The dramatic biopic of the world-famous escapologist and magician Harry Houdini, written and directed by Melville Shavelson who provides a witty script. The film interweaves Harry Houdini's personal and professional lives and recreates a number of his more incredible stunts. Ruth Gordon gives one of her marvellous Jewish mother portrayals (remember her in Where's Poppa? ), constantly fighting for her son's attention against her daughter-in-law who not only married her boy but also wasn't Jewish into the bargain! A strong dramatic thread is woven in the depiction of Houdini's interest in the occult and his exposure of fake mediums and there's a neat performance by Peter (Frankenstein) Cushing as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, seen here in his role as spiritualist rather than creator of Sherlock Holmes. The movie is constantly entertaining and gives some clues (unlike the Fifties film with Tony Curtis in the title role) as to how Houdini managed to perform some of his tricks. One of the best TV movies for quite a while, and a first-rate opportunity to see Paul Michael Glaser away from his famous character of David Starsky.

©ipc tx. Film content from TVTimes