Death Defying Acts

Set in 1926, this drama and romance follows the world-famous escapologist Harry Houdini during a tour of Britain. While in Edinburgh, Houdini offers a large cash reward to anyone who can facilitate a spiritual connection with his deceased mother. Mary McGarvie, a psychic who operates a fraudulent business with her daughter, attempts to claim the prize. As Houdini seeks to expose her deception, he becomes romantically involved with her, leading to a complicated and risky relationship.

Directed by Gillian Armstrong, this project follows her previous work on Charlotte Gray. The film stars Guy Pearce as Houdini and Catherine Zeta-Jones as Mary McGarvie, with supporting roles played by Timothy Spall and Saoirse Ronan. Produced by companies including BBC Film and Myriad Pictures, the movie was a joint effort between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The production had a budget of 20 million USD but earned 8 million USD at the worldwide box office. Audience reception was mixed, with a rating of 5.8/10 on IMDb based on 11,000 votes and a score of 5.9/10 on TMDB from 287 votes.