Plantiana Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

Lachlan Coulson This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Caryl It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

Myriam Nys A rich widow thinks of remarrying. However, she is still mourning for her late husband, who, in her fond memories, has grown into a giant of a man : caring, gallant, talented, infinitely charismatic. Within this mix there suddenly arrives a stranger capable of communicating with the dead - well, at least that's what he says... "Mr. X." is quite a good mystery thriller, with an unusual, twisty plot and fine performances. It boasts not one but two interesting villains, both of them driven by greed but different in their evil : one is a liar and a cheat, the other has become more monstrous still. The supernatural or pseudo-supernatural aspects are well evoked, through striking and inventive visual effects. (Watch out for the scene with the vengeful wedding dress !) There are also some fine magic tricks.The movie does have its weak points. For instance, there is a storyline about a private detective, specialised in the investigation of pseudo-psychics, which starts out in a very promising fashion and then peters out, to the point where one gets the impression that the private detective character might just as well have been replaced by a postman or a gardener character. But there is much to enjoy for an audience willing to overlook the occasional mistake. Excellent black-and-white cinematography, proving once more that black-and-white was an artform in itself.

Leofwine_draca THE SPIRITUALIST is a typical mystery thriller of the 1940s that seems indebted to the likes of Hitchcock's REBECCA. The opening sequence, in which a bereaved woman is standing on a beach at night and listening to her dead husband's voice calling her, is effectively spooky and ties in well with the whole Gothic sub-genre of the era that invariably involved rambling old houses, kooky partners, and mysterious events of the past.As it transpires, this film is even slower paced than most, and the first half only offers repetitions of the above event, mixed up with a little back story and some romance that threatens to drag the pace down to a plodding level. American viewers watching this under the title of THE AMAZING MR. X will invariably be disappointed by the movie's lack of incident and general sluggishness.Those with the willpower to persevere will find that the second half picks up somewhat substantially, with decent crime and thriller aspects added to the story and a strong, suspenseful climax. While Lynn Bari and Cathy O'Donnell come across as wet blankets, Turhan Bey does well in a complex part while Donald Curtis steals his scenes. Some surprisingly effective special effects round off the story nicely.

grizzledgeezer Competently-written, decently acted, and with direction rather better than one would expect from a "programmer", "The Amazing Mr. X" is a pleasant surprise. Turhan Bey, who usually appeared in "exotic" roles, is especially effective as the phony medium.The problem (and the reason for a 6 rather than a 7 rating) is the shoot-em-up ending, which spoils what has up to then been an acceptable drama. Unfortunately, it's easier to write an "all the bad people die" ending than it is to create a resolution based on the characters' situations and psychologies.Certainly worth a viewing, especially if you can't get to sleep.

dougdoepke The movie's a quirky little independent production that manages more than its share of interest. Widow Christine (Bari) is haunted by memory of her late husband (Curtis). Then one day she encounters strange man (Bey) on the beach who appears to have psychic powers to contact her husband's spirit. Entralled, she ignores skeptical advice from sister (O'Donnell) and family friend (Carlson), and continues to consult the strange man, leading to a twisty train of events.Credit cameraman Alton for the many spooky visual effects. I really like those moody early shots of the moonlit sea suggesting the unseen depths of eternity, just right for the subject matter. The screenplay too manages to avoid cliché, producing a number of unexpected developments. I suspect that only an independent production like this one could play with audience expectations the way this one does. The studios, I believe, would have insisted on something more conventional for the time.Actually, a central twist depends on the kittenish O'Donnell's ability to prove irresistible in a short period of time, and she succeeds. In fact, was there ever a more sweetly vulnerable screen persona than hers. Unfortunately she emotes at times, but that's overcome by a natural inner glow that makes her role as Keechie in They Live by Night (1949) so unforgettable. Of course, the slickster role of Alexis is one the exotic Bey was born to play. His psychic bag of tricks here is impressive and I like the way the screenplay only gradually reveals them. The wholesome Richard Carlson, on the other hand, appears to have a clichéd role, but if you think about it, it's not.Not everything is roses. In particular, the screenplay takes liberties with timely appearances, a common movie contrivance. Nonetheless, the movie's definitely several cuts above the standard and remains a pleasant surprise with a poetic touch.