The Amazing Mr. X
The night she is to meet her boyfriend Martin (Richard Carlson), rich widow Christine Faber (Lynn Bari) hears the sound of her late husband Paul's voice calling out. Paul had died two years ago in a f…
The Amazing Mr. X
The night she is to meet her boyfriend Martin (Richard Carlson), rich widow Christine Faber (Lynn Bari) hears the sound of her late husband Paul's voice calling out. Paul had died two years ago in a fiery car crash. She walks outside her beachfront home to investigate. There, she encounters a stranger named Alexis (Turhan Bey), a spiritualist who seems to know all about her. When Martin arrives at the beach, Christine turns to see him, and Alexis seems to disappear. Later, Martin proposes to her, and she accepts. When he leaves, Christine tries to go to sleep but is awoken by Paul's (Donald Curtis) voice, accompanied by what she believes was his favorite musical composition, Frédéric Chopin's Fourth Prelude from Opus. 28 in E minor. Also, Martin's engagement ring and portrait have been replaced by Paul's, and her old wedding dress, which is supposed to be stored in another room, temporarily appears in front of her. Unnerved by all of this, Christine decides to consult Alexis. At Alexis' mansion, Christine is amazed by what seems to be proof of his psychic abilities: elements within the house seem to move without anyone touching them, and Alexis knows details about her life she never told anyone. These supposed powers, however, are actually illusions, achieved by a mix of special effects hidden around the house and a thorough investigation performed by Alexis' secretary (Virginia Gregg) about Christine's life. Alexis and his secretary are also responsible for all the other supposedly supernatural events in Christine's life. Unaware of all of this, Christine starts seeing Alexis regularly to try to contact her dead husband. Martin and her younger sister Janet (Cathy O'Donnell) suspect foul play, but cannot convince Christine that she is being conned. They decide to consult a detective (Harry Mendoza) specialized in unmasking frauds and learn that someone matching Alexis's description had already been once in jail. As the detective was involved in that operation and can be recognized by Alexis, he decides to send Janet undercover to get the psychic's fingerprints and confirm the latter's identity. However, Alexis quickly sees Janet's intentions and convinces her that, despite him having been in jail, his powers are real and his intentions are noble. Janet is instantly smitten with Alexis. One evening, she accompanies Christine to Alexis's mansion, where he stages a convincing séance for the two women. After they leave, however, he is surprised by the appearance of Paul, alive and well. It turns out that Paul had faked his own death two years earlier. In fact, he has done this before, with his first wife when he faked his first death and murdered her for the money. Having now returned, he schemes for ways to dispatch Christine in order to get his hands on her wealth. Using his knowledge of Alexis' crookedness, Paul begins blackmailing him into continuing his con of the two sisters. One evening, while Alexis romances Janet outside the beach house, Christine hears Paul's voice again. Just as before, she exits her bedroom to search outside but falls partway down a cliff. Going against Paul's murderous plans, Alexis ultimately saves Christine. Later, Martin urges Christine to leave her house for safety and stay in a hospital. Christine refuses, entranced by Paul's recurring voice. However, Janet suspects something fishy in Paul's "visitations." When Paul's voice is heard again, she searches the beach house and discovers both Alexis and Paul concealed in a room with microphones, wire recordings, and other tricks of the spiritualist con game. Paul threatens Janet with a pistol, but Alexis tries to protect her from harm. While doing so, he is shot by Paul. Paul cuts off the telephone in the middle of Janet trying to call the police. The police arrive. Paul shoots at them; but the cops return fire. This time, Paul dies. Relieved to know that Janet is safe, Alexis dies soon after. Just before he dies, he asks Janet to open the window so he can set his pet raven free.
The Amazing Mr. X
Drama,Film-Noir,Horror
Film Details
The night she is to meet her boyfriend Martin (Richard Carlson), rich widow Christine Faber (Lynn Bari) hears the sound of her late husband Paul's voice calling out. Paul had died two years ago in a fiery car crash. She walks outside her beachfront home to investigate.
There, she encounters a stranger named Alexis (Turhan Bey), a spiritualist who seems to know all about her. When Martin arrives at the beach, Christine turns to see him, and Alexis seems to disappear. Later, Martin proposes to her, and she accepts.
When he leaves, Christine tries to go to sleep but is awoken by Paul's (Donald Curtis) voice, accompanied by what she believes was his favorite musical composition, Frédéric Chopin's Fourth Prelude from Opus. 28 in E minor. Also, Martin's engagement ring and portrait have been replaced by Paul's, and her old wedding dress, which is supposed to be stored in another room, temporarily appears in front of her.
Unnerved by all of this, Christine decides to consult Alexis. At Alexis' mansion, Christine is amazed by what seems to be proof of his psychic abilities: elements within the house seem to move without anyone touching them, and Alexis knows details about her life she never told anyone. These supposed powers, however, are actually illusions, achieved by a mix of special effects hidden around the house and a thorough investigation performed by Alexis' secretary (Virginia Gregg) about Christine's life.
Alexis and his secretary are also responsible for all the other supposedly supernatural events in Christine's life. Unaware of all of this, Christine starts seeing Alexis regularly to try to contact her dead husband. Martin and her younger sister Janet (Cathy O'Donnell) suspect foul play, but cannot convince Christine that she is being conned.
They decide to consult a detective (Harry Mendoza) specialized in unmasking frauds and learn that someone matching Alexis's description had already been once in jail. As the detective was involved in that operation and can be recognized by Alexis, he decides to send Janet undercover to get the psychic's fingerprints and confirm the latter's identity. However, Alexis quickly sees Janet's intentions and convinces her that, despite him having been in jail, his powers are real and his intentions are noble.
Janet is instantly smitten with Alexis. One evening, she accompanies Christine to Alexis's mansion, where he stages a convincing séance for the two women. After they leave, however, he is surprised by the appearance of Paul, alive and well.
It turns out that Paul had faked his own death two years earlier. In fact, he has done this before, with his first wife when he faked his first death and murdered her for the money. Having now returned, he schemes for ways to dispatch Christine in order to get his hands on her wealth.
Using his knowledge of Alexis' crookedness, Paul begins blackmailing him into continuing his con of the two sisters. One evening, while Alexis romances Janet outside the beach house, Christine hears Paul's voice again. Just as before, she exits her bedroom to search outside but falls partway down a cliff.
Going against Paul's murderous plans, Alexis ultimately saves Christine. Later, Martin urges Christine to leave her house for safety and stay in a hospital. Christine refuses, entranced by Paul's recurring voice.
However, Janet suspects something fishy in Paul's "visitations." When Paul's voice is heard again, she searches the beach house and discovers both Alexis and Paul concealed in a room with microphones, wire recordings, and other tricks of the spiritualist con game. Paul threatens Janet with a pistol, but Alexis tries to protect her from harm. While doing so, he is shot by Paul.
Paul cuts off the telephone in the middle of Janet trying to call the police. The police arrive. Paul shoots at them; but the cops return fire.
This time, Paul dies. Relieved to know that Janet is safe, Alexis dies soon after. Just before he dies, he asks Janet to open the window so he can set his pet raven free..