As others have commented, the cinematography, lighting, set decoration, art direction, special effects, and location footage on this film are far, far above the quality one would normally expect for a B-movie -- and surpass even the level of many A-movies of the time period. Additionally, anyone interested in how subjects such as occultism, seances, mediums, magic, superstition, stage magic, seers, and prophets were treated in the mid 20th century film will certainly wish to see it.
Don't let the silly science-fiction title fool you -- the UK release, as "The Spiritualist", comes much closer to the heart of this story than its silly US title, "The Amazing Mr. X." Plot-wise, the presentation treads a fine line between functioning as a semi-documentary exposure of fraudulent spiritualists (as in the earlier "Mystic Circle Murders" with Betty Compson and Mrs. Harry Houdini), presenting the apparitions "straight" (as in a standard horror film), and leaving the reader guessing as the plot takes one looped turn after another and ends with a detective-noir closure (as in Hitchcok's "Rebecca").
Turhan Bey is wonderfully nuanced as the mystic. He alone makes the movie worth seeking out.
A big tip-of-the-hat should also go the stage magician Harry B. Mendoza for his lovely bit-part work as a detective who used to be a stage magician. Mendoza builds his character's history subtly, rolling a coin for almost a minute before his prestidigitation becomes a subject of discussion, making it look like a mere nervous habit instead of the highly trained feat it really is. Then he begins to produce cigars -- an endless supply of them! -- and during the whole demonstration, he keeps up a constant flow of on-topic plot exposition dialogue. What a wonderful little turn!
All in all, this is a movie that is watchable on many levels and for many reasons. I agree with other commenters that a fully restored version with technical commentary would be well received.
