IMDb > Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964)
Seance on a Wet Afternoon
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Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.9/10   3,269 votes »
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Up 45% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Bryan Forbes (screenplay)
Mark McShane (novel)
Contact:
View company contact information for Seance on a Wet Afternoon on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
5 November 1964 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Plot:
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. Full summary » | Add synopsis »
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 8 wins & 3 nominations See more »
User Reviews:
Powerful Performances in an Unexpected Story See more (48 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (complete, awaiting verification)

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
Gerald Sim ... Beedle
Stanley Morgan ... Man in Trilby
Maggie Rennie ... Woman at Second Seance (as Margaret McGrath)
Michael Lees ... Plain Clothes Policeman
Patrick Magee ... Walsh
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Arnold Bell ... Mr. Weaver (uncredited)
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Directed by
Bryan Forbes 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
Bryan Forbes  screenplay
Mark McShane  novel

Produced by
Richard Attenborough .... producer
Jack Rix .... associate producer
Bryan Forbes .... producer (uncredited)
 
Original Music by
John Barry 
 
Cinematography by
Gerry Turpin (photographed by)
 
Film Editing by
Derek York 
 
Art Direction by
Ray Simm 
 
Makeup Department
Stuart Freeborn .... makeup artist
Barbara Ritchie .... hairdresser
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Christopher Dryhurst .... assistant director
Simon Relph .... first assistant director (uncredited)
 
Art Department
Peter James .... set dresser
Jock Lyall .... construction manager
Alan Roderick-Jones .... set designer (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Bill Daniels .... sound recordist
George Fisher .... dubbing editor
Gus Lloyd .... sound assistant
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Gerry Anstiss .... camera assistant
David Harcourt .... camera operator
Ted Lockhart .... camera grip
George Courtney Ward .... still photographer (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Laurel Staffell .... wardrobe supervisor (as Laurel Staffel)
 
Music Department
John Barry .... conductor
John Barry .... music arranger
Sidney Margo .... music contractor (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Penny Daniels .... continuity
Diana Hawkins .... publicist (uncredited)
Ann Skinner .... production secretary (uncredited)
 
Thanks
Ernest Lough .... acknowledgment: permission for using "Hear my Prayer"
George Thalben-Ball .... acknowledgment: permission for using "Hear my Prayer" (as Dr. Thalben Ball)
 
Crew believed to be complete


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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Runtime:
USA:115 min | UK:121 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) | Australia:M

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 (1969)).See more »
Goofs:
Continuity: 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.See more »
Quotes:
Myra Savage:You know what I sometimes wish? I sometimes wish I *were*... ordinary. Like you. Dead ordinary. Ordinary and *dead* like all the others.See more »
Movie Connections:
References Oh! What a Lovely War (1969)See more »
Soundtrack:
Hear my PrayerSee more »

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
36 out of 39 people found the following review useful.
Powerful Performances in an Unexpected Story, 24 April 2005
Author: gftbiloxi (gftbiloxi@yahoo.com) from Biloxi, Mississippi

An unsuccessful psychic and spiritualist has grown frustrated with her lack of celebrity--and so devises a plan to bring herself the fame she craves. She and her husband will kidnap a child. When the police are baffled and press coverage has reached a fevered pitch, she will have a "vision" that will lead to the child's recovery and the reap the rewards of publicity. But no sooner is the plan underway than there are complications--and in this instance the complications are the characters themselves.

Everything about Brian Forbes' SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON is understated yet oddly moody. The story, although unusual, is told in a direct sort of way; although it offers an occasional twist, the plot avoids tricky devices. The script is very natural sounding, the black and white cinematography avoids undue cleverness, and the background music is discreet. This throws all attention on the characters--and Kim Stanley and Richard Attenborough offer amazing performances, with Stanley the very personification of rising madness and Attenborough painfully accurate as her emotionally dependent husband.

The interplay between Stanley and Attenborough is justly famous, and the two stars are well supported, most particularly by Judith Donner as the kidnapped child and Nanette Newman as her distracted mother. The film has a dreamy, claustrophobic quality that many will find fascinating; some, however, may consider it a bit talky and its conclusion an anticlimax. But if you are in the mood for a psychological thriller that really is psychological, you couldn't pick a better choice for rainy day viewing. Recommended.

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer

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