"HARRY HOUDINI:" "AsfarbackasI canremember," "I'vealwayswanted to escape totouchtheheights andplungethedepths of the universe thatwerebeyondmyreach." "But when we reach for greatness sometimeswestumble." "Weriskdrowning in our ambition." "I'ma luckyman,though, because whenever I found myself flailinginthedarkness, therewasalwaysone person there to save me." "(Mrs. Weiss speaking distantly, coins jingling)" "HARRY:" "I told everyone I saw you, Ma." "Guiding me back." "Huh?" "And sure enough, we've been sold out ever since." "(speaking Yiddish)" "(laughs)" "She called me a liar." "She knows you too well." "Yeah, but look, it's in the paper, Ma, look." ""Houdini Guided By Mother's Voice to Safety!"" "That's how I told it." "That makes it true." "Yeah, as true as his name's Harry Houdini, Ma." "(speaking Yiddish)" "We don't fight, Ma." "We don't fight." "All this rivalry stuff-- it's, uh, you know, just for publicity." "People want to pay to see who's better, right?" "Which they already know." "Huh?" "Oh, is that right?" "Yeah-- jumped off any bridges lately, Dash?" "Oh, that's a good one." "Looks like you're running out of bridges, Harry." "What you gonna do next-- escape out of a barrel coming off the Niagara Falls?" "Please don't say things like that to him-- you give him ideas." "It's all right, honey, he's just trying to wind us up." "Huh?" "And I promised her:" "no more bridge jumps." "Isn't that right, baby?" "It better be." "Yeah." "(speaking Yiddish)" "That's right, Ma, that's right," "I can't be killed." "Did you hear that?" "So how're you gonna, you know, make a dent in San Francisco, Harry?" "'Cause they already had the earthquake." "Huh." "You know me." "I always got something up my sleeve." "Thepublicalwayswanted to see me conquer death." "Butwhattheyneverunderstood was how much I needed it, too." "Itwascalled a straightjacket, anditwas for confining lunatics." "Turn me around, boys." "All right." "Ineededto keep pushingmylimits." "Tokeepgoingfurther." "Butwhy?" "WhatwasIlookingfor?" "(Harrygrunts)" "This thing'll make you go mad." "Ah..." "Aah!" "HowfardidIneed  to keep pushing inorderto feelalive?" "(cracking)" "Oh!" "(gasps)" "(short laugh)" "It's not so hard... once you dislocate the shoulder." "Whatevertheanswerwas  itwasneverenough." "BESS:" "Youusedto pretend to escape death." "It was a trick." "But now, you're tricking me." "That's how I make my living." "That's what people paytosee." "Hello, San Francisco." "(cheering)" "Hey, Chaplin, can you do this?" "(grunting)" "(cracking)" "Iescapedeath." "Everybody wants to escape from something." "I do it for them." "Iescape." "I do the impossible." "WhentheythinkI'm dead," "Iburstintothe openair and they all breathe again." "(applause)" "Yeah!" "(cheering, whistling)" "Whoa!" "HARRY:" "On my shoulders I-I carry all of their..." "Sins?" "What, like Jesus?" "(whoosh)" "(thud)" "HARRY:" "Nottheirsins." "Their fears." "Theirfears." "I carry their fears." "Don't kid yourself, Harry." "You may not be afraid of death, but you're afraid of life." "Oh..." "Real life." "Please, I've lived real life." "You can keep it." "I'd rather face death a thousand timesthanstand in the kitchen and do dishes." "Anddon'ttellmeyou feel otherwise." "Iknowyou'rejustashappy  to skip the dishes asI am." "Houdini!" "Houdini!" "Whatdoyouwantmeto do ?" "I want a home." "What are you talking about?" "You have a great big mansion in Brooklyn." "We're never in it." "And when we are, we're sharing it with your mother." "(scoffs)" "We live out of suitcases and trunks." "This is what you signed up for, honey." "I didn't sign up." "I got married." "Harry!" "BESS:" "SometimesI think you only proposed to me becauseI fit in that stupid trunk." "Is that why we were married?" "Because I fit in the trunk?" "I thought you were through with that stuff." "I thought you were through trying to kill yourself." "So I can't jump." "I can't escape under water." "I can't hang upside down." "What can I do?" "Huh?" "What can I do?" "You put me in a box." "You're only happy in a box." "What's next, a coffin?" "Shit, Harry." "Why do have to be so vulgar?" "I don't know." "I'm just a dumb girl who married a Jew." "# #" "My word." "(sighs)" "(door closes)" "(laughs) Oh!" "HARRY (distantly):" "Singitforme." "I'm your audience." "# Rosie #" "# Sweet Rosabelle #" "# I love her more than I can tell #" "For luck." "# For me #" "# She casts a spell #" "# My charming black-eyed #" "# Sweet Rosabelle. #" "(door opens)" "Bess." "Where were you?" "Church." "Church?" "Harry... from now on... we are either in this together, or I'm leaving." "Do you understand?" "I swear... honey, I swear on my mother's life," "I will never risk my neck again." "I swear." "That's not what I'm talking about." "I know." "I'm sorry, honey." "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry." "Ladies and gentlemen, be prepared to be captivated, exhilarated, mystified." "But first, ladies and gentlemen, say hello to the mother of the Great Houdini." "(applause)" "And the wife of the Great Houdini." "HARRY:" "So, I gave up escaping for her." "Iwentback to making rabbits disappear." "And now, say hello to the beautiful daughter of P.T. Barnum's Jumbo!" "Say hello to Jennie!" "Orinthiscase, something a little bigger." "(applause and cheering)" "Jennie, say hi to everybody." "(Jennie trumpets)" "Folks, Jennie is over eight feet tall and weighs 10,000 pounds." "A marvel." "MAN:" "Bravo!" "(applause and cheering)" "(applause)" "(trumpeting)" "Jennie, give me a kiss, will you?" "Oh, good girl." "(Bess whoops, applause and cheering)" "Ladies and Gentlemen, pay close attention, please." "The mind is the most powerful tool." "(trumpeting)" "Tonight, I shall use this power to make Jennie disappear before your very eyes." "(audience murmuring)" "# #" "(audience gasping, Harry chuckles)" "Oh!" "(cheering)" "(cheering and whistling)" "Thank you." "MAN:" "Bravo!" "Thank you." "(cheering)" "Bessalwayswantedtoknow  how I did that one." "Thank you." "Sodidtherestoftheworld." "Therewerealot ofthings" "Ifeltcompelled to keep secret from Bess." "REILLY:" "Hello, Harry." "Hello." "Small world." "When do you play in Europe again?" "Inquiring minds want to know." "Inquiring minds in London?" "And Washington." "Your fans in Europe hunger for a return engagement." "What about booking passage on the Imperator?" "German owned, and we're told a ranking military delegation will be returning aboard." "And if I, uh..." "decline?" "Your fans would be... disappointed." "(seagull screeching)" "HARRY:" "Give me a second." "Don't cry, Ma." "I'll be back." "Don't say that." "She'll be fine." "Take care of her, Dash." "I will, Harry." "Don't worry." "HARRY:" "Putonalittleshow  for those high-ranking Krauts." "They figured I didn't understand German." "(Melville chuckles)" "They were talking about unbeschranktKrieg." "Unrestricted warfare." "Unrestricted warfare?" "Yeah." "What does that mean?" "It means that in the event of war, they anticipate using their submarines to sink British shipping, including passenger ships." "Will there be a war?" "Well, it doesn't look especially promising." "However, you're here on tour again." "Will you make the elephant reappear?" "Or merely hang upside down from Big Ben?" "Well, my wife has an aversion to heights." "(Melville chuckles)" "(applause)" "Ladies and Gentlemen, Sir Arthur and Lady Conan Doyle." "(applause)" "Tonight, before your very eyes," "I propose to walk through this solid brick wall." "(thuds)" "This structure has been erected by several of London's finest masons within the last hour." "What an achievement." "(applause)" "Thank you, boys." "Thank you." "Are you ready, ladies and gentlemen?" "(chatter from audience)" "Maestro." "(orchestra plays dramatic music)" "(gong sounds)" "(orchestra plays dramatic music)" "(applause and cheering, chatter)" "(gong sounds)" "Would you like to see that again?" "ALL:" "Yes!" "HARRY:" "Maestro." "(orchestra plays dramatic music)" "(grunts)" "(cheering and applause)" "Whattheeyessee , themindbelieves." "Thank you." "Thank you." "MELVILLE:" "My dear fellow, that was absolutely superb." "Thank you, Sir William." "Good night." "Good night." "(door closes)" "Wasn't that a kick?" "Wasn't that something?" "It worked like a charm, my dear." "(chuckles)" "(knocking)" "Sir Arthur Conan Doyle." "What do you want to bet?" "Ah, Sir Arthur." "(chuckles)" "Welcome." "Mr. Houdini." "Come on in." "Allow me to present" "Mrs. Houdini." "Oh." "Hello." "Very nice to meet you." "May I introduce you to my wife," "Lady Doyle." "How do you do?" "Very pleased to meet you." "(chuckles)" "We're a bit, uh, cluttered back here, but can I offer you a chair or a..." "Drink?" "No, no, no, no, no, no." "We-we are merely here to add our congratulations." "Yes." "Remarkable." "Miraculous." "Most kind." "Bess, you know that Sir Arthur's the creator of Sherlock Holmes, right?" "Yeah, Harry, I know." "Although I would prefer to be... known for other things." "Mr. Houdini..." "Harry, please." "Harry." "Honored Harry," "I paid particular attention to every detail of your performance tonight, and I have just examined the carpet which is employed to prevent the use of trapdoors." "I see." "Well..." "Mm-hmm." "Yes." "Well, and as you know, now," "Sherlock, of course, is celebrated for his powers of deduction and observation." "So you will appreciate it when I tell you that... watching your performance," "I was forced to conclude that you possess spiritual powers." "Beg your pardon?" "Spiritual powers." "I was forced to conclude that no human agency would have allowed you to penetrate that wall." "Now, I am a spiritualist myself, and therefore, of course, I am rather familiar with psychic phenomena." "Well, Sir Arthur, I'm extremely flattered, but I-I got to tell you:" "going through that brick wall is a trick." "Nothing more." "Oh, well, he would have to say that, wouldn't he?" "(chuckles)" "I mean, if you were to acknowledge your paranormal powers, your career as a magician would be finished, wouldn't it?" "(laughter)" "Well, now, look, lad, you-you must be extremely fatigued after your extraordinary exertions." "I do hope that our paths cross again." "I'm most anxious to talk to you about your excursions into the world beyond." "A pleasure to meet you both." "As it happens, I am also a medium." "Perhaps we can confer one day." "Sure." "(chuckles)" "Sure." "Well, good night to you both." "Oh." "What became of the elephant?" "Sir Arthur... it's a trick." "Yes." "Hmm." "(chuckling)" "(door closes)" "What am I, the Wizard of Oz?" "(Harry chuckles)" "Telegram, boss." "Great show tonight, Jim." "(chuckles)" "Great trick." "Night, boss!" "(chuckles)" "Good night." "Yeah." "(clears throat)" "(door closes)" "DASH:" "Sosorryto informyou  of Mom's death last night inNewJersey." "Sudden and peaceful." "Dash." "(clattering)" "BESS:" "Harry?" "Harry." "Harry." "Harry." "What happened?" "Don't let them bury her." "What?" "Don't let them bury her till I'm home." "Cancel the tour." "Oh, no, Harry." "(Rabbi reciting kaddish)" "(quietly):" "I want to know, Dash." "What did she say?" "It sounded like..." ""forgive."" "Forgive who?" "For what?" "HARRY:" "Ihadescapeddeath againandagain, butmymother'sdeath was a sucker punch thatI wasn'tnearreadyfor." "Andithitmeharder than anything ever had." "(crying):" "MeinHeld." "My hero." "(sighs)" "(sniffles) You always believed in me, Ma." "(sniffling)" "Wh-Who's gonna believe in me now?" "Who's gonna believe?" "(sniffles)" "Hey, Jim." "(sniffles)" "(exhales)" "Can't you do something, boss?" "Like what, Jim?" "Supernatural?" "What do you mean?" "Yeah." "Like... you and Mrs. H. did onstage a long time ago." "Jim, that was an act." "You know that." "Yeah." "Yeah." "You cannot hide from the spirits." "Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we have learned of a tragic situation here in the good town of Garnett." "And with the help of my dear wife, a psychometric clairvoyant, we will attempt to reveal just who it was who murdered Elsie Matthews." "(murmuring)" "As we prepare, please join me in a chorus of "Nearer, My God, to Thee."" "ALL:" "# Nearer, my God #" "# To Thee #" "# Nearer to #" "# Thee #" "I will now cover" "Mrs. Houdini with this shroud in order to concentrate her psychic energies, allowing her to receive ethereal vibrations." "(bell dings)" "When next she speaks, it will be the voice of Elsie Matthews we hear." "(murmuring)" "Elsie, are you there?" "Elsie, are you there?" "(hoarsely):" "Yes." "(gasping, murmuring)" "Elsie's spirit is now within Mrs. Houdini, who is in a trance state, attuned to receive questions." "Question one." "Elsie, were you murdered in your own home?" "Yes." "Where were you murdered?" "The parlor." "How?" "(gasping)" "(woman gasps)" "Stabbed" "(audience gasps) 16 times with a butcher's knife!" "Was the murderer a stranger?" "No." "So you knew him?" "Uh-huh." "(audience murmuring)" "Can you describe the killer?" "BESS:" "Tall." "Dark." "Mustache." "Goatee, lizard boots." "(Bess whimpers)" "What is the killer's name?" "So much blood!" "I'm fighting back, but... (Bess groaning)" "BESS:" "Oh." "HARRY:" "Is the killer in this audience?" "What is the murderer's name?" "(audience murmuring, Bess gasping for breath)" "His name!" "(yells)" "His name!" "(wailing)" "(audience murmuring, Bess groans softly)" "MAN:" "Have you no shame?" "WOMAN:" "Honey, wait." "No shame at all?" "Beg your pardon." "Parasite!" "Our Elsie is dead." "Our first night out in the year since she was murdered, and you profit from our loss." "I assure you, I had no idea." "Of course you did." "You looked it up." "I had no notion you..." "That we were in the theater?" "The Great Houdini and his accomplice didn't sense our presence?" "Would that have stopped you?" "They should put you in a loony bin." "That's where you belong!" "WOMAN:" "Come on, we should go." "Here's your 50 bucks." "JIM:" "Ifanyonecouldcontacther,  it'd be you." "(sniffles)" "(chuckles)" "Oh, Jim." "Don't you think I would if I could?" "I'd give anything." "I'd give everything." "HARRY:" "Unbeschrankt warfare became a reality." "ThebulletsIpretended to catch in my teeth now struck young men throughout the world." "TheflyingmachinesIloved werenowusedtokill ." "Bytheendofthewar, alotof folksIknew  were gone." "KaiserBillwasinexile." "Theypoisoned,shot, and finally drowned thatcrazymonk, andthetsar and his whole family were shot." "AtleastPresidentWilson had had me to tea attheWhiteHouse." "Stuck around long enough toseeme giveChaplin a run for his money." "(projector clicking, music playing)" "It's a winner, Harry." "It'll play even better with an orchestra." "(quietly):" "I'm on the ground the whole time." "It's fake." "It's all Hollywood." "BESS:" "Look on the bright side, Harry." "It's good publicity for the real thing." "Yeah." "Right." "(whispering indistinctly)" "(projector clicks, light applause)" "Tell them I'll be there at 1:00." "What?" "I thought she was my... (scoffs)" "HowcouldIhavetold her what I was really thinking?" "WhatI couldn'tstopthinking?" "IrealizedJimwas right." "IfanyonecouldcontactMa in the hereafter, it'dbeme ." "MEDIUM:" "Show us a sign." "A sign from the beyond." "Declare your presence, dear one." "Your son, Harry, is here, waiting." "(tambourine jingling)" "(men muttering)" "Then you are here." "And we may commune across the ether." "Well, what do you know?" "Have you no shame?" "Get out!" "Get out, you scum!" "You're phony!" "You're a bunch of phonies!" "Iwantedto escape the boundaries of mortality, totouchthevoid, to know the unknown, butallIwas finding were phonies," "DISEMBODIED MALE VOICE:" "Farewell, Aunt Clara." "charlatans." "Thank Farnsworth." "Anditwasstarting to tick me off." "MAN:" "Lights, lights, lights." "(crying)" "Thank you, Mr. Farnsworth." "HARRY (in old man's voice):" "Shoe polish!" "I put shoe polish on his megaphone." "Look where it wound up!" "(chuckles)" "He-he's a phony!" "And I am the Great Houdini." "(gun clicks)" "You son of a bitch." "(gasping)" "I'll kill you." "And I'll throw the book at you!" "Houdini must die!" "Houdini must die!" "HARRY (clears throat):" "Well, well, I'm still alive..." "(chuckles)" "They call themselves "mediums"" "or "clairvoyants,"" "but truly, they are vultures who prey on the misery of those in pain, longing to be reunited with those they have lost." "Now, to these frauds, I offer a challenge." "$10,000." "$10,000 for a medium whose tricks the Great Houdini cannot expose." "You're a trickster yourself." "And who are you, sir?" "I communicate authentically with the beyond," "(chuckles) and I say to your face, you are nothing but a trickster." "True." "I claim no otherworldly powers." "On the contrary," "I exult in my own." "I spent a lifetime developing my strength and mastering physical manipulation." "I do not seek to profit from the pain and loss of the bereaved." "Only to entertain." "So will you accept my challenge?" "Will you invite me to your next séance?" "Can you put me in contact with my beloved mother?" "I warn you," "I know all your tricks." "You know all of mine?" "You want to shut me up, you'll have to shoot me." "You hear?" "You'll have to shoot me." "(echoing):" "You'll have to shoot me." "(chuckles) Nota badidea,actually." "Iftheywantedtoshootme," "I'ddoit forthem, promote my book andtakedownthesevultures, allatthesametime ." "HARRY:" "Folks, you get the idea." "I'll be staked to the ground across the cannon's mouth." "If I don't free myself by the time the fuse reaches the cannon, they'll have to collect the pieces." "Strap me up, boys." "Get it nice and tight." "I suggest anyone with a heart condition may wish to leave the park at this time." "Are you ready, Sergeant Collins?" "JIM:" "Ready!" "Then, light the fuse!" "(scattered gasps)" "(drumroll)" "30 seconds!" "This doesn't look good, folks." "If I don't free myself in the next 25 seconds they're gonna have to call for a team of morticians." "Truthis, I was never really sure thiswasgonnawork," "(softlaugh) Jeez." "15 seconds!" "15 seconds, folks." "Four!" "Three!" "Two!" "(gasps)" "One!" "(explosion)" "(explosion, audience gasps)" "(murmuring)" "(excited chattering)" "(audience exclaiming)" "(laughs)" "(applause, excited shouts)" "Bravo." "Bravo!" "My dear fellow, if nothing else, you are simply the bravest man that I have ever met." "I'm surprised to see you here in Atlantic City." "We're here for Sir Arthur's lecture tour." "On spiritualism." "Ah, yes." "Don't mind me asking, but how is it the mind who dreamed up Sherlock Holmes, champion of logic, buy into table rapping?" "Ah, yes, yes." "Well, I see from the newspapers that you're still a skeptic." "But... but what I'm talking about has scientific evidence." "Well, my mind is open, but I-I've yet to encounter a genuine medium." "WOMAN:" "Fortune." "Read your fortune." "Uh, ma'am?" "How much?" "Two bits." "Oh, take no heed, Houdini." "They're-they're all over Atlantic City." "They're like vermin." "It's all right." "This'll be interesting." "Here you go." "What do you see?" "Not today." "What do you mean, "not today"?" "Hold-hold on a second." "You don't get off that easy." "What do you see, huh?" "Am I gonna meet a tall, dark stranger?" "You will die." "Yeah, so will you." "Huh." "We all die." "That's no prediction." "Sorry I asked." "But as you're aware," "I am convinced of yourparanormalpowers." "I have denied them." "(scoffs)" "DOYLE:" "Tell me, Bess, do you believe that Harry, here, is the possessor of supernatural powers?" "Over me he sure does." "(laughing)" "LADY DOYLE:" "I believe when we first met," "I told you I was a clairvoyant." "Ah." "Yes, ma'am, you did." "But you can't be sure I'm genuine." "Unless I hold a sitting." "Just for you." "Would you like to see if Lady Doyle can contact your mother?" "I do this a little differently, as you will see, Harry." "It's called automatic writing." "I've-I've heard of it." "I don't know if I'll be able to make contact." "I have no control over the spirits." "(quietly):" "Close your eyes, please." "(Lady Doyle gasps softly)" "(gasping)" "Oh... yes." "Yes!" "Oh, heavens." "I..." "I try so long." "My boy..." "So long." "I try..." "Who's there?" "I try..." "His mother." "Oh, my darling." "Thank God." "At last I am through." "I've tried, oh, so often but now I am happy." "Why, of course I want to talk to my boy." "My own beloved boy." "Friends, I thank you with all my heart for this." "You have answered the cry of my heart and of his." "God bless him a thousandfold for all his life." "For me..." "Never had a mother such a son!" "Soon he will get all the proof he wants." "Tell him God will be waiting and so will I." "Oh, if only the world knew this great truth." "(Lady Doyle gasping)" "(crying):" "Thank you." "Thank you." "(quietly) Thank you." "(sobs quietly)" "Do you know what yesterday was?" "JIM:" "Yeah, it was, uh..." "March twenty fourth." "Oh... (laughs)" "I'm sorry." "I forgot." "Ma wouldn't have." "She never forgot my birthday." "Lady Doyle's a fraud." "Boss..." "Boss, this man created Sherlock Holmes." "The whole world loves him." "Youlovehim." "He's the big cheese in this spirit business." "You take him on, you'll stir up a hornet's nest." "You gotta back off." "You find these people and you turn them into heroes or fathers or something, and then you get pissed when they turn out to be regular people." "He'sjustregularpeople!" "(pounding on door)" "Your wife is a fake!" "In her whole life, my mother never spoke one word of English!" "Harry..." "Not one!" "Harry, Lady Doyle translates as she..." "And it was my birthday!" "A mother not mentioning her son's birthday?" "She never missed!" "Never." "Your wife is a fake." "Do you hear me, Lady Doyle?" "You're a fake!" "You're a fake!" "Oh!" "How dare you insult my wife!" "HARRY (over radio):" "I don't claim Lady Doyle is a fake, but she is deluded, probably under the influence of her misguided husband." "While I sympathize with his wartime losses," "Sir Arthur's efforts to promote his beliefs has led them both into causing incalculable harm." "It is not too much to say that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is a menace to mankind." "Till now, I've tried in good faith to contact my beloved mother, but I now declare total war on the spiritualist racket!" "I will devote my whole life to defeating their nefarious schemes to exploit a gullible public." "I more than double my challenge!" "$25,000 to any so-called medium who can convince me!" "(train whistle blows)" "(reporters clamoring)" "REPORTER:" "There he is!" "Sir Arthur, any comments on Houdini's response" "No, no, no, no." "to your séance?" "Do you have time to answer just one thing?" "Now, let us through, please." "Come on now." "Come on now." "Lady Doyle." "Lady Doyle, is it true you were able" "Come on now." "No, out of the way." "to make contact with Houdini's mother?" "I-I..." "Is it true you were able to make contact with Houdini's mother?" "Houdini is doomed." "Doomed." "HARRY:" "Theydidn'tgetit." "Iwasn'tlookingfor afake ." "Iwantedto be provenwrong, toreachtheotherside , toescapeto something beyonddeath." "SoI wentto consult the most notorious medium inalltheworld." "ShecalledherselfMargery." "Mr. Houdini." "Andifshewas for real," "Hello." "I'dgiveup thewitchhunt ..." "Good evening." "...ina heartbeat." "We've been waiting for you." "Itwouldbe  asmallpricetopaytoprove onceandforall  that death isn't the final act." "This is my husband, Dr. Crandon." "Houdini." "How do you do?" "I believe you know Mr. Bird." "Yes, of course." "And this is Mr. Munn, publisher of Scientific American Magazine." "Well, they were kind enough to include me on their assessment committee." "(chuckles)" "Gentlemen." "So, Margery..." "Oh, I'm not Margery." "Not yet." "(chuckles)" "Gentlemen, shall we go in?" "Ihadafrontrowseat toseeif shecould truly summon the nonliving." "Lovely home." "In this case, Margery's conduit washerdeadbrother,Walter." "Margery will sit in front of the screen." "I will sit to her right, act as her control." "Houdini, you're on her left." "You will be her control?" "Of course." "That's how we've always done it." "We shouldn't alter any conditions, no?" "MARGERY:" "Gentlemen." "Mr. Carrington... aren't you going to kiss me?" "Darling?" "All right, gentlemen, please have a seat." "In this box, I am placing the bells... (ringing)" "(jingling) ...the whistle" "(blows whistle) and the tambourine." "(rattling)" "This box will be locked... and inaccessible." "Mr. Bird, the lights." "(clicking)" "Everyone, hold hands." "(Margery breathing deeply)" "(gasps, panting)" "(whistle blowing nearby)" "(panting)" "MAN:" "I sense an unfriendly presence." "Walter?" "This is..." "WALTER:" "I know." "Harry Houdini." "He sure is a sheeny." "A man with a crook in his shoe." "Says he," ""As to Walter, I'll lead him to slaughter."" "But says Walter," ""Perhaps I'll get you."" "Ha!" "Walter!" "That's no way to treat a guest." "WALTER:" "What does we want?" "Bells?" "(bells ringing)" "Whistles?" "The works?" "(whistle blows)" "(bells ringing, whistle blowing)" "How do you like that..." "Erich Weiss?" "Yes." "That's his real name." "Let me speak with my mother." "WALTER:" "Like hell!" "Walter!" "Stop!" "WALTER:" "Shut up, sis!" "Tell me her last word." "WALTER:" "You tried that dodge with Lady Doyle." "You know I can't understand a word that woman says." "And you, Houdini," "I put a curse on you that will follow you for the rest of your short days." "(crashing)" "No!" "Lights!" "Help me!" "(crying)" "(man clears throat)" "(moans, pants)" "I'd say Walter's outdone himself." "(chuckles) Pretty good." "Huh?" "But not good enough." "The most important point here is... well," "Dr. Crandon as her control." "That's no control at all." "Inthedark, he lets go of her hand, enablingherto ringthe bell whileheputs the whistle in his mouth, andthenwithhis foot, he kicks over the screen." "What about Walter's voice?" "(chuckles) I should've gagged you." "Mrs. Crandon is the most gifted ventriloquist" "I have ever heard." "(through his teeth):" "Aren't you?" "You can't prove any of this." "Want to bet, hmm?" "Some scientists." "They all had the hots for her." "Yeah." "She put the moves on every one of them." "Yeah." "No, baby." "I didn't fall for any of it." "No, she's busted, baby." "A-As soon as I write my report, she won't see a dime." "(knocking)" "Bessie, someone's at the door." "I got to go." "(clears throat)" "Yeah." "I'm on the 8:55 tomorrow." "Yeah, no." "I-I-I'll see you tomorrow in Detroit." "(hangs up phone)" "(grunts)" "Speak of the devil." "May I come in?" "It appears our roles are reversed." "Are you going through with it?" "Will you expose me?" "Listen." "I came to you to put me in contact with my mother." "I trusted you." "You played me." "Is there nothing I can do to dissuade you?" "They say you have the strongest stomach muscles." "That you let perfect strangers take a punch." "May I... try my luck?" "(short breath)" "(chuckles)" "(grunts)" "(moaning)" "(gasps, moans)" "(chuckles)" "(panting)" "Get out." "Get out." "Hypocrite." "You'll regret this." "I'm already regretting it." "Don't forget, Walter's curse is on you." "Yeah, yeah, I know." "And when I die, you spiritualists will declare an international holiday." "When you die, we will make you say whatever we like." "We will own you." "HARRY:" "Forthefirsttimeinmy life," "Iwastrulyafraid." "AndI didn'tknowwhy ." "How long can a man hold his breath?" "Behold the Chinese Water Torture Cell." "(gasps)" "(groans, audience gasping)" "(sighs, panting)" "(panting continues)" "Ididn'tbelieveincurses, andI wasn'tgonnastartnow." "(excited chattering)" "It's a fracture." "You've got to go into a cast and stay off it for six weeks." "No, uh..." "Just give me some kind of brace, Doc." "You have to have a cast." "Well, I can't perform in a cast, so we have to find some kind of brace that'll work." "Houdini does not miss performances." "Exactly." "DOCTOR:" "This is crazy." "At your age, to hang by only one... you'll break the other ankle." "What can I tell you, Doc?" "Thank you very much." "Would you gentlemen mind giving me some time to rest before the evening show?" "There's some, uh, students outside." "I promised they could sketch me." "Thank you." "Thank you, Doc." "JIM:" "Thanks, Doc." "(conversing indistinctly)" "(sighs)" "Hmm." "Honey, look at this." ""After much debate," ""ScientificAmerican hasdecidednot" ""to award its monetary prize" ""to the celebrated Boston medium" ""known as Margery," ""citing the work of magician Harry Houdini" ""in exposing apparent deceptive practices." ""The medium's deceased brother, Walter," ""laid a curse on Houdini predicting his imminent death."" "Huh." "Yeah." ""Apparent."" "What a face-saving crock." "You didn't tell me about the curse, Harry." "Huh?" "Baby, how can there be a curse if there's no Walter?" "Huh?" "(chuckles)" "Damn it, now you're gonna go out there onstage with a broken ankle." "It's a fracture, honey." "Can't you ever just think about me, just for once?" "Hey, everything is fine." "Get stuffed, Harry." "Oh, look!" "Your fan club is here." "Come on in, boys." "(groans) How you doing, fellas?" "Come on in." "MAN:" "Great to meet you, Mr. Houdini, sir." "MAN 2:" "Great to meet you." "I'm sorry." "They said you were seeing people." "(chuckles) That's all right." "Come in." "Mr. Houdini, did you really call Lady Doyle a fake?" "Huh?" "No, not exactly, no." "You know, Mark Twain," "H.G. Wells, Lewis Carroll, they all believe." "Mm-hmm." "It's not religion; it's science." "Religion masquerading as science, young man." "MAN:" "Don't move, sir, please." "Excuse me." "Yeah, the Doyles are very sweet people, but they're easily taken in." "(scoffs)" "Sir Arthur once authenticated a doctored photograph of fairies in a garden." "(chuckles, groans)" "Let me get a look at this, kid." "Hmm." "That's very nice." "They say you have very strong stomach muscles." "Yeah." "That a guy in Montreal slugged you and couldn't make a dent." "Yeah." "I'm impressed." "Thank you." "What about now?" "Huh?" "(grunting)" "Come on, Sheriff, give me your best shot." "(grunting)" "(groaning)" "That's for calling" "Lady Doyle a fake!" "Get out of here!" "(wheezing)" "Mr. Houdini?" "Are you all right?" "(wheezing continues)" "(panting)" "(softly):" "He shouldn't have done that." "Should we get the doctor?" "No, not a word of this." "Are you sure?" "Go back to your sketches." "(louder):" "Go back to your sketches." "Okay." "(labored breathing)" "AUDIENCE (chanting):" "Harry!" "Harry!" "Harry!" "Harry!" "Harry!" "Harry!" "Harry!" "Harry!" "Harry!" "Harry!" "Harry!" "Harry!" "Harry!" "Harry!" "Harry!" "Harry!" "Harry!" "(cheering)" "Good evening!" "Good evening." "It's great to be back in this beautiful city of Detroit!" "(cheering)" "How is everybody tonight?" "(indistinct shouting)" "(audience murmuring)" "(groans, audience gasping)" "(gasps) Harry!" "Curtain!" "Harry!" "Harry?" "(echoing):" "Get the ambulance!" "Okay, gentlemen, let's open him up and have a look." "Scalpel." "Dissector." "Oh, God." "(reporters shouting)" "There she is right down there!" "(shouting continues)" "Get out!" "Get out of here!" "(shouting continues)" "Get out!" "Get out of here!" "Get out of here!" "(indistinct shouting)" "Get some help here?" "!" "Will you get out of my hospital?" "Away!" "Get back!" "Your husband suffered a ruptured appendix." "By the time I opened him up, the infection had taken hold." "There was gangrene everywhere." "Oh, my God, Harry." "But he's..." "he's gonna be all right?" "There's nothing more we can do." "Thought about being a surgeon." "You?" "Whatever for?" "To do something... useful." ""Useful"?" "(quiet laugh)" "You've thrilled millions." "I take my family to see you every time you play Detroit." "What you do is real, Doc." "I'm a fake." "Well... is it fake to make people happy?" "Fake to help millions escape their own problems for a while?" "Inspire them?" "I don't think that's fake." "I think you're the realest person I ever met." "(quietly):" "Thank you, Doc." "I'm..." "I'm about to make my last escape." "(chuckles)" "Phone call, Mr. Hardeen." "Operator says it's urgent." "Hardeen speaking." "I'd like to send a reply to Mrs. Houdini." ""Lady Doyle joins me in sending our best wishes." ""Whilstwediffered," ""yourhusbandis themost remarkable man I ever met." ""Andasyouare aware, he was greatly changed" ""onceLadyDoyle broughthimintocontact with his beloved mother."" "That's not how it was." ""Houdini'sconversion to spiritualism touchedusall."" "Mm." "Come here." "Mm." "Come close." "Close." "Sing it for me." "Like you used to." "(quiet laugh)" "Go on." "Sing it." "# Rosie #" "# Sweet Rosabelle #" "# I love her more #" "(mumbling)" "# Than I can tell #" "# For me #" "# She casts a spell #" "(faint humming)" "# My charming #" "# Black-eyed sweet #" "# Rosabelle. #" "Bessie?" "It was never about the trunk." "It was always about you." "(crying):" "Harry..." "Hmm." "Harry..." "Don't cry." "Even if I'm dead, there's no getting rid of me." "(laughing):" "Harry!" "Oh, sweetheart." "Don't cry, my love." "(crying)" "(crickets chirping)" "Inonewayoranother, weallwanttoescape." "Butnoone'spulleditoff." "Happy Halloween, Harry." "HARRY:" "Noone's actuallydoneit ." "Notyet." "# #" "Becauseintheend  therewasno escape." "(glass breaks)" "(yells)" "(sobbing)" "Are you there, Harry?" "(thunder crashing)" "Can you hear me?" "Harry?" "(distantly):" "Areyouthere,Harry?" "Canyouhearme?" "Captioningsponsoredby  AE TELEVISION NETWORKS" "Captioned by MediaAccessGroupatWGBH  access.wgbh.org"