The Clairvoyant (1935)

the audience applauded

Purely Joyful Movie!

Instant Favorite.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

The Evil Mind AKA The Clairvoyant (1935) Maximus (Rains) started out as a phony clairvoyant - scamming people for money with his fake stage act. He was ridiculed harshly in front of an audience one night and the trauma was so bad he ended up with the real gift of foresight and proved it in front of all that very night. After that night he began predicting real events unfolding. But when he predicted a major disaster and decided he had to warn those involved he is accused of distracting the workers and causing the accident - now he must stand trial. Can he prove he is innocent? Can it be proved he is a real clairvoyant? Wonderful roles for Claude Rains and Fay Wray. A very good mystery-thriller of the 1930s.7.5/10

This is a VERY unusual movie - because, in contrast to the many other movies with supernatural subjects, that clearly uncover them at some point as charlatanry, with fake séances and other known tricks of the trade, "The Clairvoyant" actually suggests to us that there ARE such supernatural powers! (The only other classic movie of that kind that I can remember is "Night Has a Thousand Eyes".) The funny thing is that, in the beginning, we're being pretty clearly informed that 'the Great Maximus' IS a charlatan, and how he does his tricks at a modest little vaudeville show. BUT as soon as a certain woman turns up in the audience one evening, he clearly changes and suddenly is able to REALLY foresee future events - and his mother from behind the scenes realizes, shivering: "I know what that is; my father had it: it's the gift to SEE..." And actually, he foresees a horrible train accident while they're on their way home - and this strange woman passes him by again... They get off the train; and soon afterward, there's the crash he foretold...Now things change radically in Maximus' life - and in his character, too: he becomes pretty much conceited, and bargains for a big engagement at a famous theater, although his wife and assistant Rene begs him to give the whole thing up... Well, but his gift seems to have disappeared together with the strange woman; and so he gets fired soon. But then the woman comes to visit him, and turns out to be Christine Shawn, the daughter of a very influential businessman - and immediately, his 'gift' returns: spontaneously, he predicts the (VERY unlikely) derby winner; and is once again right, and celebrated by the public.He's introduced to the 'high society' by Christine's father - which makes Rene jealous, and she decides on the spur of the moment to leave him while he's speaking at a banquet. But at the same moment Christine turns up - and now Maximus starts foreseeing REALLY tragic events; with horrible consequences for himself...This movie, whether you find its insisting on supernatural powers crazy or not, is in ANY case worth watching for every fan of classic cinema: first of all, it gives Claude Rains the possibility to show as 'the Great Maximus' ALL nuances of his huge acting talent, from the cocksure swindler to the genuinely frightened man - frightened by himself and his 'powers'. Then there's of course lovely Fay Wray as his wife Rene, who, besides her usual sweetness, is also allowed to show a display of jealousy here - which gradually changes to some strange kind of sympathy with Christine, who 'gives' her husband his inspirations. There are moments of genuine drama, of supreme suspense, of emotions of all kinds, and even of humor to lighten up the atmosphere; anyway, there's not a MOMENT of boredom throughout the whole movie!

Another typically solid production from Britain's Gainsborough Pictures, this adaptation of Ernest Lothar's novel has a terribly dated third act set in the British Royal Court but is otherwise quite entertaining. Claude Rains is fittingly mercurial as a phony psychic who is suddenly hailed as a prophet after he predicts both a train crash and a racehorse winner; however, after he attempts to save miners from a shaft he is certain will collapse, the newspapers and public turn on him as a publicity seeker. There's an odd thread involving a strange young woman who proves to be a conduit to Rains' psychic mind--her hypnotic stare provides him with the power he needs to go into a trance--yet the movie just shucks it off as second-hand business. Instead, a subplot with Claude's faithful but jealous wife is given an over-abundance of screen-time (it just makes her look like a ninny); and when Rains is lauded by a prestigious men's club, we're not sure exactly what they're celebrating or offering to him. Still, the direction is very tight (even though the crowd shots and second-unit footage is sloppy)...and when Rains goes into one of his wide-eyed, transcendental arias, look out! **1/2 from ****

I saw this film just after seeing Tyrone Power's film NIGHTMARE ALLEY. I had no idea when I picked up the two films that their plots were so similar, though NIGHTMARE ALLEY has a much more cynical and "Noir" edge to it than this Claude Rains film.Claude and his wife have a stage act where they have devised a code so that he appears to be all-knowing--being able to tell what items his assistant is holding even though he is blindfolded. It's all an elaborate trick until one night, out of the blue, Rains starts receiving REAL images of the future. He's able to predict the winner of the famed Royal Darby as well as avoid disasters due to these premonitions. Oddly, these only occur when a young lady is nearby--as if she is somehow enhancing his abilities unintentionally.For some odd reason, everyone in the film behaves stupidly from time to time, because it seemed to take way too long for them to recognize the symbiotic realize the relationship between the two. In fact, at the end of the film, I knew all along that the lady once again NEEDED to be near Claude during the trial, but it never occurred to anyone! These are the biggest negatives about the film--when the audience KNOWS what should happen next but the people in the film only later stumble into these obvious answers.However, despite this problem with the plot, the film is very original and held my interest throughout. The acting was also very good--something I always expect in a film starring Rains. It's a fine film that is worth seeking out--but considering its age and rarity, you may have a devil of a time finding it.