the world. The movie simply explores this prospect.

If you're in the mood for cobblestone streets, music hall entertainment, mystery, and cockney women (Edinburgh’s version of them, anyway) it’s worth checking out. While it takes place in a post-Victorian milieu, it’s reminiscent in ways to the nigh excellent “The Limehouse Golem,” and even “From Hell” and “Sherlock Holmes,” although it’s more dramatic than thrilling, not to mention lacks the horrific bits.

It inspires interest in the master escape artist, who died prematurely at the age of 52 due to a ruptured appendix.

The flick runs 1 hour, 37 minutes, and was shot in London and Edinburgh, as well as Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, just west of London.

GRADE: B-