The Clairvoyant (1935)

You won't be disappointed!

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

The cast is promising (Claude Rains and Fay Wray), and so is the script idea of a fake clairvoyant who gains the ability to really see the future in the presence of one particular woman. But the director, Maurice Elvey, doesn't provide much atmosphere (except for a few close-ups of Rains' face when he goes into his predictive trance); most of the time this plays like a marital drama rather than a supernatural thriller. The best sequence - a mine shaft accident - is actually lifted from a French movie! (thank you IMDb). Also, the alternate title "The Evil Mind" is a misnomer. ** out of 4.

Interesting British-made drama about a phony mind-reader (Claude Rains) who suddenly gets real psychic powers whenever he's in the presence of a socialite (Jane Baxter). His newfound powers and obsession with this woman leads to problems between him and his wife (Fay Wray). As with most of the films I've seen in the 1930s that were made in the UK, this one creaks and groans a bit but that's understandable. It's also a bit stiff and mannered at times. It's not a horror film, either, as you might think from the two leads. It's a drama that happens to have a supernatural element. The cast is solid, with Rains the obvious standout. The direction is nice, particularly with the scenes where Rains is having his visions. The mine scene is a highlight. It's odd the connection between the woman and his power is never explained or really even examined much. It seems to be just a plot device. But it's a good movie nonetheless. Worth a look.

I saw this picture under the title "The Evil Mind", though "The Clairvoyant" seems to fit it somewhat better. Claude Rains portrays the title character Maximus, along with Fay Wray as wife Mademoiselle Rene, using a mind reading gimmick to entertain paying customers. Their act is a phony, but the first time Christine Shawn (Jane Baxter) shows up, Maximus is able to make a startling prediction that comes true, resulting in national headlines. Miss Shawn provides an undefinable psychic link that allows Maximus to see future events, and as luck would have it, Rene senses her presence to be a threat to the marriage. The idea gains some traction when Christine tells Maximus she indeed loves him, causing the couple to question whether Maximus' gift comes from God or the devil.I'm not convinced that the story's direction was made plausible by implying Maximus' final prediction a causal factor in it's occurrence. Foreseeing a mining disaster resulting in many deaths, Maximus goes on trial for somehow being the one who caused the cave in. The argument by the prosecuting attorney relied on the idea that the miners and their bosses who ignored the warning and went back to work, somehow became less cautious in observing safety rules on the job. For my part, if I was one of those miners, I'd want to be MORE careful, not less. For the sake of the story, I guess you could say that the miners who ignored Maximus' warning wound up getting the shaft.The story's resolution relied on a final hasty vision following a reconciliation between Christine and Renee, who rightly took herself out of the romantic triangle that never really was. In one of those 'it could only happen in the movies' moments, Maximus 'sees' additional trapped miners who make their way to safety. News had to travel fast in these pictures to create a happy ending, and voila! - Maximus is innocent of causing the disaster in the first place.Aside from the less plausible elements of the story, the picture is actually quite watchable. Fans of Claude Rains should enjoy it, and as I see Fay Wray in more pictures of the era, I come to a better appreciation of her talent than just the blonde coiffed actress who tamed King Kong. Baxter also does a credible job as the conflicted Miss Shawn, stepping aside the way she does as the right thing to do.

Charlatan clairvoyant Claude Rains (as Maximus) and impetuous wife Fay Wray (as Rene) become wealthy and successful when their con act benefits from his acquisition of real powers. The newfound ability to foretell the future comes in handy when Mr. Rains visits the racetrack. Rains' predictive powers seem to stem from mysterious Jane Baxter (as Christine Shawn), which makes Ms. Wray jealous. Call it her "woman's intuition." There are more problems for Rains when he predicts a horrific disaster, inviting some "kill the messenger" reaction from the public. Both Rains and the film's credulity are put on trial - one wins, one loses.***** The Clairvoyant (1934) Maurice Elvey ~ Claude Rains, Fay Wray, Jane Baxter Mary Clare