The Clairvoyant (1935)
Overview
A fake psychic suddenly turns into the real thing when he meets a young beauty. (TCM)
Cast
Claude Rains
Maximus
Fay Wray
Rene
Mary Clare
Mother
Jane Baxter
Christine
Athole Stewart
Lord Southwood
C. Denier Warren
Bimeter
Felix Aylmer
Prosecutor (uncredited)
Donald Calthrop
Derelict (uncredited)
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"Maximus" (Claude Rains) is a theatre trickster who, alongside his wife "Rene" (Fay Wray) scams audiences by pretending to be a mind reader. After one particularly shambolic performance, he runs into "Christine" (Jane Baxter) and discovers that he is a sham no more - and he has to adjust to the fact that he can actually see into the future. Rains is quite good in the title role. He has to adjust to his change in circumstances - not just his new found wealth and fame, but also when he discovers he doesn't just predict frivolous events too. After around thirty minutes, however, it all becomes a bit too much of a romantic melodrama. The initial, slightly comedic, performances are replaced by a rather dreary love triangle that rather subsumes the plot and distracts from he intensity of Rains performance. Pity, it's a clever concept.
