Seance on a Wet Afternoon Reviews

In this eerie tale, Myra Savage (Kim Stanley), a medium, claims contact with "the other side" through her late son Arthur, a stillborn child whose death Myra cannot come to accept. Myra's husband, Billy (Richard Attenborough, the British actor who would later direct MAGIC, CRY FREEDOM and GANDHI), does his best to keep her happy, knowing well that she is walking a tightrope between insanity and rationality. He is a weak man and adores Myra, so he can deny her nothing. Myra would like some publicity for her flagging business, so she concocts a plan to have Billy kidnap a wealthy child and collect his ransom. Myra will then offer the services of her psychic powers to the bereaved family and, of course, "find" the child. An atmospheric film, SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON succeeds because of Bryan Forbes' excellent direction and the superb performances of both Kim Stanley (in a rare film appearance) and Attenborough (who also produced). While the film can be slow going in spots, Stanley's portrayal of the emotionally unfit Myra Savage is riveting as she gradually loses her grip on reality and slips into a dark psychological abyss.