Wise's film is overlong, sometimes over-emphatic, and it has a staggeringly misjudged ending. But it's also notable for centering on the emotional plight of the paranormal malarkey.

A possession thriller...that replaces Christian claptrap for Hindi hokum.

The acting of Marsha Mason, Anthony Hopkins and debuting Susan Swift are the major assets (poor John Beck is good, but out of his league). The story is intriguing all the way, even if it's never resolved.

It turns absurd in the second hour, starting with a trial in which the notion of reincarnation is placed on the stand -- next to this, even Santa’s courtroom appearance in Miracle on 34th Street looks as grounded in reality as the Nuremberg trials.