The Clairvoyant (1935)

A fake music-hall clairvoyant meets a woman, and suddenly his predictions seem to come true ...

Director:

Maurice Elvey

Writers:

Charles Bennett (by), Ernst Lothar (based on the novel: "The Clairvoyant" by),

Stars:

Claude Rains, Fay Wray, Mary Clare

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Claude Rains	...	Maximus
Fay Wray	...	Rene
Mary Clare	...	Mother
Ben Field	...	Simon
Jane Baxter	...	Christine
Athole Stewart	...	Lord Southwood
C. Denier Warren	...	Bimeter

Storyline

Maximus, a small-time music hall mind reader, has frightening flashes of precognition; but he cannot predict or control them ...until he realizes he has them in the presence of Christine, attractive daughter of a publisher, who makes Rene, his equally lovely wife, wretchedly jealous. But worse trouble comes to Maximus when he's accused of causing a disaster he predicted.

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Plot Keywords:

prediction | music hall | mining accident | train | jealousy | 

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Taglines:

Ruled by a female Svengali.. He tortured women with his world prophecies...

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

TV-G

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 July 1935 (USA)

Also Known As:

Clarividente

Filming Locations:

Gainsborough Studios, Islington, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gaumont British Picture Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Full Range Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

User Reviews

Early Claude Rains in imperfect tale of a charlatan...

There are plenty of rough edges throughout this early CLAUDE RAINS film (released by Gainsborough), before his career went into high gear at Warner Bros. during the '30s and '40s. And yet, the story of a man who starts out as a charlatan and then really begins to see tragic events unfold, does hold the interest.

The story moves rather briskly but there's a low-budget look to the proceedings that gives it the flavor of a second feature. The performances are a bit over the top (in melodramatic '30s style), with Rains obviously enjoying his central role as a man who finds he really can predict disasters when a certain woman (JANE BAXTER) is nearby.

FAY WRAY is appealing and pretty (as a brunette) in the role of Rains' wife who is a partner in his act and JANE BAXTER does well as the other woman.

Summing up: Implausible and a little creaky in the telling, it's an old-fashioned but better than the average programmer thanks to the interest sustained by Rains' performance.