Death Defying Acts (2007)

Saoirse Ronan: Benji McGarvie

Photos 

Quotes 

• [last lines] 

  Benji McGarvie : [narrating]  The great Houdini changed our lives. And for a wee short while, we taught him how to love. And me and Mam, we had the here and now. And we had each other.

• Benji McGarvie : Monkeys are just like you and me.

  Sugarman : You speak for yourself.

  Benji McGarvie : You're no different. The great Houdini says jump, and you jump. You're just a dancing monkey.

  [hands him her half-eaten candy apple] 

• Sugarman : I haven't seen him this crazy since his mother died.

  Benji McGarvie : That's not "crazy," Mr. Sugarman. That's love.

• Benji McGarvie : [narrating]  Yes, the whole world loved Mr. Houdini. But it could never be enough. There was something dark inside him.

• Benji McGarvie : Name's Benji, Mr. Houdini.

  Harry Houdini : "Benji, Mr. Houdini"? Well, I'd drop the second part. It's already spoken for. Just plain Benji sounds good to me.

  Benji McGarvie : "Just plain Benji" isn't much of a name either.

  Harry Houdini : Well, we have a comedienne here, Mr. Sugarman. Maybe she can do the warm-up.

• Benji McGarvie : [narrating]  It wasn't death that scared Mr. Houdini. He'd been diving into deep water all his life. What scared him was the truth. It wasn't his body that was in chains, it was his heart.

• [first lines] 

  Benji McGarvie : [with Scottish accent]  When I was very small, I had a gift. I saw things other folk did nae see. It was like looking into deep water and seein' things on the other side. As I grew up, the gift vanished, just like my mam said it would. And I saw the world as it really was - with all its sweet lies and trickery. The great Houdini came into our lives, and changed everything forever.

• Benji McGarvie : [narrating about pick-pocketing]  You play the game, or you go under. That's what mam always said. And if it wasn't for her, we would have drowned long ago.

• Mary McGarvie : What are you laughing about. The theater's closed. Those comics won't fill your tummy.

  Benji McGarvie : It's just a wee bit of fun, mam.

  Mary McGarvie : Oh! You sound just like your father. "Just a wee bit of fun, hen." Then all of a sudden, there was you.

• Benji McGarvie : Just gave him what he wanted. It was easy. You're goin' soft, you are. It's like Mr. Sugarman said. It's all just showbiz mumbo jumbo. All we've got is what we can touch and see.

  Mary McGarvie : That's my girl.

  [walks away] 

  Benji McGarvie : [wells up and starts weeping]