I too haven't seen the movie since '87 but I remember it as an excellent and surprising film. I don't think it's all that factual but it is essentially true all the same. I think the ending is perfect and we can see how Houdini and Doyle became antagonists after their earlier friendship. Doyle, of course, was the creator and author of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries. Holmes was, as a detective generally dependent on his reasoning faculties but Conan Doyle himself never lost his naive belief in the supernatural and spiritualism and insisted Harry had to do his effects by extra-normal means, This, Houdini vehemently denied.
Main cast: Ehrich Weiss / Young Harry Houdini... Wil Wheaton Adult Harry Houdini: ...Jeffrey DeMunn Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: ...Roy Dotrice Theo: ...Ross Harris Dr. Tybalt Grimaldi: ...José Ferrer
The only other decent dramatic treatment of Houdini's life was the TV movie "The Great Houdini"; the highly fictionalized Tony-Janet film made me furious!
Judging by the reaction to my "useless" review, readers agree with Sir Arthur that he had to do his magic by extra-normal means. Oh, please!!!!
Finally, may I recommend, if you are sufficiently interested, that you watch the actual interview with the real Conan Doyle on YouTube.
Main cast: Ehrich Weiss / Young Harry Houdini... Wil Wheaton Adult Harry Houdini: ...Jeffrey DeMunn Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: ...Roy Dotrice Theo: ...Ross Harris Dr. Tybalt Grimaldi: ...José Ferrer
The only other decent dramatic treatment of Houdini's life was the TV movie "The Great Houdini"; the highly fictionalized Tony-Janet film made me furious!
Judging by the reaction to my "useless" review, readers agree with Sir Arthur that he had to do his magic by extra-normal means. Oh, please!!!!
Finally, may I recommend, if you are sufficiently interested, that you watch the actual interview with the real Conan Doyle on YouTube.