Transcending mere acting, casting the married stars in these roles was a masterstroke. It’s clear Janet Leigh’s deep feelings for Curtis leak into the movie, giving their on-screen relationship an extra layer of magic absent from most romantic movies. The movie was made early in their marriage and Janet Leigh gives one of the most believable performances in screen history as Harry Houdini’s loving wife, Bess. It lacks the inner psychological complexity of heavier fare but entertains with heart-felt enthusiasm for Harry and Bess Houdini.īefore eventually divorcing in 1962, Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh would have two children together, including future horror icon Jamie Lee Curtis. Houdini is smooth Hollywood entertainment rooted in the storytelling conventions of its day, chronicling the performer’s rise from carnival act to international fame.

Directed by George Marshall ( Destry Rides Again) in Technicolor goodness, the 1953 film is a light-hearted telling of Houdini’s life without feeling a need for complete historical accuracy. Husband and wife Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, one of classic Hollywood’s most iconic marriages, teamed up to play Harry and Bess Houdini in this charming biopic of the legendary illusionist and escape artist. Married Hollywood legends produce gold with sizzling on-screen chemistry

Tony curtis harry houdini