Continuing my scene-by-scene dissection of Houdini (1953). Last time, Houdini escaped from an icy grave, only to learn that death had claimed his beloved mother. Now, the aftermath...
Chapter 20: Vanishing Act
Houdini (1953) covers Houdini's involvement with spiritualism with great efficiency. It occupies only eight minutes of the movie's 1:46 runtime (starting spookily at 1:26). But I don't think you'll ever hear the complaint that there is too little. I think the mistake later biopics make is spending too much time in this part of his life, even devoting entire films to it (Death Defying Acts). Also, Houdini (1953) is about Houdini's dueling relationships with his wife and magic, and the sooner we get back to that main theme, the better.
However, Houdini's foray into Spiritualism is an important part of his story, so it needs to be here. Therefore, screenwriter Philip Yordan gives it to us in a single entertaining sequence, which we will cover over the next two installments.
We begin in the newspaper offices of The Observer. On an unfinished page, we see the question: "What's become of Houdini?" There's a treat here for Houdini buffs in that the photo of Tony Curtis on this page is a recreation of the famed 1903 photo of Houdini in loincloth and chains. Gotta love it!
Simms (Douglas Spencer), the reporter from the suspended straitjacket scene, enters the office. His editor (Lewis Martin) shows him the page and asks, "Why should a man at the height of his career drop out of sight for two whole years?" Simms explains, "After his mother died, he went into seclusion and wouldn't see anyone, not even me." The editor says, "A man like that can't be doing nothing. Find out what it is."
It's true that Houdini canceled his tour after his mother died. He was booked to play Scandinavia, but news of his mother's death sent him home to New York. It's also true Houdini went into seclusion after his mother's death. But it was only for a month. Tour commitments in France forced him back to Europe. So the movie is taking a pretty big liberty by making it two years. But the extended time also creates a greater mystery. What IS Houdini doing?
We dissolve to Simms standing outside 278, er, I mean, 273, as the filmmakers renumbered Houdini's New York home. He sees Harry, Bess, and Otto exit the house and approaches them. Houdini looks both serious and aged, with his temples very noticeably grey now. He tries to evade the reporter, saying that they have an appointment. But Simms says, "Hey, you owe me. I was the only reporter who covered your straitjacket escape. Remember?" Harry does remember and invites him into the car.
Houdini's car appears to be a circa 1924 Springfield Rolls-Royce Phantom I with a limousine body by Brewster. (Thanks to David Charvet for the identification.) Exactly what kind of car Houdini used in New York at this time isn't known, although it is accurate to show Houdini being chauffeured as he rarely drove in later life. If the filmmakers wanted to be more accurate and provide a nice easter egg, they could have given him a Packard Straight Eight, which is a car Houdini used during his spiritualism lecture tour.
In the car, Houdini explains to Simms that he has spent the last two years trying to communicate with his deceased mother. If there is a hereafter, there must be a way to reach it. "There is. By dying," quips Simms. "That closes the door. I want to open it," says Harry. The idea that Houdini sees death as just another barrier that he can unlock is a nice one. And for Harry Houdini, nothing is "impossible." (As to the truth of all this, I'll tackle that in the next installment, or you can read this.)
For all my admiration of the technical aspects of this film, this is one scene in which a technical flaw causes real distraction. The back projection through the car window shows a New York that appears to be from the 1890s instead of the 1920s. You see horse-drawn carriages and women in turn-of-the-century dress. But what is worse is the back projection loops, visibly jump-cutting back to the start. I didn't notice this the first time I watched the movie, but now I can't stop seeing it. And you won't be able to either. Sorry!
Houdini explains that tonight they "are going to try again" and invites Simms to come along. Simms looks a little nervous and starts to make excuses. Bess prods him with, "You're not afraid, are you, Mr. Simms?" Simms clearly is afraid, but he reluctantly agrees to go along and experience Houdini's strange new world.
