Overview
A chilling tale of ambition and deception unfolds as a couple's desperate plan spirals out of control.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- oppressive
- paranoid
- melancholic
- classic thriller night
- rainy evening
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as an intelligent, atmospheric, and absorbing psychological suspense drama elevated by Kim Stanley and Richard Attenborough's performances.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Myra and Billy's cramped London household becomes the emotional and strategic center of the kidnapping scheme.
Myra may genuinely believe in her psychic powers while also exploiting them to control the Claytons and police.
The couple insist that kidnapping Amanda and demanding ransom will cause no lasting harm and that the money will be returned.
The black-and-white photography and oppressive living room, bedroom, garden, and séance chamber intensify the film's atmosphere.
Films like Seance on a Wet Afternoon, and why
The Collector
psychological suspense, morally compromised protagonists, and oppressive domestic atmosphere
The Servant
British crime drama shaped by obsessive characters, emotional tension, and claustrophobic realism
Frenzy
intelligent kidnapping thriller centered on unstable minds and escalating psychological pressure
The Night of the Hunter
dark domestic drama blending criminal plotting with grief, delusion, and moral ambiguity
Movie Details
- Director
- Bryan Forbes
- Release Date
- 1964-06-19
- Runtime
- 116 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (120)
Cast
- Kim Stanley
- Richard Attenborough
- Margaret Lacey
- Marie Burke
- Maria Kazan
- Lionel Gamlin
- Marian Spencer
- Godfrey James
- Judith Donner
- Ronald Hines
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, HBO Max
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Seance on a Wet Afternoon about?
- A domineering medium turns a child kidnapping into a dangerous bid for public recognition, pulling her dependent husband toward the edge of delusion.
- What is Seance on a Wet Afternoon like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Seance on a Wet Afternoon as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Seance on a Wet Afternoon violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Seance on a Wet Afternoon as mild.
- What did critics think of Seance on a Wet Afternoon?
- Critics broadly praised the film as an intelligent, atmospheric, and absorbing psychological suspense drama elevated by Kim Stanley and Richard Attenborough's performances.
- Which films are like Seance on a Wet Afternoon?
- Films with a similar feel include The Collector, The Servant, Frenzy, and The Night of the Hunter.
- How long is Seance on a Wet Afternoon?
- Seance on a Wet Afternoon runs 116 minutes.
- Where can I watch Seance on a Wet Afternoon?
- In United States, Seance on a Wet Afternoon streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, HBO Max.
