DramaRomance

Death Defying Acts

- Love is inescapable

On a tour of Britain in 1926, Harry Houdini enters into a passionate affair with a psychic out to con the famous magician.

Release Date : 2007-09-13

Language :FrenchEnglishItalian

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : BBC FilmAustralian Film Finance CorporationMyriad PicturesZephyr FilmsMacGowan Films

Production Country : AustraliaUnited KingdomUnited States of America

Alternative Titles : Death Defying Acts: Houdini's Secret

Cast

Character Name : Mary McGarvie

Original Name : Catherine Zeta-Jones

Gender : Female

Character Name : Harry Houdini

Original Name : Guy Pearce

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sugarman

Original Name : Timothy Spall

Gender : Male

Character Name : Benji McGarvie

Original Name : Saoirse Ronan

Gender : Female

Character Name : Leith Romeo

Original Name : Malcolm Shields

Gender : Male

Character Name : Leith Romeo's wife

Original Name : Leni Harper

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Robertson

Original Name : Ralph Riach

Gender : Male

Character Name : Flower Stall Seller

Original Name : Olivia Darnley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Oily Librarian

Original Name : Anthony O'Donnell

Gender : Male

Character Name : McTavish

Original Name : Billy McColl

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ugly Mug

Original Name : James Holmes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rose

Original Name : Melanie Harris

Gender : Female

Character Name : Ventriloquist

Original Name : Miles Jupp

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doctor

Original Name : Campbell Graham

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Raymond Griffiths

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Shaun Mason

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Tom Cotcher

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Carol Robb

Gender : Female

Character Name :

Original Name : Paul Grunert

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

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