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The Innocents (1961)
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Rated: |
NR |
Starring: |
Pamela Franklin, Megs Jenkins, Deborah Kerr, Michael Redgrave, Martin Stephens, Peter Wyngarde. |
Director: |
Jack Clayton |
Genre: |
Horror | Thriller |
DVD Release Date: 09/06/2005 |
Tagline: A Haunting Tale of Terror!
The Innocents, a chilling adaptation of Henry James' novella "The Turn of the Screw," is one of the most frightening films ever made. Set in nineteenth-century England, this gothic ghost story centers around a governess (Deborah Kerr) taking
care of two orphans in a foreboding Victorian mansion. As eerie apparitions appear and the children's behavior becomes strange, the governess begins to wonder about the fate of the previous governess and her sadistic lover. Could it be that their restless
spirits are conspiring to corrupt the innocence of the children, or is this "haunting" a product of her own fears and imagination?
Storyline: In Victorian England, the uncle of orphaned niece Flora and nephew Miles hires Miss Giddens as governess to raise the children at his estate with total independence and authority. Soon after her arrival, Miss Giddens comes to believe
that the spirits of the former governess Miss Jessel and valet Peter Quint are possessing the children. Miss Giddens decides to help the children to face and exorcise the spirits. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil
Cast Notes: Deborah Kerr (Miss Giddens), Peter Wyngarde (Peter Quint), Megs Jenkins (Mrs. Grose), Michael Redgrave (The Uncle), Martin Stephens (Miles), Pamela Franklin (Flora), Clytie Jessop (Miss Jessel), Isla Cameron (Anna).
User Comment: jemmytee from Los Angeles, CA., 4 July 2004 • "The Innocents" is one of those films that prove subtlety and imagination can be ten times more terrifying than loud noises or things that go bump in the night. There are no
raging spirits or escaped madmen here. Nor will you find that stock of today's second rate horror films -- the creature that embodies evil and finds amazingly obscure ways in which to slaughter naughty teenagers. No, this movie scars one's psyche with
darkness and silence and possibility, all mingled with its refusal to give the audience an easy answer at the end.
Based on Henry James' novella, "The Turn Of The Screw," the story is deceptively simple. An inexperienced governess is hired to care for two orphaned children in an isolated British manor and slowly comes to believe the ghosts of the previous governess
and her brutish lover are trying to possess the children's souls. Being a decent woman "who loves children," she fights back the only way she can -- by confronting the evil head on. But the question is, does the evil truly exist...or is it all in her own
mind?
As told by James, the novella is a startling ghost story, without question. He adds his usual psychological insights to the characters, but never do you doubt the ghosts exist. The defining moment comes when Miss Giddens sees Quint's face in a dark window
then later finds a locket bearing his portrait and comes to her realization, "Oh, he's a ghost!" But in the movie, Truman Capote and William Archibald reverse this sequence -- she finds the locket first and THEN sees the man's face in the window -- and
all simple explanations go out the door.
Is Miss Giddens imagining things? Has she become overwhelmed by the responsibility of raising two precocious children without any sort of support from their selfish uncle? Is she merely sexually repressed and immature enough to transfer her crush on the
uncle to a boy not even into puberty yet? And what of Flora, Miles' sister? If this is merely sexual repression on Miss Giddens' part, then why does she drag a little girl into the morass? Throughout the film, Miss Giddens offers evidence of her concerns
-- a letter received from Miles' schoolmaster that she cannot fully share with Mrs. Grose because the woman cannot read; her awareness that the two innocents in her charge have a far more advanced knowledge of life than children that age normally would;
stories told by Mrs. Grose about Miss Jessel and Quint and how they treated the children. So could it be the spirits of two miserable adults have come back to reclaim life in the persons of Miles and Flora? It could go either way.
There is not one wrong moment in this movie. Not one. The first time I saw it was in New York City on a double bill with "The Haunting Of Hill House" (1963), a "things that go bump in the night" kind of movie. The audience and I howled through that one,
it was so much silly fun. And we chuckled through the first ten minutes of "The Innocents" (especially when Mrs. Grose tells Miss Giddens, "I'm SO glad you're here," with a little quiver in her voice), but by the end of that film (and I use the word
"film" deliberately), the entire theater was dead silent. Any film that can shut up a room full of rowdy New Yorkers has got to be damned good.
So...is "The Innocents" a ghost story or psychological study? Who can say? And to be honest, who cares? It is, at the very least, a damned good movie...and at the very best, a horror story that makes "The Shining," "Rosemary's Baby," "The Others" and even
"Psycho" (a movie I love) look like the works of children. That this film is not available on DVD is a travesty.
Summary: Ghost story or psychological study? Who can say?.
User Comment: Ingo Gärtner (miles@datacomm.ch) from Aarau, Switzerland, 25 December 1998 • Jack Clayton's sensitivity proves it, there is no need of blood and disgust to make a good creepy thriller! I saw many films in my life and I
learned to love Bergman, Kubrick, Kieslowski, Leone, Allen, but I really believe that I enjoyed no other film as much as "The Innocents"! Outstanding cast and outstanding photographed! The music of Georges Auric is perfect (included an old death-yearning
song "O willow waly"). If you ever go for a trip to England, go and see the wonderful location "Sheffield Park Garden in Sussex". This is not only an intelligent and incredible atmospheric film, it is a weird journey into a spiritual world. And perhaps
Clayton's direction went too far, because unfortunately this gem never found an audience! After a novel "The turn of the screw" by Henry James. One more tip, if you ever have the chance to see this Cinemascope-film in a movie theater, do it! It really is
overwhelming!!!
Summary: Best film I ever saw.
IMDb Rating (11/22/05): 7.9/10 from 1,825 users
Additional information |
Copyright: |
1961, 20th Century Fox |
Features: |
• Features Not Specified |
Subtitles: |
English, Spanish |
Video: |
Widescreen 2.35:1 B&W (Anamorphic-16x9) Standard 1.33:1 [4:3] B&W |
Audio: |
ENGLISH: Dolby Digital Stereo [CC]
SPANISH: Dolby Digital Mono
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Time: |
1:40 |
DVD: |
# Discs: 1 -- # Shows: 1 |
UPC: |
024543202950 |
D-Box: |
No |
Other: |
Producers: Jack Clayton; Writers: William Archibald, Truman Capote; running time of 100 minutes; Packaging: Keep Case; [CC]. [ BD] |
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