# Houdini (2014)

> Adrien Brody stars as Harry Houdini, rising to become America's first world-renowned superstar in this two-part historical miniseries.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/44105

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 2
- Episode runtime: 84 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama, history
- Created by: Uli Edel
- Network: History
- Cast: Adrien Brody, Kristen Connolly, Evan Jones, Tim Pigott-Smith, Tom Benedict Knight, Shaun Williamson, Megan Dodds, David Calder
- TMDB rating: 7.3/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3132738/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: earnest, glossy, wistful, dramatic, atmospheric

## What critics say

Audiences rate this two-part biographical miniseries positively, with its lead performance and period atmosphere the main draw.

## Synopsis

Houdini (2014) is a Canadian historical biopic miniseries created by Uli Edel and broadcast on History. Adrien Brody plays the escape artist Harry Houdini, whose relentless drive to outdo every rival and stunt sets the engine of the story, while Kristen Connolly plays his wife Bess Houdini, who stands beside him through the pressures of fame and the tight schedules of touring. Tim Pigott-Smith appears as William Melville, a Scotland Yard detective whose path crosses the magician's, and David Calder plays Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, whose enthusiasm for spiritualism sets up a charged clash of belief and showmanship. The two-part limited series is built from stage triumphs, public challenges, and encounters with seances and skeptics, giving each episode the texture of a dazzling performance paired with a hunt for the truth behind it. Set in the early twentieth century across America and Europe, it moves through the glittering, competitive world of vaudeville and the new mass press. Its tone is glossy and earnest, with a wistful feel for ambition and the cost of a public persona. Fans of Genius, Hollywood, and Mr. Turner will find resonance in its period detail and portrait of a restless figure remaking himself for an audience. Its scale is modest, but its atmosphere of gaslit theaters and ambition is vivid.

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