{ "id": "ep45bdck3t", "slug": "the-escape-artist", "title": "The Escape Artist", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.coming-of-age-films", "label": "Coming-of-age films", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.coming-of-age-films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.coming-of-age-films.coming-of-age-films-released-before-2000", "label": "Coming-of-age films released before 2000", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.coming-of-age-films.coming-of-age-films-released-before-2000" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.coming-of-age-films", "label": "United States · 1946 to 2000: Coming-of-age films", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.coming-of-age-films", "path": [ { "id": "geo.us", "label": "United States", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t1946", "label": "United States · 1946 to 2000", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t1946" }, { "id": "geo.us.t1946.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t1946.culture" }, { "id": "geo.us.t1946.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t1946.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.us.t1946.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t1946.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.us.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "geo.us.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "geo.us.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.coming-of-age-films", "label": "Coming-of-age films", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.coming-of-age-films" } ] } ], "excerpt": "The Escape Artist (1982) is Caleb Deschanel's directorial debut, a Zoetrope Studios comedy-drama starring Griffin O'Neal as teenage magician Danny Masters, son of an escape artist second only to Houdini, with Raul Julia, Desi Arnaz, and Ricky Jay as magic advisor.", "snippet": "The Escape Artist (1982) is Caleb Deschanel's directorial debut, a Zoetrope Studios comedy-drama starring Griffin O'Neal as teenage magician Danny Masters, son of an escape artist second only to Houdini, with Raul Julia, Desi Arnaz, and Ricky Jay as magic advisor.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.coming-of-age-films.coming-of-age-films-released-before-2000", "markdown": "# The Escape Artist\n\n*The Escape Artist* is a 1982 American comedy-drama about Danny Masters, a teenage magician who tries to match the reputation of his late father Harry, an escape artist regarded as second only to Houdini. Directed by cinematographer Caleb Deschanel in his directorial debut, it was produced by [Francis Ford Coppola](https://www.edgepedia.org/francis-ford-coppola)'s Zoetrope Studios and stars [Griffin O'Neal](https://www.edgepedia.org/griffin-oneal), Raul Julia, Desi Arnaz, Teri Garr, and [Joan Hackett](https://www.edgepedia.org/joan-hackett).[1](https://thenewbev.com/movie/the-escape-artist/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083900/fullcredits)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Release | May 28, 1982 (United States); rated PG; 1 h 34 m[3](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-escape-artist/details/) |\n| Director | Caleb Deschanel, the cinematographer of *The Black Stallion*, in his directorial debut[1](https://thenewbev.com/movie/the-escape-artist/) • [4](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1982/11/19/escape-by-a-true-artist/f7cc0818-4ff6-4d24-9cbb-e3772eabf895/) |\n| Writers | Melissa Mathison and Stephen Zito (screenplay), from a novel by David Wagoner[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083900/fullcredits) |\n| Production | Zoetrope Studios; producers Doug Claybourne and Buck Houghton[3](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-escape-artist/details/) • [5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_escape_artist) |\n| Lead cast | Griffin O'Neal (Danny Masters), Raul Julia (Stu Quiñones), Desi Arnaz (Mayor Leon Quiñones), Teri Garr (Arlene), Joan Hackett (Aunt Sibyl)[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083900/fullcredits) |\n| Magic consultant | Ricky Jay, who tutored O'Neal and served as technical advisor[1](https://thenewbev.com/movie/the-escape-artist/) |\n| Reception | 80% Tomatometer from 5 critics, 63% Popcornmeter; Metascore 58; IMDb 6.1/10[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_escape_artist) • [6](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-escape-artist/critic-reviews/) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Plot\n\nDanny Masters (Griffin O'Neal) is the son of Harry Masters, an escape artist considered the second best in history after Houdini. As far as Danny knows, his father died performing a dangerous escape routine; in fact he was killed while serving time in the Harding jail, a truth Danny learns over the course of the film.[3](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-escape-artist/details/) • [4](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1982/11/19/escape-by-a-true-artist/f7cc0818-4ff6-4d24-9cbb-e3772eabf895/)\n\nAfter his father's death, Danny leaves his grandmother's roof and moves in with his Aunt Sibyl (Joan Hackett) and Uncle Burke (Gabriel Dell) in the town of Harding, where the couple run a mind-reading act; Sibyl genuinely can read minds, but the act itself is built on smoke and mirrors.[3](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-escape-artist/details/) Wandering Harding, Danny lifts the wallet of Stu Quiñones ([Raul Julia](https://www.edgepedia.org/raul-julia)), the delinquent son of the town's corrupt mayor, Leon Quiñones ([Desi Arnaz](https://www.edgepedia.org/desi-arnaz)). The father and son no longer associate with each other, because Stu's brazen and public schemes are more than a politician can tolerate.[3](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-escape-artist/details/)\n\nThe film opens with Danny challenging the local police to incarcerate him, boasting that he can escape from prison within an hour, then works backward through a flashback to his childhood with his aunt and uncle.[1](https://thenewbev.com/movie/the-escape-artist/) • [7](https://cinegraph.org/movies/the-escape-artist-1982) Danny's stunt is largely seen as a publicity ploy to get the better of the Quiñones family, but it forces him to prove his skill as an escape artist, and in the process he uncovers and helps dismantle an embezzlement network while finding justice of a kind for his father.[3](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-escape-artist/details/) • [8](https://repertoire.cinema.mcc.gouv.qc.ca/film/the-escape-artist-242651/)\n\n## Production\n\nDeschanel, until then known as the cinematographer of *The Black Stallion*, reunited on the project with that film's author [Melissa Mathison](https://www.edgepedia.org/melissa-mathison), who wrote the screenplay with Stephen Zito, and with producer Francis Ford Coppola, who served as co-executive producer.[4](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1982/11/19/escape-by-a-true-artist/f7cc0818-4ff6-4d24-9cbb-e3772eabf895/) • [9](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-02-06-ca-19724-story.html) The film was released in 1982 by Coppola's Zoetrope Studios.[1](https://thenewbev.com/movie/the-escape-artist/)\n\nThe magician and magic historian [Ricky Jay](https://www.edgepedia.org/ricky-jay) advised the production and coached Griffin O'Neal, who played the young magician. \"We taught him how to pick locks,\" Jay recalled, \"and later we found out that Griffin was running through the Holiday Inn in Cleveland opening everyone's doors.\"[9](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-02-06-ca-19724-story.html) The supporting cast drew on veteran performers, including [Jackie Coogan](https://www.edgepedia.org/jackie-coogan) as a magic-shop man and [Huntz Hall](https://www.edgepedia.org/huntz-hall), alongside Arnaz, Garr, Hackett, John P. Ryan, and M. Emmet Walsh.[4](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1982/11/19/escape-by-a-true-artist/f7cc0818-4ff6-4d24-9cbb-e3772eabf895/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083900/fullcredits)\n\n## Reception\n\nCritical response was mixed. The film holds an 80% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes, though from only 5 reviews, and a 63% Popcornmeter from more than 1,000 audience ratings; its Metascore is 58, categorized as mixed or average.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_escape_artist) • [6](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-escape-artist/critic-reviews/) On IMDb it rates 6.1/10 from about 966 users.[10](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083900/)\n\nReviewers repeatedly praised the film's atmosphere while faulting its structure. David Denby of New York Magazine called it \"a heartbreaker, a movie with atmosphere, wit, soul, and absolutely zero narrative logic.\"[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_escape_artist) [Pauline Kael](https://www.edgepedia.org/pauline-kael) in [The New Yorker](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-new-yorker) noted lapses in continuity and compared its fantasy register to *One from the Heart*.[6](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-escape-artist/critic-reviews/) Newsweek's David Ansen called it \"a true oddball\" full of intriguing ingredients, none of which paid off, and [TV Guide](https://www.edgepedia.org/tv-guide)'s reviewer wrote that a simple story was lost in the film's complex structure, coming to life only when O'Neal and Julia shared the screen.[6](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-escape-artist/critic-reviews/) The Christian Science Monitor's David Sterritt, whose 80 score was among the highest, called it \"an imperfect movie, but a tantalizing and rewarding one.\"[6](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-escape-artist/critic-reviews/)\n\n## Themes\n\nThe film's unspecified time and place give the story a dreamlike, parabolic quality, and critics have read it as a story about sons trying to prove themselves to their fathers, a theme it applies both to Danny and Harry Masters and to Stu and Mayor Quiñones.[11](https://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/films/reviews/view/8087/the-escape-artist) • [3](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-escape-artist/details/) The Washington Post's Rita Kempley, reviewing it favorably in November 1982, described how Deschanel disregards the magician's taboo against revealing how tricks are done, showing the audience the mechanics and still casting a spell.[4](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1982/11/19/escape-by-a-true-artist/f7cc0818-4ff6-4d24-9cbb-e3772eabf895/)\n\n## References\n\n1. [The Escape Artist, New Beverly Cinema](https://thenewbev.com/movie/the-escape-artist/)\n2. [The Escape Artist (1982) full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083900/fullcredits)\n3. [The Escape Artist details, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-escape-artist/details/)\n4. [Rita Kempley, \"'Escape' by a True Artist,\" The Washington Post, November 18, 1982](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1982/11/19/escape-by-a-true-artist/f7cc0818-4ff6-4d24-9cbb-e3772eabf895/)\n5. [The Escape Artist, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_escape_artist)\n6. [The Escape Artist critic reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-escape-artist/critic-reviews/)\n7. [The Escape Artist, Cinegraph](https://cinegraph.org/movies/the-escape-artist-1982)\n8. [The Escape Artist, Répertoire des films classés (Québec)](https://repertoire.cinema.mcc.gouv.qc.ca/film/the-escape-artist-242651/)\n9. [\"MAGIC: It's Just Magic. Really.\", Los Angeles Times, February 6, 1994](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-02-06-ca-19724-story.html)\n10. [The Escape Artist (1982), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083900/)\n11. [The Escape Artist film review, Spirituality & Practice](https://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/films/reviews/view/8087/the-escape-artist)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Coming-of-age films › Coming-of-age films released before 2000*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/the-escape-artist", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/the-escape-artist.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"The Escape Artist\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/the-escape-artist. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[The Escape Artist](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-escape-artist)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/the-escape-artist](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-escape-artist). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"The Escape Artist\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/the-escape-artist. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "The Escape Artist is Caleb Deschanel's directorial debut, a Zoetrope Studios comedy-drama starring Griffin O'Neal as teenage magician Danny Masters, son of an escape artist second only to Houdini, with Raul Julia, Desi Arnaz, and Ricky Jay as magic advisor." }