Seance on a Wet Afternoon

"Was it magic... Or murder they planned?"

1964 1h 56m EN

👍

7.2

SOLID

★7.2TMDB · 121

CrimeThrillerDrama

Synopsis

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Working-class British housewife Myra Savage reinvents herself as a medium, holding seances in the sitting room of her home with the hidden assistance of her under-employed, asthmatic husband, Billy. In an attempt to enhance her credibility as a psychic, Myra hatches an elaborate, ill-conceived plot to kidnap a wealthy couple's young daughter so that she can then help the police "find" the missing girl.

“Was it magic... Or murder they planned?”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Kim Stanley
Myra
Richard Attenborough
Bill
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
Godfrey James
Mrs. Clayton's Chauffeur

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Bryan Forbes
Writers: Bryan Forbes
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

62 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Bryan Forbes, shot by Gerry Turpin. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by John Barry. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Derek York shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Kim Stanley and Richard Attenborough and Margaret Lacey carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Was it magic... Or murder they planned?".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0058557 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Bryan Forbes directs. Gerry Turpin behind the camera. John Barry scores. Derek York cuts. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

162 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by Bryan Forbes, shot by Gerry Turpin. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by John Barry. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Derek York shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Kim Stanley and Richard Attenborough and Margaret Lacey carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Was it magic... Or murder they planned?".
7IMDB entry: tt0058557 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 14 themes, including "london, england", "husband wife relationship", "based on novel or book", "ransom".
9Released under 21 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Gerry Turpin
Original score: John Barry
Editing: Derek York
Makeup / hair: Barbara Ritchie
Runtime: 116 min · 1h 56m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964)

Awards

National Board of Review: Top Ten Films

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Bryan Forbes

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2019-07-21
★ 8/10
Because your weak, and you need me. Myra Savage is a struggling psychic, who along with her weak-willed husband, Billy, kidnap the young daughter of wealthy parents. The plan is to extort money from the fretting parents and then for Myra to help the parents find the child with her psychic ability, thus improving her standing in the psychic field. But as the story unfolds, Myra grows ever more close to the edge of insanity, could the still born death of the Savage's own child be the critical issue? Seance On A Wet Afternoon is something of a hidden/forgotten British treasure, not only because of the eerie atmospherics, but also because it contains a quite incredible acting performance from Kim Stanley as the troubled Myra Savage. Stanley was nominated for an Academy Award but lost out to Julie Andrews for Mary Poppins, I wonder just how many people even remember Stanley's film? Though chiefly marketed as a crime picture, this piece actually feels more like an offshoot of the horror genre, for it's a genuinely creepy picture that has unease lurking in every marvellous black and white corner. Boosted by an excellently understated turn from Richard Attenborough (also producer here) as Billy Savage, directed with exceptional skill from Bryan Forbes (Whistle Down the Wind), and with a plinking creepy score from maestro John Barry, this adaptation of Mark McShane's novel comes highly recommended for those that like a great psychological character study. Oh and of course for those that know brilliant acting when they see it! 8/10

Production companies