The Mind Reader (Warner Bros.) (1933)

ee ~——-ets” in human_history. First and | <r = (Advance Feature) ‘‘Mind Reader’’ Lays Bare Tricks of Mystic Fakers Warren William in Rave Drama, Exposes Devices Used by Crystal Gazers, Seers, On Their Dupes NYBODY who has ever wondered—and who has not—how erystal-gazers, mind readers, seers and the other members of the tribe of ‘‘mystic marvels’’ achieve their amazing re sults, need wonder no longer. The jealously guarded secrets of these ‘‘magi’’ aren’t secrets any more. For the cost of admission to a motion picture theatre, you can learn for yourself how THE GREAT BOLONEY—or whatever the name of your nearest fortune-teller happens to be—is able to ‘‘know all, see all, and tell you everything,’’ in the words of his own posters and advertising dodgers. It’s the First National production, ‘‘Mind Reader’’ with Warren William in the title role of a ‘‘mystic marvel,’’ which lets the cat out of the bag on the ‘‘supernatural’’ powers of the prognosticating gentry. The revelations are to be shown on the sereen of the Theatre on “Supernatural” as their “powers” might appear to an African savage, it is no wonder that the performances of these gentleman (and la Sr a ee ee tne PU Le Re dies) astound even the civilized American spectator. They are arranged, rehearsed and _— carried through by men who are experienced in every theatrical device for creating effects and illusions. Their settings and atmosphere are cunningly calculated to allay suspicion and place the seeker for “knowledge” in a receptive and gullible state of mind. After you have seen “Mind Reader,’ however, you will begin to realize that without the indirect cooperation of such eminent Americans as Thomas A. Edison, Alexander Graham Bell and others, the erystalgazers and mind readers of 1933 would have no “supernatural powers” worth mentioning. —— eee tainment, the oldest and most profitable “rack POT Cio, ATA any prettier Noord with racy comedy, of huzan beings. But as the picture unfolds, the career of the audacious —mountebank who turns to “mind reading” as a means of making a living after other forms of quackery have proved unprofitable, the speetator is taken behind the scenes of Warren William’s fortune-telling tent, and permitted to see just what the tricks and devices are that enable him to read messages which | have apparently been burned up, before his clients’ eyes, by gazing steadfastly into his crystal ball. Later in the story, a favorite | method of fleecing wealthy society women, by means of the crystal ball, is shown in operation. It works. It pays dividends. The “mystic marvel” tells his dupes nothing but the truth. He sticks to facts, because he has taken the trouble to get the facts he needs. And they are facts that cost his fair clients plenty and their husbands even more. Scenes from “The Mind Reader,” rackets. Romance, tragically moving drama and excellent comedy abound aplenty in this picture which has Constance Cummings as the leading feminine player, and Allen Jen kins, D (Advance Feature) Warren William Discusses Art of Crystal Gazing Ability to Induce Pictorial Hallucinations, a Gift Invariably Turned Into a Racket by Seers AVE you a little crystal-gazer in your home? Maybe you’ve never taken the trouble to find out. But, according to scientifie psychologists, you may possess the ability to “induce pictorial hallucinations’’—which is the highbrow way of saying that you can see things in the little glass ball—without realizing that you are thus gifted. Think of how amusing it might be for yourself and entertaining for your friends to discover that one or more of your crowd was an unsuspected crystal-gazer. Historians tell us that George Sand, the famous woman novelist of France, inamorata of Chopin and Alfred de Musset, the poet, made the discovery of her own erystal gazing powers quite by accident. It’s at the Theatre. Out No.5 Cut 60c supporting cast. Mat 20c NOTE: I} 4-col. pen and ink drawing is preferred, see page 5. ‘¢Another interesting fact is that there is no.way of telling: without actual experiment, whether a given person has this faculty or not. It to on the strength of vividness of one’s imag doesn’t seem depend ination. People who are supposed to be able to ‘visualize’ vividly or are credited with what is sometimes called a photographic memory, often prove to be unable to see anything in a erystal ball. | It’s All a Fraud ‘¢What may be of more interest to the average man and woman of today is to realize the ease with which this whole business of crystal-gazing, mind-reading and other forms of fortune-telling can be turned into a ‘racket,’ by anyone who is disposed to embark on this type of commercial gold-digging,’’ added’ William. EAE | never realized what a tremendous field ie Daring Expose Of Fortune Telling Racket Af Strand the First National film that rips the lid off the modern fortune telling and mind reading Warren William as its star, onald Dillaway, Robert Greig, Clarence Muse and others in the a specialty of manufacturing them, and selling them to gentlemen who feel the need of super-natural powers.” They cost $250, with full directions as to their use. Nothing else is needed to set up in business as a “crystal gazer’ (except your crystal) but a few costumes and properties, and a confederate, | Superior to Blackmail | The system is far superior to blackmail, and less dangerous because there is no comeback from the law. There is a law in most cities, to be sure, against fortune-tellers. But fortune-telling, in most of these cases, is only a misdemeanor, punishable with a fine or a jail sentence, at the option of the court. It is | More recently Warren William, the | gazing and other forms of prognosti First National star, has made some | cation, fortune-telling, or whatever researches in the much-diseussed and | you wish to call the subject, a fascilittle understood field of the occult, as a preparation for playing the lead nating thing to study. ing role in his latest starring vehicle, A Gift ‘‘Mind Reader,’’ which comes to the = aoe er ee Teikewe interesting fact I ran Also, because Warren, being across, in looking up the experiments that noted scientists have conducted more of a temporary annoyance than anything else. It means, in practice, that the fortune-teller cannot operate as openly as he otherwise might. But such a law has never appreciably lessened the number of fortune-tellers in any community. In connection with the apparatus used by Warren William in his crystal-gazing act in “Mind Reader,’ it may interest the reader who imagines that this phase of the story is mere fiction from the imagination of a studio writer, to know that he or anyone else who wishes to purchase such a device can easily do so. A middle western firm makes Behind the Scenes | TEETER There is a wholesome education, combined with colorful entertainment for everybody in “Mind Reader.” If you have ever consulted a fortune-teller, in jest or in earnest, Warren William will open your eyes as he shows you how a good, twofisted ecrystal-gazer does his work. And even if you have been too smart to succumb to the invitations of the “mystic marvels,” you'll be amused to go behind the scenes and watch the wheels go ‘round, and learn how easy it is to fool people who are more than half willing to be fooled anyway. THE END. of an inquisitive and scholarly turn of mind, enjoys excursions into outof-the-way fields of knowledge. No Spiritual Connection ‘‘You don’t have to believe that the ability to see things in a crystal ball, or a mirror, or a still pool, or any of the other media used for this sort of thing, means a definite connection with the so-called ‘spirit world,’ ’’ explained William, in discussing his interesting discoveries recently, ‘‘to find the history of erystal with people supposed to have these powers,’’ he went on, ‘‘is that such powers—whatever they are, or however you wish to explain them—are apparently, a gift. If you possess the ‘faculty, you will, after a few moments of steady concentration on the ball, to things.’’ It doesn’t matter whether erystal begin ““see you’ve ever tried it before. ‘¢On the other hand, if you haven’t ‘what it takes,’ to use a slang expression, to see these visions, you can stare into the ball until your eyes water and nothing will happen. for faking and fraud the whole business is, until I began looking into the matter in’ connection with my present role in ‘Mind Reader.’ ‘‘Undoubtedly there are persons who are convinced sincerely of their unusual ‘psychic’ powers, and who honestly do their best to place those powers at the disposal of those who come to them for help. But the fact that the records of the Society For Psychical Research, over a number of years, show that sooner or later, an overwhelming number of the most celebrated ‘seers,’ ‘mystics,’ ‘mediums’ and the like, have been conclusively proved to be fakes, ought to give pause to anyone who is disposed to place too much confidence in the members of the soothsaying fraternSty ‘Mind Reader,’’ which will soon be shown at the .... Theatre, has, associated with Warren William, such well-known players as Constance Cummings, Allen Jenkins, Robert Greig, Donald Dillaway and Clarence Muse. Roy Del Ruth directed the production. Page Seven