This highly fanciful but immensely entertaining biopic stars Tony Curtis as legendary magician/escape-artist Harry . Janet Leigh, Mrs. Tony Curtis at the time, co-stars as 's wife Bess, while Angela Clarke is seen as 's mother. The film follows 's progress from sideshow entertainer to high-priced prestidigitator, and also touches upon his fascination with the occult--and his efforts to expose phony mediums