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The Innocents (1961)
Atmospheric direction and brilliant performances are the primary ingredients of a 1961 thriller called The Innocents that takes its time getting to a conclusion that doesn't answer all the questions posed, but piques the viewer's curiosity early on with enough red herrings that we have to know what's going on.
Seven time Oscar nominee Deborah Kerr plays Miss Giddens, a young woman who accepts a position as a governess for two children who live on a country estate with the household staff. She was hired by the children's uncle who lives elsewhere and doesn't seem to be interested in raising his niece and nephew. Upon her arrival, Miss Giddens is witness to a series of events that, coupled with a lot of evasive answers to her questions, have her believing that these children might be possessed.
The film is based on a novel by Henry James called The Turn of the Screw that meticulously weaves a gothic tale that keeps the viewer engaged because of the way the story unfolds so slowly. Normally, a movie that takes so much time to reveal what's going on begins to lose the viewer, but it has the exact opposite effect on this story. I love the opening scene where Miss Giddens is being interviewed by the uncle ( a classy cameo by Michael Redgrave) and she's told that she will have complete autonomy in her job and that he doesn't want to hear from her at all. We already know that something's up with these children and it's going to be up to Miss Giddens to figure it out.
There are red herrings thrown in along the way that initially throw us off the scent but become important later. We learn that the boy, Miles, has been expelled from school but clams up when Miss Giddens questions him about it. Then when she suggests to the housekeeper that the uncle should be informed, she suggests that he not be bothered, we know something's going on, but we have no idea exactly what. I love when Miss Giddens sends everyone away to be alone with Miles at the beginning of the final act because ti's the first time she references the Uncle making her the final say in all decisions regarding the children.
Director Jack Clayton creates the perfect atmosphere for a horror film, even if it's not a traditional horror in the sens that we think of the genre, The film is beautifully photographed in black and white and the country estate is the perfect setting for a thriller...a large mansion with many rooms and massive grounds, plenty of places to hide secrets. Deborah Kerr is splendid, as always, as the put upon Miss Giddens and Pamela Franklin and Martin Stephens are remarkable as the children. A different kind of thriller that will rivet the viewer to the screen with little effort. Remade in 2020 with Mackenzie Davis as the governess.
Atmospheric direction and brilliant performances are the primary ingredients of a 1961 thriller called The Innocents that takes its time getting to a conclusion that doesn't answer all the questions posed, but piques the viewer's curiosity early on with enough red herrings that we have to know what's going on.
Seven time Oscar nominee Deborah Kerr plays Miss Giddens, a young woman who accepts a position as a governess for two children who live on a country estate with the household staff. She was hired by the children's uncle who lives elsewhere and doesn't seem to be interested in raising his niece and nephew. Upon her arrival, Miss Giddens is witness to a series of events that, coupled with a lot of evasive answers to her questions, have her believing that these children might be possessed.
The film is based on a novel by Henry James called The Turn of the Screw that meticulously weaves a gothic tale that keeps the viewer engaged because of the way the story unfolds so slowly. Normally, a movie that takes so much time to reveal what's going on begins to lose the viewer, but it has the exact opposite effect on this story. I love the opening scene where Miss Giddens is being interviewed by the uncle ( a classy cameo by Michael Redgrave) and she's told that she will have complete autonomy in her job and that he doesn't want to hear from her at all. We already know that something's up with these children and it's going to be up to Miss Giddens to figure it out.
There are red herrings thrown in along the way that initially throw us off the scent but become important later. We learn that the boy, Miles, has been expelled from school but clams up when Miss Giddens questions him about it. Then when she suggests to the housekeeper that the uncle should be informed, she suggests that he not be bothered, we know something's going on, but we have no idea exactly what. I love when Miss Giddens sends everyone away to be alone with Miles at the beginning of the final act because ti's the first time she references the Uncle making her the final say in all decisions regarding the children.
Director Jack Clayton creates the perfect atmosphere for a horror film, even if it's not a traditional horror in the sens that we think of the genre, The film is beautifully photographed in black and white and the country estate is the perfect setting for a thriller...a large mansion with many rooms and massive grounds, plenty of places to hide secrets. Deborah Kerr is splendid, as always, as the put upon Miss Giddens and Pamela Franklin and Martin Stephens are remarkable as the children. A different kind of thriller that will rivet the viewer to the screen with little effort. Remade in 2020 with Mackenzie Davis as the governess.