Title : The Deadly Number (Russ.)
Genre : thriller, romance, drama
Country : United Kingdom, Australia
Year : 2007
Directed by : Gillian Armstrong
Starring : Catherine Zeta-Jones, Guy Pearce, Timothy Spall, Sirsha Ronan, Sylvia Lombardo, Jack Bailey, Frankey Martyn, Martin Fisher, Dodger Phillips, McKay Crawford
A film about the fate of one of the most famous magicians in history - Harry Houdini. Events unfold in the beginning of the twentieth century, in particular, in 1926 - in the period of the highest take-off of the glory of a gifted magician and illusionist.
A little unexpected was the "Death Room" Gillian Armstrong. Recently in Hollywood fashion has gone to make a movie about jugglers - "Prestige", "Illusionist" and even Woody Allen noted his "Sensation". I hasten to please / disappoint - it's not a comedy and not a thriller, and not an action. At your service is a sentimental melodrama with Guy Pearce and Catherine Zeta-Jones in the lead roles. Unlike the illusionists, the heroes of Hugh Jackman and Edward Norton, Houdini named Gay Pearce is quite different.
The plot of the film has no special original finds - the story of a great man's love for a mysterious woman. In advertising slogans of the cinema it is stated as a baiopik about the life of the great illusionist Gary Houdini. The situation is slightly different - the picture describes the episode of Houdini's life, which became decisive in his life. In 1926, the great illusionist came with tours to Scotland, preparing a surprise for the local residents. The Illusionist announces a $ 10,000 prize to that medium who unravels his mother's last words. Soon he meets with the mysterious prophetess McGarvey (Zeta-Jones) and between them the flame of love gradually flares up.
The fate of the Gary Houdini always disturbed the curious - many mystical details of his life and went with him to the grave. It is worth saying that his real name was Erich Wise, who believed that there is a special code for tricks, tricks and illusions. During his life, he exposed many false "magicians" and magicians, and at the same time worked miracles. Gillian Armstrong Gary Houdini turned out to be quite interesting - a mysterious, ironic, sensitive illusionist, perfectly embodied on the screen by actor Guy Pearce. Well, the Zeta-Jones is inimitable - as if the role of the prophetess was created for her.
It's worthwhile to warn the audience at once - on the screen you will not see fascinating tricks and thriller. The Australian director showed us the melodrama, the love story of two people, in her own way revealing the feelings of the protagonist to the heroine Catherine Zeta-Jones. Thus, another unfamiliar page of the life of the great magician was opened. When viewing this tape, it is felt that not all secrets are becoming known - all that we see is the relationship between Houdini and McGarvey and the spiritualistic session with his late mother.
In the presence of remarkable actors, the reliability of the production, the atmosphere of the 1920s, the director missed something all the same. The stretch of the plot, endless dialogues of heroes, the incomprehensible girl Sirsha Ronan, a little straining the production of an already calm and measured film. Who knows, maybe this is the highlight of the Anglo-Australian band. Too we are used to Hollywood productions.
Nevertheless, this movie is worth seeing, because Houdini himself said: "There is nothing but that which can be seen or touched."
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