This is a delicious little House-On-The-Cliff-By-The Seething Sea" "B" movie, an immersion in style and spiritualist hocus-pocus, starring Lynn Bari, who usually played hard-bitten criminal types, and Turhan Bey, a 40's leading man almost forgotten, since many of the films he was in (with folks like Maria Montez) haven't been released on DVD. Bey usually played exotic types in flashy costumes, and here is no exception--he even has a cackling pet raven to follow him around with avian commentary on the shifty doings in the neighborhood.
As a side note, Bey retired to Vienna and worked as a photographer, and passed away in 2012; Out of The Blue, an odd little comedy made for Eagle-Lion, in which he co-stars with George Brent, Ann Dvorak and Virginia Mayo, has been released on DVD.
What makes The Amazing Mr. X. stand out from most of its kind is the dazzling atmospheric cinematography from John Alton--just the opening interior scenes are enough for me to watch the film again! Yes, it's hokey melodrama, but great fun if you're in the mood.
As a side note, Bey retired to Vienna and worked as a photographer, and passed away in 2012; Out of The Blue, an odd little comedy made for Eagle-Lion, in which he co-stars with George Brent, Ann Dvorak and Virginia Mayo, has been released on DVD.
What makes The Amazing Mr. X. stand out from most of its kind is the dazzling atmospheric cinematography from John Alton--just the opening interior scenes are enough for me to watch the film again! Yes, it's hokey melodrama, but great fun if you're in the mood.