Plot Explained Spoilers guaranteed!
Plot Explained

Browse by genre

The Clairvoyant (1935) movie poster

Timeline

The Clairvoyant (1935) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1935 · 81 mins · English
Directed by
Maurice Elvey
Starring
Mary Clare, Felix Aylmer, Frank Cellier, Fay Wray, Claude Rains, Jack Raine

HEXED BY THE EVIL EYE A fake psychic suddenly turns into the real thing when he meets a young beauty. (TCM)

On this page (5)
  1. 1 Events in order (14)
  2. 2 Timeline questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Movies like The Clairvoyant
  5. 5 Every angle

14 events in order · contains spoilers

The Clairvoyant Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Clairvoyant (1935) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Arrival in England for the mind-reading act

    An American performer using the stage name Maximus travels with his parents and his wife Rene to England to perform a music hall mind-reading act. Rene assists with a secret code to sell the illusion. The family hopes for success and recognition on the tour.

    Where
    England (music hall circuit)
  2. First real power on stage

    During the act, Christine Shawn sits in the audience and Maximus's performance becomes reality. He tells what is in a sealed letter without Rene's help, blurring illusion and truth. The audience reacts with astonishment and confusion unfolds.

    Where
    Music hall / stage
  3. Train encounter and foreseeing disaster

    Maximus and Christine meet by chance on a train. He foresees an impending crash and persuades others to take action, pulling the emergency cord to stop the train. Few believe him at first, and his reputation hangs in the balance.

    Where
    Train
  4. Disembarkation and catastrophe

    Maximus, his family, and Christine disembark just before the train crashes minutes later. The disaster validates his vision, though many still dismiss it as luck or illusion. The incident makes Maximus a household name and thrusts his abilities into the public eye.

    Where
    Train
  5. New fame from a newspaper story

    Christine tells her father, who owns a newspaper, about the encounter and Maximus's abilities. He publishes the story, turning Maximus into a national sensation overnight. Public fascination with his prophecies grows as demand for his act increases.

    Where
    Newspaper office
  6. Power tied to Christine's presence

    Maximus realizes his power only works when Christine is near. As they spend more time together, his fame and wealth rise, and Rene watches the dynamic with growing unease. The dependence deepens, shaping every decision he makes.

    Where
    Tour / various venues
  7. Romance and jealousy

    Christine falls in love with Maximus as their act thrives. Rene's jealousy escalates as his role in the act becomes peripheral. Maximus remains focused on the performances rather than the personal tensions around him.

    Where
    Various venues
  8. Mother's warning

    Maximus's mother warns that such gifts bring trouble and warns against trusting his abilities. Maximus dismisses the superstition and revels in his well-paid celebrity. Family tension grows as the gift changes their lives.

    Where
    Family home
  9. Derby prediction comes true

    Another publicized prediction comes true when a 100-to-1 long shot wins The Derby. The victory cements Maximus's reputation as a genuine clairvoyant in the eyes of the public. He basks in the attention, even as doubts linger.

    Where
    The Derby
  10. Mother's death prophecy fulfilled

    Maximus ignores his own prophecy of his mother's death, and when she dies as foretold he is distraught. He decides to abandon his gift and withdraw from the spotlight. He and Rene slip away into obscurity, hoping for a quieter life.

    Where
    Home
  11. Foreseeing a mining disaster

    Despite stepping back, Maximus foresees a great mining disaster and tries to persuade the mining company to evacuate. His warnings are ignored, and the disaster unfolds with hundreds killed and many more missing.

    Where
    Mining site
  12. Trial and accusation

    Public opinion turns against him as the authorities accuse him of causing the tragedies by delaying the train and provoking the miners into panic. He is brought to trial to defend his gift and explain how his visions work. He asserts that his abilities are real and seeks to clear his name.

    Where
    Courtroom
  13. Prediction of survivors; release

    In the courtroom, Maximus predicts that the missing miners will be found alive, and the forecast comes true, leading to his release. The case vindicates some of his claims but leaves his public image divided. He exits the courtroom freer but changed by the ordeal.

    Where
    Courtroom
  14. Giving up the gift and fading into obscurity

    Facing the consequences, Maximus decides to give up the gift entirely. He and Rene slip away to a life out of the spotlight. The story ends with them seeking anonymity and a quiet existence.

    Where
    Away from public view

Last updated: October 07, 2025 at 08:34

Was this helpful?

Timeline questions answered

The Clairvoyant Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Clairvoyant (1935): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Maximus only have powers when Christine is nearby?

Maximus discovers that his psychic abilities are directly tied to Christine Shawn's proximity. When Christine first attends his mind-reading act, his performance unexpectedly becomes real, he can actually read the contents of a sealed letter without relying on Rene's secret code. This indicates that Christine's presence acts as a catalyst or anchor for his gift, making his visions genuine rather than staged illusions.

  • Christine Shawn
  • Maximus powers
  • clairvoyance
  • psychic ability
  • supernatural gift
Q2

Why is Maximus put on trial after the mining disaster?

Maximus is brought to trial because public opinion turns against him following the mining disaster. The prosecution argues that his abilities somehow manipulated events, specifically that his warning about the train crash caused a delay that contributed to the tragedy, and that his prophecies may have somehow provoked or caused the mining catastrophe. Authorities blame him for the deaths and accuse his gift of being dangerous rather than prophetic.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, the mining company executives dismissed his warnings about the disaster, leading to the tragedy they could have prevented.

  • mining disaster
  • trial
  • accusation
  • Maximus court case
  • public blame
Q3

Why does Maximus ignore his prophecy about his mother's death?

Maximus foreshadows his mother's death but chooses to ignore the warning, possibly dismissing it as superstition or hoping it was just a temporary vision. When she dies exactly as he predicted, he is devastated and realizes the consequences of not taking his gift seriously. This tragedy directly leads to his decision to abandon his powers and retreat from public life.

  • mother death
  • prophecy
  • Maximus mother
  • warning ignored
  • tragedy
Q4

Why does Maximus give up his clairvoyant gift at the end?

Maximus decides to relinquish his gift after enduring the emotional toll of his mother's death, the public trial, and the burden of knowing catastrophic events he cannot prevent. Though vindicated when his prediction about surviving miners comes true, he chooses peace over power. He and Rene fade into obscurity, seeking a quieter life away from the spotlight that his abilities brought.

  • give up gift
  • relinquish powers
  • Maximus ending
  • quiet life
  • anonymity
Q5

How does the train crash prediction work?

During a train journey, Maximus experiences a premonition of an impending crash. Trusting his uneasy instincts, he persuades others to take action and pulls the emergency cord to stop the train. He, his family, and Christine disembark just before the train crashes minutes later. Though some remain skeptical, this event validates his apparent gift and thrusts him into public fame.

  • train crash
  • prediction
  • Maximus rescue
  • premonition
  • disaster prediction
Q6

Why does Rene become jealous of Christine?

Rene's jealousy grows because Christine's presence not only enables Maximus's genuine powers but also draws his attention away from his wife. As Maximus's fame rises with Christine nearby, Rene's role as his assistant becomes peripheral. Christine also falls in love with Maximus, further complicating the relationship dynamic and making Rene feel replaced both professionally and emotionally.

  • Rene jealousy
  • Christine love triangle
  • marriage strain
  • Maximus wife
Q7

Was Maximus actually responsible for causing the disasters?

No, Maximus did not actually cause the disasters. The prosecution's argument in the trial was that his warnings created panic or delays that contributed to the tragedies. The train crash occurred because he stopped the train, ironically saving everyone on board, and the mining disaster happened after company executives ignored his urgent pleas to evacuate. His prophecy about missing miners being found alive comes true, partially vindicating him.

  • caused disasters
  • innocent
  • accusations
  • false blame
  • mining tragedy
Q8

How does Maximus predict the Derby winner?

Maximus achieves another public success by predicting the outcome of The Derby, specifically naming a 100-to-1 long shot as the winner. This flawless prediction further cements his reputation as a genuine clairvoyant in the public eye and increases his fame and wealth. The event occurs while his powers remain tied to Christine's proximity.

  • Derby prediction
  • 100 to 1
  • horse racing
  • Maximus fame
  • prophecy success
Q9

What warning does Maximus's mother give about his powers?

Maximus's mother, a practical and cautious woman, warns him that such supernatural gifts bring danger rather than blessing. She cautions him against trusting his abilities and suggests that power like his invites trouble. Maximus dismisses her warnings as superstition, intoxicated by his growing fame and wealth. Her prophecy of her own death proves tragically accurate.

  • mother warning
  • danger
  • gift curse
  • Maximus family
  • caution
Q10

Is Maximus actually a real clairvoyant or just a fake?

Maximus begins as a fraud performing staged mind-reading tricks with Rene's help, but the story confirms his abilities become genuine after Christine enters his life. His powers work only when she is nearby, and his accurate predictions of the train crash, the Derby winner, his mother's death, and surviving miners prove his gift is real. The film explores the blurred line between illusion and reality.

  • real vs fake
  • clairvoyant
  • genuine powers
  • supernatural ability
  • mind reader

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Clairvoyant, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Clairvoyant tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about the burden of psychic powers like The Clairvoyant

Characters struggling with the ethical weight and personal cost of supernatural sight. If you liked The Clairvoyant's exploration of a fake psychic grappling with a real gift, you'll find similar themes here. This thread gathers movies where supernatural abilities like clairvoyance or precognition become a source of tension, ethical conflict, and personal sacrifice rather than a simple superpower.

  • suspenseful
  • melancholic
  • intriguing
  • somber
  • uncertain
  • ethically complex
  • Tone: tense, melancholic, ethically complex
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically follow a character who gains, discovers, or is burdened by a psychic ability. The plot often involves them being forced to use their power, leading to public scrutiny, personal turmoil, and difficult moral choices that test their relationships and sense of self. The journey is one of navigating the heavy consequences of foresight.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on the internal and external conflicts arising from paranormal perception. They share a sober, often melancholic tone, prioritizing the human drama and ethical questions over action or horror, creating a cohesive experience for viewers interested in thoughtful supernatural character studies.

Dramas about strained marriages like The Clairvoyant

Intimate stories where a couple's bond is pushed to its limit by external pressures. For viewers who appreciated the marital tension in The Clairvoyant, this thread features movies where a central relationship is tested by fame, secrets, or supernatural events. These stories explore love, trust, and resilience under pressure, offering similar emotional complexity and relational drama.

  • romantic tension
  • anxious
  • melancholic
  • somber
  • emotionally complex
  • relational drama
  • Tone: tense, romantic tension, bittersweet
  • Pacing: steady, methodical
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a stable or seemingly stable relationship confronted with a disruptive force—such as a new power, a secret coming to light, or sudden fame. The story charts the couple's journey through conflict, misunderstanding, and jealousy, ultimately questioning whether their connection can survive the upheaval and what sacrifices are required for reconciliation or peace.

Why they belong together: These films are connected by their primary focus on a core relationship drama amplified by high-stakes external events. They share a steady pacing that allows for deep character exploration, a tone blending romance with tension, and a medium emotional weight that makes the relational stakes feel authentic and compelling.

If you liked this

Movies Like The Clairvoyant

Similar movies to The Clairvoyant: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

Browse all movie summaries

Every angle

The Clairvoyant (1935) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Clairvoyant in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

Plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Catch up on any movie in minutes, save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private, always.

Learn more about the app