I Watch Films: The Spiritualist

The Spiritualist

A 1948 film with the fantastic alternative title The Amazing Mr X, at the start we discover two sisters living together. Christine is a widow of two years, considering re-marrying, with the encouragement of Janet the much younger sister, who thinks she should to move on. However while on the beach she hears the voice of Paul, her late husband and meets Alexis, the spiritualist of the title.

Alexis is running a con, and has a spy in her house. He uses a lot of amusing tricks on people seeking to contact the dead, and convinces both Christine and Janet he can really speak to the spirits. Christine’s fiancé hires a private investigator but they can’t get them to give it up.

But then in a twist Alexis seems to have called up something he can’t put down and must decide in the end if he is a crook or if he has it in him to be a hero.

A fun melodrama that reveals secrets of fake clairvoyants and also stage magic tricks.

Watch This: For a heartbreaking long con taking advantage of grief and love that morphs into a rather silly melodrama
Don’t Watch This: Dead people should stay dead