Monthly Archives: July 2022

Film Treatments by Houdini – Out of the Shadows

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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This post continues a series of posts where I summarize (or share tidbits about) film treatments (published and unpublished) by Houdini

* “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 Out of the Shadows, from my personal collection.

Like the film treatments in the Tom Boldt collection, this manuscript was dictated by Houdini. It is 4 leaves written (entirely in pencil) on stationary with HOUDINI engraved in the upper left corner.

Out of the Shadows

The story concerns a man (called “Hero” in the outline) who went to jail to protect his younger brother. Upon his release, he has his heart broken, becomes a wastrel, falls in love, becomes a D.A., survives blackmail and several attempts on his life and finally marries the girl.

Note: Although Out of the Shadows was never filmed, there are elements in the story that echo in some of his other films.

Film Treatments by Houdini – Blood Brothers

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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This post continues a series of posts where I summarize (or share tidbits about) film treatments (published and unpublished) by Houdini

* “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 Blood Brothers

Per Silverman:

Despite Houdini’s sudsy reasoning, in his affections he had always ranked his mother on a level with his wife, expected Bess to accept the fact, and even in some degree confused her with Cecilia. In one of his unpublished short stories, “Blood Brothers,” he named his hero Haddon Harcourt — HH — and gave Bess’s middle name, Beatrice, to HH’s mother.

Note: Unfortunately, this all the info I have on Blood Brothers at this time. I hope to get to read it one day. Especially, with the fact that he actually named the hero in this one, unlike most of the other unpublished film treatments. And we know, that the 4 feature movies he starred in, all had his characters initials as HH (Harvey Hanford–The Grim Game, Harry Harper–Terror Island, Howard Hillary–The Man From Beyond, Health Haldane–Haldane of the Secret Service).

Film Treatments by Houdini – Floating Through Space

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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:

* “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 Floating Through Space, 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, Wisconsin was able to obtain all of it. It is through his kindness that we are able to include these four previously unpublished film treatments.

Floating Through Space (Story Summarized)

During one of Hero’s journeys, a wicked and cruel Hindu girl before she dies, tells him of her everlasting love, also of her peoples belief – of the souls of the dead at some time inhabiting the body of some living person.

After a strenuous career abroad, our hero returns home and falls in love with a sweet girl and asks the girl to wear a particular amulet, and asks her to swear she won’t remove it ever until her wedding day.

Fade in the sweet girl, preparing for bath, removing amulet – then retires to bed. You see the shadow of Hindu girl gloatingly over sleeping girl. You see the transformation in the girl’s face.

Fade in our Hero, who finds her seated in a chair kissing his picture. He asks her had she removed the amulet. She answers, “No.”

He realizes he had fallen asleep and dreamed she removed the amulet. The girl smiles in his face with love and trust in her eyes, both parents look indignantly at the smiling lovers–

–as the curtain falls.

Film Treatments by Houdini – The Vulture

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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:

* “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.