Houdini (1953) (Houdini)

Let's enter, young ladies.

Our show is the act of refinement.

It will astound you and amaze you.

It is also educational, and it costs you only 10 cents.

- Come on, let's go inside. - But we told the dean w were going to the art institute.

- If they find out we'll get in trouble. - He said it was educational, didn't he?

- Let's go. - Come on!

Right this way, young ladies. Four tickets for the young ladies.

And now ladies and gentlemen...

If you follow me to the outer range of the museum...

As we approach the cage, proceed with extreme cautious.

Because, as I introduced to you Pluto, the wild man

who was captured in the wild of Africa,

he's just as wild and ferocious today

as the day he was captured.

Not too close, ladies, because it was women that made the wild man wild.

If you please, Mr. Schultz.

Stop it! Stop it!

- If you treat him like a beast then he becomes one. - What do you mean?

Just stop hitting him, that's all.

- Look out! Are you crazy? - You made him that way! Don't beat him anymore!

Herbie!

Now, if you young ladies and the rest of you folks will just follow up to the next platform

I want to introduce you to the world'd greatest phenomenon:

The Pretzel twins.

They will bend, twist and curve in a...

Now look here, young lady, if you don't leave that man alone you have to leave the place.

- Why? I didn't do anything to him. - He's dangerous.

Last time he grabbed a girl she disappeared, puff!

Now leave! Leave him alone!

What's the matter with you?

- Hi, Harry. - Hi, Joan.

Thank you, Mary and Sadie.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, if we all just move over to the next platform,

I want to introduce to you a man

who has all the wizardry of modern magic at his fingertips.

Not a man of 1,000 tricks, but a man of 10,000 tricks.

He will not only amaze and astound you,

but will confound you with his modern piece of magic.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you The Great Houdini.

Thank you, Ladies and Gentlemen.

For my first trick, a small miracle.

As you see, I have just an ordinary piece of paper.

I take the paper and form a simple cone.

I bend the end.

If you place your attention to the pitcher of milk on the table,

I take the milk and pour it into the magic cone.

To the doubting comers who don't believe this is milk I pour it into the glass.

See?

For the young ladies who like sweet milk

I add a little sugar.

I pick the wand, stir it just a little bit...

Watch.

One, two, three!

Evaporated milk.

That magic's gotta go.

It slows up the turnover.

You can see that, can't you?

Yeah, but he won't play the wild man unless I let him do those tired tricks.

Are you the boss, or aren't you, huh?

Don't you see how all the girls go for the wild man?

That boy has got something, and he won't forget a magic.

Now, for my next trick I shall need the assistence of some volunteer from the audience.

Young lady, would you kindly step upon the platform?

Oh, I can't do anything like that. I don't want to.

- Go, go. - I don't wanna go in front of the audience!

- Come right up here. Don't be afraid. - I...

Thank you. Let's give the young lady a nice hand.

- And this is for assisting me. - Oh, thank you!

What is your name, young lady?

- I don't have the habit to give my name to strangers. - She has not the habit to give her name to strangers.

Uh, have we met before?

- Certainly not! - Much to my misfortune.

Now, will you kindly write your name down on this piece of paper. Don't let me see it! Please!

- Fine. - Thank you.

- Have you written it? - Yes.

Now, put it in the flame and drop it in the urn.

Now concentrate on your name while it's burning.

- Are you concentrating? - Yes.

- Is it burning? - Yes.

Thank you very much.

Now, may I have your hand, please?

Oh, please, it's gonna help the vibrations.

Thank you.

Now, will you close your eyes and concentrate?

- Um, you're not concentrating. - Oh.

I want you to hold my hand real tight, and concentrate,

because I'm going to read your thoughts.

- Oh, my goodness. - Please, you must concentrate.

- All right. - Thank you.

Oh, now I'm getting an image.

And it's a good one.

Oh! I take some ashes...

watch me carefully...

I rub it on my arm.

Watch!

There! Is that your name? Bess?

- Yes! - Thanks.

Do you see? The vibrations do help.

- Thank you. Thank you very much. - And I thank you.

Now, folks, if you step in this direction to the next exhibit.

Oh, I... Don't go. This is for you.

Oh. Thank you.

Don't go.

Let go of my arm.

But if I let you go, I'll never see you again.

I have no intention of seeing you again.

Here!

And now, folks, you could step over in this direction

I will introduce you to the little people The Mystic Isle of Little People.

Believe me when I announce: their names are Mr. and Mrs. Bigger.

Probably because he is bigger than she is.

He doesn't say anything because like all normal husbands he's not allowed to.

Now, in normal life, just like you and me,

she lives in a big home, he lives in a small house.

Don't be afraid!

- I'm not afraid. - Then come here.

You should better get back in your tent before they whip you.

You wouldn't let them whip me, would you?

- I wish I could help you. - Well, you can.

- How? - By having dinner with me tonight.

- Oh, that's the most ridiculous... - Oh, Bess...

- I just wanted to meet you. - Well, you failed!

No, no, Bess...

- Excuse me, ma'am. - Excuse me. Bess...

- The wild man! - No, ma'am...

- Please, let me explain. - Get away from me!

- Bess, I've gotta talk to you! - I don't wanna meet the two of you.

Oh, you could've tears in your eyes for the wild man, but for the great Houdini nothing?

- You're crazy! - Bess!

Get your junk out of here! You are fired!

- All right! - Now, wait a minute!

We can't let him go! I told you....

Let him go! He is fired!

What made you wanna come to Coney Island tonight?

Oh, I don't know, I just wanted to go.

Now that we are here, we could skip these things and going somewhere to ride.

All right. Let's go over there.

- Let's go in here instead. - But you said you wanted a ride.

Oh, we will. Yeah, but later. Let's go in here first. Please!

Huh, Houdini the Great.

Watch it! Watch it closely, Ladies and Gentlemen.

Will Houdini survive or will he become beheaded on this block?

Watch it, watch it, Ladies and Gentlemen.

This is without a doubt the most dangerous feat ever performed before the public.

- Are the ropes securely tied, gentlemen? - Oh, yes, sir.

Thank you, thank you very much. Now, before I start the conveyor...

Ladies and Gentlemen, before I move the switch let's be quiet and make a silent prayer.

Thank you very much.

And now, Houdini, are you ready to defy death?

I'm ready.

Ladies and Gentlemen, watch it closely. I will demonstrate before your very eyes

the murderous power of this saw.

There he goes, Ladies and Gentlemen, on his way to doom.

There's only six feet between him and a horrible death.

This is the most death-defying feat of all time.

Ladies and Gentlemen, 5 feet, 5, feet. He's in trouble now!

Hurry up, hurry up, Houdini, you haven't much time!

4 feet, Ladies and Gentlemen, just 4, now 3!

3 feet, a scary yard, Ladies and Gentlemen!

I can't stand to look at it any longer!

Oh, no, Ladies and Gentlemen, I can't bear to watch it.

I only hope nothing goes wrong.

You are braver than I, Ladies and Gentlemen.

Stop it! Stop it! Stop that thing!

He made it!

Wasn't that tremendous, Ladies and Gentlemen? Wasn't that tremendous?

But he might not make it the next time.

Come and bring your friends, Ladies and Gentlemen.

The next show starts in one half hour.

Thank you, thank you very much.

- Is anything wrong? - No.

Ladies and gentlemen,

we have this evening a new attraction for your special edification.

For centuries man has been searching for the fountain of youth.

Professor Allegari has come all the way from Italy

to demonstrate his sensational discovery.

Ladies and gentlemen, for your special edification

- I give you Professor Allegari! - Someone you know? - No!

- Then stop looking at him. - I can't help it.

Ladies and gentlemen,

if there's an elderly gentleman in the house

who would like to become young again,

please, step right up here, and I wiill rejuvenate him.

Please?

Here's someone that longed in this world.

- Would you be so kind? - What?

- Would you like to be rejuvenated? - You didn't have to ask, son. Thank you.

I don't know what the axeman will say about this but I'm sure I'll give it a try.

- Oh, um, pardon me, young Lady. - It's all right.

Excuse me.

This way, please.

Drink.

That's the same fellow we saw at Coney Island last week.

I know.

Oh, that's why you insisted to come here, isn't it?

- I had no idea he would be here. - Then why did you pick this of all places to come?

I don't know, Fred.

Do you mind if we go?

- But we just got here! - I don't know what's the matter. Let's go.