Cathardincu Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Exoticalot People are voting emotionally.

Jenna Walter The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

romanorum1 The fact is that the "The Grim Game" was considered lost. Actually the only existing copy of the 71-minute feature was lovingly preserved by a private party (Larry Weeks) in Pennsylvania. In 2014, after financing by Turner Classic Movies (TCM), it was restored with a new music score; it was first televised in 2015.The first title card reads, "Remote and isolated, behind high walls and barred gates, the Cameron home repels intrusion." There is even an armed guard at the main entrance. Nevertheless, Harvey Hanford (Harry Houdini) is able to enter through the side gate. He, a reporter for the Daily Call, is in love with Mary Wentworth (Ann Forrest). He has come to see her. But the wealthy recluse Dudley Cameron (Thomas Jefferson) is at odds with nephew Harvey. Now Cameron is cared for by his ward and heiress, Mary Wentworth (Ann Forrest) and two servants. Harry eagerly tells Mary that her first story will appear in Sunday's newspaper. It has been stipulated in Dudley Cameron's will that Mary will be unable to marry while he lives. Cameron has planned for Mary to marry Doc Tyson (Arthur Hoyt) after his death. Doc Tyson is a shifty type. Cameron has previously lent the owner of the Daily Call, David Allison (Augustus Phillips) cash to keep the paper afloat, but refuses to give any more. Phillips is desperate. Meanwhile lawyer Nick Raven (Tully Marshall) is in deep cow-plop. For Cameron has caught him forging his signature. Cameron will not turn in Raven as long as he does Cameron's will. So now we have met the three schemers: Tyson, Allison, and Raven. But they work independently of each other. Knowing that the Daily Call is failing, Harvey presents his plan to the three men. It is intricate and involves a false kidnapping, the temporary disappearance of Cameron. Harvey has also purposely planted evidence to incriminate himself. Of course, the main bad guy turns it into murder; Cameron's body is discovered in a well on his property. Harvey Hanford is accused and eventually imprisoned – but as he is really Houdini after all – he engineers a series of fantastic escapes, beginning with his breakout from prison shackles. He even slips away after he is tied up in a strait-jacket upside down alongside a multi-story building. There are several coincidences typical of many silent films, but Houdini hangs in there and shows his abilities and his stamina. Finally there is the aerial stunt: a biplane with the hero actually flying chasing another airplane with the bad guy (and Mary). It concludes with a real crash. Although the script offers little suspense until the last reel, this film is quite good, and it was nice to see the great escape artist/stage magician in action. Houdini was even a skilled aviator. He was born in Budapest, Hungary when it was part of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire. He immigrated to the USA in the nineteenth century and was raised in Appleton, Wisconsin. His attractive co- star, Ann Forrest, born in Denmark, was quite camera-friendly on screen. She makes a desirable lady-in-distress. The feature itself is a curio that should offer bona fide entertainment for movie buffs. It is said that perhaps 80% of all silent films are lost, so it is nice to have this one back from the grave.

sosuttle I was skeptical of this film and prepared not to like it, However, I was pleasantly surprised by the TCM 'television premier' last Sunday of a nicely completed full-length restoration. I find most films from the 1916-1920 era to be horribly dated with that era's overdone style of acting. There are notable exceptions like Pickford, Chaplin, and Fairbanks, of course, but these older silents are sometimes hard to watch and even absurdly clumsy. The Grim Game has some of that chewed-scenery aspect, but overall it is well done. The story is a bit far fetched, but nonetheless entertaining. And many of our later favorites - Tully Marshall, Mae Busch, and Arthur Hoyt - appear. As for Houdini, he performs as expected in several escape scenes which naturally is what one expects. I had never seen him before and considering that his name is still legendary after 100 years, the film is worth a look if only for that. The Grim Game also has some really interesting 'snapshots' of the era including an incredible (in the sense of 'not believable') aeroplane (sic) chase. All of that having been said, kudos to preservationists and restorers for their tedious and painstaking work on films like these. It is greatly appreciated by me and legions of movie buffs.

MartinHafer I recently saw this as a DVD extra included with the film HALDANE OF THE SECRET SERVICE. Both films star Harry Houdini but THE GRIM GAME is only a film fragment today--the rest of it no longer exists. While I have enjoyed the reviews of both reviewers who have already reviewed this film, I really must agree with CryFi's review--and it reflects that most of the original film is gone AND gives nice information about the film.As for me, I can't see giving the fragment anything more than a 3. Although the clip is pretty good, there really isn't a coherent story and it is really just an excuse by Houdini and the film makers to use some accidental footage involving an air tragedy. It is funny to realize that Houdini took credit for the mid-air stunts he didn't even perform.This film is essentially a curio for history teachers, magic lovers and film historians. It is NOT a film that is coherent or worth seeking out because it only is a piece of a longer film.

FieCrier FGM has fun reviewing lost films, which is apt to be confusing to some.A five minute excerpt from this film is all that survives, in the George Eastman collection, which is included as an extra on the disc with Haldane of the Secret Service in the recent Kino DVD collection of his films.There are explanatory titles on it that suggest the clip would be exhibited by itself without the rest of the film. Houdini goes up in an airplane and does a mid-air transfer to the other airplane, after which the two crash. Houdini and the female passenger survive. The closeups of Houdini on the airplane appear to have been done on the ground, and the crash landing must have been staged somehow, or else how would they have happened to have had the camera in the right place? Likewise, one can't imagine they would have put their star and leading lady in danger. It's a nice little clip and certainly more exciting than any single moment from the tedious Haldane film.