The Clairvoyant
Encyclopedia
The Clairvoyant is a 1934 drama film
made in the UK, starring Claude Rains
, Fay Wray
, and Jane Baxter
, directed by Maurice Elvey
, and based on the novel of the same name by Ernst Lothar
.
), and their secret code, performs an English music hall
mind-reading act. Then, one night, he notices Christine Shawn (Jane Baxter
), a beautiful woman in the audience, and his act begins to turn into reality. He is able to tell a man what is in his letter without any assistance.
Maximus doesn't think much of it, but then, by chance, he and Christine run into each other on a train, and he foretells an impending crash. He pulls the emergency cord to stop the train, but nobody believes him. He, his family and Christine get off, and a few minutes later, what he saw comes to pass. Christine tells her father, who happens to own a newspaper. He publishes the story, making Maximus famous.
Eventually, Maximus realizes that his power only works when Christine is around; as they spend more time together, Christine falls in love with him, and Rene becomes jealous. Meanwhile, his mother (Mary Clare
), reveals that she has seen the same thing before and believes that no good will come of it, but Maximus pays little attention, enjoying his well-paid success.
Another of his well-publicized predictions comes true. A 100-to-1 long shot wins the Epsom Derby
. However, when he ignores his own prophesy that his mother will die, rushing to beg him to stop using his power, he is so distraught when it happens that he decides to do as she wanted. Then, he foretells a great mining disaster. However, he is unable to convince the management to allow the workers to stay away from the mine. Hundreds are killed and more are missing and presumed dead.
Looking for a scapegoat, the public blames him and he is brought to trial. The prosecution claims that Maximus himself caused the tragedies, by delaying the train and panicking the miners into making a mistake. However, he is able to correctly predict that the missing miners will be found alive and is released. Maximus decides to give up his gift and he and Rene slip away into obscurity.
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
made in the UK, starring Claude Rains
Claude Rains
Claude Rains was an English stage and film actor whose career spanned 66 years. He was known for many roles in Hollywood films, among them the title role in The Invisible Man , a corrupt senator in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington , Mr...
, Fay Wray
Fay Wray
Fay Wray was a Canadian-American actress most noted for playing the female lead in King Kong...
, and Jane Baxter
Jane Baxter
Jane Baxter was a British actress. Her stage career spanned half a century, and she appeared in a number of films and in television.-Early life:...
, directed by Maurice Elvey
Maurice Elvey
Maurice Elvey was the most prolific film director in British history. He directed nearly 200 films between 1913 and 1957. During the silent film era he directed as many as twenty films per year....
, and based on the novel of the same name by Ernst Lothar
Ernst Lothar
Ernst Lothar was a Moravian-Austrian writer, theatre director/manager and producer.He was born Ernst Lothar Müller, and as Müller is common German surname, he dropped it. His brother, Hans Müller-Einigen, went the other way and added a surname.-Biography:...
.
Plot
Rains plays Maximus ("King of the Mind Readers"), who with the help of his wife, Rene (Fay WrayFay Wray
Fay Wray was a Canadian-American actress most noted for playing the female lead in King Kong...
), and their secret code, performs an English music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
mind-reading act. Then, one night, he notices Christine Shawn (Jane Baxter
Jane Baxter
Jane Baxter was a British actress. Her stage career spanned half a century, and she appeared in a number of films and in television.-Early life:...
), a beautiful woman in the audience, and his act begins to turn into reality. He is able to tell a man what is in his letter without any assistance.
Maximus doesn't think much of it, but then, by chance, he and Christine run into each other on a train, and he foretells an impending crash. He pulls the emergency cord to stop the train, but nobody believes him. He, his family and Christine get off, and a few minutes later, what he saw comes to pass. Christine tells her father, who happens to own a newspaper. He publishes the story, making Maximus famous.
Eventually, Maximus realizes that his power only works when Christine is around; as they spend more time together, Christine falls in love with him, and Rene becomes jealous. Meanwhile, his mother (Mary Clare
Mary Clare
Mary Clare was a British actress who performed in films, on the stage, and later on television.-Biography:...
), reveals that she has seen the same thing before and believes that no good will come of it, but Maximus pays little attention, enjoying his well-paid success.
Another of his well-publicized predictions comes true. A 100-to-1 long shot wins the Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
. However, when he ignores his own prophesy that his mother will die, rushing to beg him to stop using his power, he is so distraught when it happens that he decides to do as she wanted. Then, he foretells a great mining disaster. However, he is unable to convince the management to allow the workers to stay away from the mine. Hundreds are killed and more are missing and presumed dead.
Looking for a scapegoat, the public blames him and he is brought to trial. The prosecution claims that Maximus himself caused the tragedies, by delaying the train and panicking the miners into making a mistake. However, he is able to correctly predict that the missing miners will be found alive and is released. Maximus decides to give up his gift and he and Rene slip away into obscurity.
Cast
- Claude RainsClaude RainsClaude Rains was an English stage and film actor whose career spanned 66 years. He was known for many roles in Hollywood films, among them the title role in The Invisible Man , a corrupt senator in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington , Mr...
as Maximus - Fay WrayFay WrayFay Wray was a Canadian-American actress most noted for playing the female lead in King Kong...
as Rene - Jane BaxterJane BaxterJane Baxter was a British actress. Her stage career spanned half a century, and she appeared in a number of films and in television.-Early life:...
as Christine Shawn - Mary ClareMary ClareMary Clare was a British actress who performed in films, on the stage, and later on television.-Biography:...
as Maximus's mother - Ben FieldBen Field-Selected filmography:* Venetian Lovers * A South Sea Bubble * Caste * Sally in Our Alley * Jack's the Boy * Loyalties * Mrs. Dane's Defence * Say It with Flowers...
as Simon - Athole StewartAthole Stewart-Selected filmography:Athole appeared in the following films:* Canaries Sometimes Sing * The Speckled Band * The Faithful Heart * The Constant Nymph *Loyalties * The Four Masked Men...
as Lord Southwood - C. Denier WarrenC. Denier WarrenC. Denier Warren or Denier Warren was an American born actor who appeared extensively on stage and screen from the early 1930s to late 1960s, mostly in the United Kingdom....
as James J. Bimeter