Rent Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964)

The Odd Couple. - Seance on a Wet Afternoon review by LC

For much of it's length, this story of a child kidnapping gone wrong is essentially a two-hander, and both Richard Attenborough and Kim Stanley put in incredible performances as a hen-pecked husband and his mentally-unbalanced wife. The film is well-shot, allowing both actors equal opportunity to shine, whilst the plot has plenty of tension and enough twists for the climax to keep you guessing how it will all end up (at least on first viewing). Highly recommended for any fans of classic British thrillers.

Gothic chiller. - Seance on a Wet Afternoon review by Steve

Slow burning psychological drama primarily remembered for Kim Stanley's Oscar nominated role as a mentally disturbed medium who kidnaps a young girl on the demands of her stillborn son. And in the hope that she will be revered for finding the abducted child with her special gift. And she is chilling, and brings a touch of American gothic to Wimbledon.

Richard Attenborough is also excellent as her browbeaten husband who just wants his wife to be well again. But how far will he go? It's mostly a two-hander, just opened out to include the investigation into their crime. While it's a drama, there are also tremors of suspense and horror, which are intensified by John Barry's atmospheric, eerie score.

Brian Forbes directs with considerable style, and his script also includes a satisfying thread of dark humour. The deliberate pacing allows a perverse, unsettling ambience to settle over the film. However the premise is slight and overextended. It's too long, and the film comes to a dead stop at the midpoint which the dialogue is unable to resuscitate.  

Then it recovers for a powerfully sombre and daunting conclusion. The visuals are stunning, especially the photography and set design. It isn't a complete success, but still imaginative and strange and embellished by Kim Stanley's otherworldly performance, as if a tragic Tennessee Williams heroine has strayed into a classic of the British New Wave.