Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964)

A psychic convinces her weak-willed husband to kidnap the child of a wealthy couple, so she can use her abilities to locate the child and thus achieve fame.

Director:

Bryan Forbes

Writers:

Bryan Forbes (screenplay), Mark McShane (novel)

Stars:

Kim Stanley, Margaret Lacey, Marie Burke

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 8 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kim Stanley	...	Myra
Margaret Lacey	...	Woman at first Seance
Marie Burke	...	Woman at first Seance
Maria Kazan	...	Woman at first Seance
Lionel Gamlin	...	Man at Seances
Marian Spencer	...	Mrs. Wintry
Richard Attenborough	...	Billy
Godfrey James	...	Mrs. Clayton's Chauffeur
Judith Donner	...	Amanda
Ronald Hines	...	Policeman Outside Clayton's
Hajni Biro	...	Maid at Clayton's
Mark Eden	...	Mr. Clayton
Nanette Newman	...	Mrs. Clayton
Diana Lambert	...	Sheila - Mr. Clayton's Secretary
Frank Singuineau	...	Bus Conductor

Storyline

Myra, a self-styled psychic in London, concocts a scheme to gain celebrity. She convinces Billy, her weak-willed husband, to kidnap the young daughter of wealthy parents. She and Billy will demand money, and then she will go to the parents with extra-sensory messages that will help the police find the child and the ransom. The plan unfolds beautifully, except that after her first visit to the parents, the police want to check her out. He's scared. As her delusions worsen, Bill realizes Myra may not want the child found alive. Behind it all is also the death at birth, years before, of their only child, whom they've named Arthur and who is Myra's contact with the beyond.

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Plot Keywords:

ransom | little girl | stillbirth | seance | mental illness | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 November 1964 (USA)

Also Known As:

An einem trüben Nachmittag

Filming Locations:

41 Marryat Road, Wimbledon, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

£143,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Beaver Films, Allied Film Makers (AFM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In one of the scenes, Richard Attenborough passes a street ad promoting stage musical 'Oh, What a Lovely War!'. Five years later, Attenborough directed a movie adaptation of the musical (see Oh! What a Lovely War).

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Goofs

During the final seance, there is a close up of a man's hand with a pinkie ring and gray sleeve, who is not at the table. It is a repeated shot from the previous seance, when the gray-jacketed man took part.

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Quotes

Myra Savage: So bright after a séance. Brightness just seems to fall from the air.

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Connections

Referenced in Ghost (1990)

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Soundtracks

"Hear my Prayer"
Written by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
Played by George Thalben-Ball (as Sir George Thalben-Ball) (organ)
Sung by Ernest Lough

User Reviews

An original chiller.

I remember seeing Seance on a Wet Afternoon, before I was teenager. And then seeing it again five or six years later. It still had the same impact watching the movie as I was young child. If this playing on TV tomorrow, I would watch Seance before any TV show. It is an excellent study of characters in story. This is one the movies made me interested in older films. I did not care if the movie was in black and white or color as long as the film is made well. I enjoy for the mysterious atmosphere the movie is set and creativity that the actors bring to their roles. The plot had been copied many of times on film and TV but never can duplicated. Kim Stanley plays the strong controlling wife who does the seances and Richard Attenborough as her weak husband. If like the Others and Sixth Sense, you might like this film.