Death Defying Acts Page #4

And you know somethin'?

Until somebody proves me wrong,

it's all moonshine!

Con-artists and cheap chislers

out to fleece poor folks

looking for

a little peace of mind!

So that's what this

whole charade's about?

Proving

'the Great Houdini' wrong?

I wasn't referring to you

personally, Mrs. McGarvie.

Here.

For your psychic energy...

Thank you.

10,000 dollars doesn't mean

much to you, does it?

It's just a game.

Don't mean that much to me?

When I was a kid, we used to sleep

7 in a bed half this size!

Harry Houdini knows what

it means to be cold and hungry and

without a dime.

The difference is, you left all

that behind, didn't you?

This is the latest in 'slumber science,'

I'll have you know.

Internally sprung.

Just like me.

You never sleep that

peaceful again, do you?

I don't think I slept right

since I was nine years old.

Not at all?

Not a wink. Not since

I got a bed to myself.

You'll have to start

inviting people in.

I just can't hardly

remember the old days-

the real days.

Like it was

somebody else's dream...

Would you like to see

something real, Mr. Houdini?

- How'm I doin'?

- Oh, you could pass for a native.

When in Rome...

That's what my ma

always used to say.

I wish you could've met her.

You would've got on like a house on fire.

Don't go giving away

too much about her

they'll say we cheated.

Cheated? No.

I'm not like those fakers, Mary

- those cheap chiselers.

I'm like you.

Just trying

to earn an honest dollar.

Heads or tails?

Um... You choose.

Then I choose neither.

My penny for your dollar?

Heads or tails?

You choose!

Magic!

Magic.

Don't you love it?

I used to practice card tricks

and table magic 8 hours a day.

Really?

I studied locks and handcuffs

for 5 years solid.

I got to know 'em all

back to front.

I used run 10 miles a day,

push weights for 2 hours...

Couldn't have had much time

for anything else...

I made time.

You know, when I was a kid,

I was Ehrich, The Prince of the Air.

I told mama I'd be a flyer -

done that!

Told her I'd be a movie star -

done that too!

Swore I'd be the greatest

escape man in the world.

Made all my wishes come true -

grabbed my own piece of immortality!

Mr Houdini, sir,

can I get your autograph?

Of course you can.

Thank you!

- Right.

- Thank you!

You're OK. You got your own piece

of immortality right there.

- Who? Benji?

- Yeah.

You don't have children,

I can tell.

Make you old before your time.

Oh, that ain't so.

You're the living proof.

'The Tantalising Princess Kali

and Her Dusky Disciple'.

Sounds like a fun act.

'Hard graft'.

If I fail, we starve.

Well, I fail and I die.

I don't think you want to get involved

with someone like me, Mr. Houdini.

Well, maybe I do...

Race you!

Wait for me!

It's locked!

Are you sure about that?

After you.

Benji!

Stay away from the edge!

Look at that!

It's beautiful.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

I am to be suspended from

the roof of the very heavens -

with neither net nor harness!

Only a five-strand rope will prevent me

from plummeting earthwards,

dashing my brains to

a thousand pieces!

May God have mercy

on my immortal soul!

No!!

Oh, no, I can't!

Oh, come on.

A foot in both worlds...

Oh, I can't look!

Mary...

I guess

I want to make it last...

No!!

Mam!

How did you do that?

Magic.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Ladies and Gentlemen!

I beg your indulgence!

The Maestro Houdini has been

taken ill with the condition

of severe nervous exhaustion!

There will be...

there will be a refund available

from noon tomorrow!

Mr. Houdini sends his regrets...

To look into deep water and

see things on the other side

Mr. Houdini would've given

anything to do that.

It's a gift some are given

whether you want to or not.

Mam!!

Help me!!

Mam!!

Not asleep?

What happened with him?

Nothing happened 'with him'.

Harry's a gentleman.

So you didn't get the key, then?

I'm not sure I care so much

about the key anymore...

We're in it for the money,

remember

not for a roll in the hay like

you did with my Dad.

That was when I saw it for real

Mam was in love.

And the trouble

with love is this

Some people get left out.

'Harry Houdini Disappears! '

'Harry Houdini Misses Show! '

'Harry Houdini Messes Up! '

This whole psychic thing

is taking over.

Do you hear me?

It's taking over!!

These are from your wife!

Do you remember you had a wife?

She's wiring you twice a day

and you're going ga-ga over some schiksa

with a cute line in chat!

Mrs. McGarvie's a lady...

...and I won't

have you forget that!

We've got to get

our priorities in order!

All right, Harry.

I quit!

You want to play poker

with me, Morry?

First, I'm 'pushing it

to the wire'

and now the 'psychic'

thing's taking over.

About time you got your

priorities sorted, don't you think?

C'mon, buckle me up.

Put your shoulders back.

You're walkin' like an old man,

ya mustache Pete!

It was up to me and Mr. Sugarman to

keep things on the right path.

The Great Houdini had

fallen for mam, all right.

But it was as

if he didn't want to admit it

or couldn't.

Maybe the secret that Mr. Houdini

had locked away in his heart...

was going to be a way out

for all of us.

Mr. Houdini gets some funny ideas

in his head sometimes, you know.

Seven year itch, Mr. Sugarman.

All marriages go

through a rocky patch.

Mr. Houdini has a most

exceptional marriage.

Mr. And Mrs. Houdini

are soul mates

they're like brother and sister.

There's the problem, then.

That sort of talk

give you a thrill, does it?

What do you want, Mr. Sugarman?

What do I want?

Do you know what this is?

This is five hundred

Scottish pound notes.

I want you to take them...

...and I want you to disappear.

I'm not sure I want to disappear.

Yeah, you do.

What schtick 'you gonna pull to earn

that ten thousand dollars, eh?

It's not gonna happen.

It's specific

specific words he wants to hear.

Take the money.

It's not on offer forever.

If I fail Mr. Houdini's challenge,

you'll never see me again anyway.

So why are you so worried?

He's right.

You are special.

Thank you very much.

You don't know how special.

You have no idea.

But you're going to find out.

You don't scare me, Mr. Sugarman.

We're going dancing.

Dancing? Oh!

Oh, yes. It's a dance he's

taking you on all right.

You're way out of your depth

on this one, Mrs. McGarvie

believe me.

We're all incognito.

Polka! Polka!

C'mon, dance!

We've all got to dance!

Shake a leg, Mr. Sugarman!

Come on, ya old mustache Pete!

What do you think?

Do people choose the night

to do strange things,

or is it the dark

that makes 'em act funny?

- It's the night, Harry.

- Of course.

You do things you

wouldn't normally do

ask all kinds of questions.

Like the ones

you never asked last night?

Foxtrot!

I've had enough!

Like men friends?

Fathers

Mr. McGarvies. You never asked.

Maybe I didn't want to

know the answers.

Waste of time, all three of them.

Haven't seen him this crazy...

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