Watch this while you can! We've posted clips from this splendid film before, only to have them taken down by some hackers - Russian spies, no doubt!
Released in 1949, this film is Orson Welles' homage to Houdini and magic. It portrays the dark side of both Welles and Houdini: their occult hero, Cagliostro!
We've written at length about Houdini and Cagliostro. So suffice it to say here the following:
1. Houdini taught Welles how to do magic. Part of that story is here.
2. Welles performs magic brilliantly several times in this film, closeup at 59:30 and 1:00:26.
3. Welles channels Houdini, the medicine show performer, as "The Great Balsamo" at 8:10. He channels Houdini the Superstar as "Cagliostro" at 20:30.
4. The storyline of the film - the infamous Diamond Necklace affair - was the most significant illusion in world history. It was an obsession of Houdini's. His library contained an unparalleled collection of original documents pertaining to the deception and ensuing scandal, which is held responsible for igniting the French Revolution and thus ushering in the entire modern era.
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