Houdini wrote, produced and starred in two of his feature films; he wrote a number of treatments – plots for potential productions; and he self-published several of these treatments. *
This post continues a series of posts where I summarize (or share tidbits about) the film treatments he wrote:
- The Marvelous Adventures of Houdini (1917)*
- The Man From Beyond (1921)
- Haldane of the Secret Service or Mysterious Mr. Yu (1921)*
- Frizzo––Master Magician (1921)
- Yar, the Primeval Man (1921)*
- Il Mistero di Osiris or The Mystery of the Jewel (1921)*
- The Great Tontine (unpublished)* [Tom Boldt Collection (TBC)]
- The Monster (unpublished)* [TBC]
- The Vulture (unpublished)* [TBC]
- Floating Through Space (unpublished)* [TBC]
- Blood Brothers (unpublished) [TBC]
- Out of the Shadows (unpublished) [HHCE Collection]
* “Film Treatment” can be found in Patrick Culliton’s book, Houdini’s Strange Tales – A Collection of fiction by the legendary Harry Houdini [1992]
Today, we look at The Vulture, which was one of four treatments (The Great Tontine, The Monster, The Vulture, and Floating Through Space) that turned up in 1990 and was published in 1992*.
Per Culliton:
[These treatments] turned up in 1990, when an East coast book dealer offered them for sale. This dealer was under the impression that he had in his possession several manuscripts hand-written by Houdini, and he was asking a small fortune for them (which, if genuine, they were worth). Houdini bibliographer Manny Weltman asked to see a sample and the dealer sent along a xerox of one of the stories. Weltman correctly identified the manuscript as having come from Houdini’s mind, but not written in his hand. The dealer was crushed. He put the material up for auction and Tom Boldt of the Houdini Historical Center in Appleton, Wisonsin was able to obtain all of it. It is through his kindness that we are able to include these four previously unpublished film treatments.
The Vulture (Story Summarized)
Our Hero promises to save his sister. The Doctor is announced. He tries to quiet her. She is hysterical, cries “Brother, you will recognize The Vulture. He has a –– “ But she falls back into the arms of the Doctor, dead.
…
After many adventures, our Hero discovers that the money lender and The Vulture are one. But there is still another side to this beast –– he tries to recall a defect that he recognizes in both the money lender and The Vulture. They each have one grey and one black eye. He arranges to have The Vulture raided in his den but he escapes. Our Hero then dashes to the money lender’s home, but he also has flown from there. The rest of the band is taken etc.
Our Hero then returns to the girl, whom he always reported his escapes. Whilst telling her of the Vultures’ escape, he looks at the Doctor, jumps on him, etc. He at last has The Vulture in his hands. It develops that the girl is not really the daughter of the Doctor. The real father and mother had died in this Doctor’s house; the Doctor then assumes the father’s name, estate, etc., really learned to love the child, continued to lead this triple life. He was really a mad genius, etc.