The Amazing Mr. X (1948)

Director:

Bernard Vorhaus

Writers:

Muriel Roy Bolton (writer)
Ian McLellan Hunter (writer)

Release Date:

29 July 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Film-Noir | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

In his eyes, the threat of terror! In his hands, the power to destroy!

Plot:

On the beach one night, Christine Faber, two years a widow, thinks she hears her late husband Paul calling out of the surf...

Plot Keywords:

Painting | Cigarette Case | Two Way Mirror | Pet Bird | Beautiful Woman

Cast

Turhan Bey	...	Alexis
Lynn Bari	...	Christine Faber
Cathy O'Donnell	...	Janet Burke
Richard Carlson	...	Martin Abbott
Donald Curtis	...	Paul Faber
Virginia Gregg	...	Emily

Also Known As:

The Spiritualist (UK)

Runtime:

78 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | USA:Unrated

Company:

Ben Stoloff Productions

Trivia:

Carole Landis was originally scheduled to play the part taken by Lynn Bari, but she committed suicide a few days before shooting began.

Soundtrack:

Prelude for Piano, Op. 28 Nr. 4 in E minor

Creators of thrillers would be well-advised to give this film a look.

This 1948 B-movie is an excellently made thriller. It is well acted, well filmed, moves briskly, and keeps the viewer engaged with clever plot-twists and a couple of nicely done double- reversals of expectations. There are films with perhaps twenty times the budget of "The Amazing Mr. X" that aren't half as successful at telling the kind of story that this film features--which, I admit, was pretty well-worn even in 1948. Modern filmmakers trying their hands at thrillers with supernatural overtones would do well to study this film, as it shows exactly how that kind of film is made.

Don't let the cheesy title fool you. This is a top-notch thriller that's well worth a look by any lover of the genre.