I enjoyed the cinematography in this movie. Here, we see Paul’s soul leaving for better surroundings. What? No? Maybe it’s the Emperor Palpatine’s? No again? Crap.
The Amazing Mr. X (1948; aka The Spiritualist) tells the story of two predatory men, grifter Paul, who married and then “died” in a burning car, and spiritualist Alexis, expert at the technology of the seance and the haunting. Caught between these two men are Martin’s widow, Christine, and her younger sister, Janet.
It’s been two years since Paul’s body was discovered in a burned out car, and Christine is only beginning to date again, in this case lawyer Martin. But she’s been hearing voices, and when Alexis appears out of nowhere on a beach, he proves to know information that Christine cannot believe he knows. Alexis works the situation until he gets Christine and Janet to his place for a seance.
He doesn’t realize, though, that Martin, alarmed at Christine’s behavior, is investigating as a lawyer of the era might. He makes a surprise appearance at the seance with a detective in tow, but Alexis avoids a terminating exposure through some fancy footwork.
All the while, though, lurks the specter of Paul. Paul, who can hardly exist without a drink in his hand and a cruel quip on his lips. Paul, who holds all the cards.
Paul, a genius at the piano.
Paul, who has leverage over Alexis.
But when it’s time to dispose of Christine, something slips. Badly. Paul may be an unreserved devotee to the life of corruption, but Alexis, bewitched by Christine’s sister Janet, relapses into chivalry, and now Paul has a problem.
What to do with Alexis. And Martin. And his detective. And then the rest of the police force. Damn, it’s getting crowded.
For the era, it was probably quite a tense story, what with seances and men of few morals lurking around heiresses. But today, Christine and Janet are annoying spineless victims, even when they fight back, and so the story is really less than satisfying.
