The Spell of Amy Nugent

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• 1941
• 1 hr 22 mins
• Drama, Horror

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Intellectually pretentious, rather confused, and acted erratically, this inexpensively mounted English picture has few aspects of attraction for American audiences. Possibly the selling point is spiritualism, about which it revolves, but there is no conclusion. It is neither an "expose" nor a vindication. It is a simple story, involving characters in the English country upper classes, and of somewhat limited appeal. Derek Farr, horsey, handsome and adored by his mother, Winifred Davis, loses by death his fiancee, Diana King ("Amy Nugent"). Even the silent love of his mother's favorite, Vera Lindsay, fails to compensate; and he turns to spiritualism, of which Frederick Leister is a most persuasive, and successful practitioner. Mr. Leister evokes for Farr the voice of his beloved; and, later, her fugitive, shimmering materialization. These manifestations in some unexplained manner, however, are said to be bad for Farr; his manner changes from pleasant to surly; his school professor friend, Felix Aylmer, calls for advice an authority on spiritualism. Hay Petrie, and Mr. Petrie fears it is a devil which has possessed Farr. Petrie fails to cast out this devil. But Miss Lindsay, calm, unafraid, and intense in her love, one night talks Farr back to sanity. The spell of his dead fiancee seems to have been broken, and the picture ends. Petrie, English character actor, is ineffective. Aylmer does his usual quiet, convincing job, and has some excellent lines on spiritualism. Miss Lindsay and Mr. Farr are just too English. The speech of all the players is difficult to understand. The Irish gardener, Gibb McLaughlin, is a caricature.