Two years after her husband's death, Christine Faber thinks she hears her late husband calling out of the surf on the beach one night. She meets a tall dark man named Alexis who seems to know all about her. After more ghostly manifestations, Christine and her younger sister become enmeshed in the strange life of Alexis, a spiritualist; but he in turn finds himself manipulated into deeper devilry than he had in mind. Alexis has hired Emily as Christine's maid to learn secret inside information. Sister Janet checks out Alexis only to fall in love with him. Christine gets engaged to Martin and he hires a detective to protect Christine. Alexis puts on a convincing séance and afterward the real Paul Faber appears. He had faked his own death and now Alexis must continue his con in concert with Paul. Christine hears Paul's voice and falls off a cliff only to be saved by Alexis and Janet. Martin wants Christine to leave her house for safety. Christine wants to hear Paul's voice and his piano music. Janet starts to search the house for speakers and she finds Alexis and the alive Paul. Alexis protects Janet but he is shot. The police arrive and shoot and kill Paul.
The film was known as The Spiritualist. It was an original story by Crane Wilbur and was bought by Producers Releasing Corporation in 1947 with Wilbur to direct. Eventually the project was acquired by Eagle Lion as a vehicle for Turhan Bey who was under contract to the studio. Bernard Vorhaus was to direct and Muriel Bolton to adapt the story into a script. Vorhaus did the film under a two-picture deal he signed with Eagle Lion. The other lead roles went to Lynn Bari and Cathy O'Donnell; the latter was borrowed from Sam Goldwyn. Crane would go on to become one of Eagle Lion's main writers. Vorhaus later said he was unhappy with the script however and asked for a rewrite. He says producer Ben Stoloff allowed him to hire Ian McLellan Hunter who rewrote the script in a week. Filming started 5 January 1948. Vorhaus says the shoot went for three weeks. Bey was under contract to Eagle Lion. He later recalled the film as "a fantastic role with wonderful people to work with and a lovely death scene I completely loused up... I just wish all my roles had been as interesting as that one." At one stage the film was also known as The Mystic.
Reception
At previews, audiences found parts of the film to be funny, resulting in unintended laughter. Eagle Lion were happy with the film. However, when Vorhaus turned down the next movie they offered him, I Married a Communist, the company terminated its association with him.
