Death Defying Acts Page #5

since his mother died.

That's not 'crazy', Mr. Sugarman.

That's 'love'.

You're a good dancer.

I've never danced

like this before.

I thought you'd have a girl

in every port.

No.

Tango!

You'll be leaving, won't you?

Montreal.

Final date.

Then we all go home.

Chicken soup for supper.

Is it Mrs. Houdini

who makes this soup?

Cook makes the soup.

Mrs. Houdini serves it up.

You'd like her.

I can't see us

washing dishes together.

Maid does the dishes.

Things change, Mary.

I'm the Great Houdini!

I make things the way I want 'em to be.

You can't.

- Oh, I can. Believe me.

- Stop it!

This is real.

I'm real...

- What's happening to me?

- You're dancing, Mary.

Well, I don't want to

dance anymore!

Hey...

Don't worry, kid.

There's no future in it.

I've got something

that might interest you...

Mam!

Mr. Sugarman doesny like you

says you're just a gold-digger.

You don't listen to any word

that Mr. Sugarman says.

Got it?

But, mam...

- Mam?

- What?

Mr. Sugarman's on our side.

Go on, mam...

A dress...

It's his mother...

She looks like you...

You're the absolute image of her,

when she was young.

Took my breath away.

Our Mr. Houdini was closer to his mother

than most sons even dream of.

Maybe all this does

something for you? Hm?

Like I said, Mrs. McGarvie

way out of your depth.

I thought you people were smart.

We are.

We're here for the star prize.

But you need the words.

You need his mother's dying words...

- It doesn't matter, mam...

- No, no...

I'd put on his mam's pinny

if I had to

I'd dress him, feed him,

clean him - whatever it takes.

You want me gone?

Well, you better start helping me,

Mr. Sugarman.

If anyone knows the words

you do.

Win the 10 grand

and you disappear. Right?

That was always the deal.

I used to be a nice man, you know.

Can you believe it?

I just got old and mean.

There aren't any words...

At least, if there were...

Harry Houdini never heard them.

He was doing a show...

Oh, he talks like he was there

He gives you every detail,

makes himself weep.

I've heard it a million times.

His big regret.

His deepest guilt.

The moment

his mother needed him most...

...he wasn't there.

At last...

...our Mr. Houdini's secrets

were out in the open.

The question was;

what would mam do with his future?

Give him a glimpse of

the afterlife?

Or a bitter-sweet taste

of the here and now?

Love or money?

The safe is untouched.

You have my word on it.

'Aye, chief constable.

Agreed.

Mr. Houdini asks that you wear

his mother's wedding dress, madam

in order to channel the psychic energy,

you understand.

Look at it, child.

Just look at it.

He doesn't want me.

He just wants his mama.

- Mr. Houdini?

- Mr. Houdini!

Mr. Houdini!

What do you hope to prove

by this experiment?

Well, well,

the 'psychic reporter'.

We know the truth before it happens,

- isn't that right, Mr. Houdini?

- Not this time.

This experiment

is nothing less than

a battle between Love

and Death, gentlemen.

Is Death final

or will Love triumph?

Place your bets please!

What odds would you put on that,

Mr. Houdini?

Well, there's a headline, boys...

Houdini says:
'Is Death Final? '

Ladies and gentlemen...

...fellow Investigators.

The aim of the Scottish Institute

for Psychical Research...

is to evaluate the evidence

for the paranormal...

under the strictest

scientific conditions.

I assure you,

ladies and gentlemen

no phantom escapes us!

We want Houdini!

As my dear mother lay dying

departing this Earth

for a better place

she spoke her

last sweet words to me

her devoted son.

Those words are

engraved upon my heart...

My heart,

ladies and gentlemen...

Those words are known only to me.

If Mrs. McGarvie's

psychic gift is genuine,

God willing, she shall receive those

last words from the Other Side

and transmit them to us today.

Mam looked beautiful...

Like an angel...

Maybe Mr. Houdini saw her...

or maybe he saw

his own sweet mother.

It didn't matter.

In that moment, she was everything

he'd been waiting for.

There is no trickery here,

ladies and gentlemen.

There is only faith and hope.

Mrs. McGarvie.

Are you ready?

Mama, can you hear me?

Dear little mother.

Mama, please try.

Ehrich's here.

Your good boy's here...

I can't do this...

I can't take your money.

Mary, wait!

Ehrich! Ehrich!

Where are you?

Go to your mother!

I need you!

Come, Ehrich.

Your Mama's so alone -

so afraid.

Ich bin hier, Mama.

Wo bist du?

Why you not come to me?

- Mama, I'm here.

- Where are you?

Mein gutes Kind.

- Mama, I tried to get to you.

- I can't see you!

- I tried to get there.

- Mama can't see you!

I had to finish the show.

Mama, I'm sorry!

I'm sorry, mama.

Es tut mir leid, Mama.

Es tut mir leid...

Mama, forgive me.

Mama...

Forgive me...

He's waitin' for you

the Angel with fire-red hair.

Got wings too.

Clock says noon -

sun goes black.

Watch out!

Here he comes!

Benji!

The envelope!

The envelope!

The paper is blank!

There's naught on the paper!

There are no words!

Can you explain this please?

Mr. Houdini? Explain!

What does it mean?

To my eternal shame...

I never got there.

I was too late!

I'm sorry...

Harry!

Are you all right, Harry?!

It wasn't death that scared

Mr. Houdini.

He'd been diving into

deep water all his life.

What scared him was the truth.

It wasn't his body

that was in chains

It was his heart.

God have mercy

on my immortal soul...

Thanks for the money.

Or have you come to

take it back?

It's not really about

the money, is it?

Now look what you've done to me.

I only made you fall in love...

- Don't flatter yourself.

- I'm sorry.

That's all fine, then.

Your Mama forgives you.

- Now you can get out!

- Mary...

That was not love.

That was infatuation.

Another dance.

What was it?

A Polka or a Foxtrot?

Another fling.

Just another fling.

But it never quite

happened, did it?

- Why was that?

- I'd never been there before.

I didn't understand

what was happening...

Don't touch me!

I didn't mean that.

That ain't what I want.

So what does

the Great Houdini want?

'Coz you don't want me.

I'm not your little darlin'-wife,

and I'm certainly not your mama!

Mary, I'm afraid...

Afraid of what?

Of me?

I'm afraid of myself.

Of what I feel for you,

what I want...

I love you, Mary...

But it's just shameful...

Shameful?

Who taught you that?

It's not shameful, Harry.

It's what men and women do!

It keeps the winter at bay...

...the loneliness at bay.

And sometimes,

if you're really lucky

down amongst the sweaty sheets you

find a tiny bit of true human love.

Did you ever find it?

That tiny bit of love?

No.

Not once.

They say it's easy, Harry.

They say it's like falling...

No, falling's easy...

I don't know if I've got

the nerve for this.

Me neither.

Do you know what it was

made me fall for you?

I mean really you...

You looked so fierce.

A fighter.

I never much liked me.

Rate this script:3.0 / 1 vote