The Innocents, 1961.
Directed by Jack Clayton.
Starring Deborah Kerr, Peter Wyngarde, Meg Jenkins, Michael Redgrave, Pamela Franklin and Martin Stephens.
SYNOPSIS:
A woman is hired to become the new governess of a stately mansion, looking after the niece and nephew of a wealthy landowner. However, it soon becomes clear that the mansion and, indeed, the children are under the spell of something supernatural.
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James is often cited as a classic of horror literature and one of the most important ghost stories ever written, inspiring volumes of ever-changing critical discussion about the various interpretations surrounding its story.
James’ novella has been adapted numerous times over the decades for stage, screen and, most curiously, opera. And while there are many adaptations to choose from, today we’re looking at what many consider to be the definitive adaptation of James’ masterpiece; The Innocents.
Leading the film is the acclaimed (and six-time Oscar nominated) Deborah Kerr as Miss Giddens, the new governess at Bly Manor. Kerr gives a suitably theatrical performance, portraying the role with growing anxiety and increasingly obsessive paranoia, creating a character who is both sympathetic yet unsettling. It’s a strong, highly emotional performance that Kerr throws herself into with vigour and passion. Yet, she still knows when to dial it down, projecting an element of ambiguity that leaves you questioning whether she wants to help or harm the children in her care.
While Kerr is excellent, the film is stolen by the unnerving performances of Pamela Franklin and Martin Stephens as Flora and Miles, respectively, the children cared for by Miss Giddens. Franklin manages to make her innocent smile and expressive eyes appear menacing in a way that hints at inner madness, while Stephens is creepy in the way that he acts years beyond his age, speaking and acting as an aged gentleman, his referrals to Kerr as “My Dear” possessing a deeply unnatural eeriness.
The best part of The Innocents is, without question, the story. An old-school ghostly tale of a woman convinced that her new home is haunted by her predecessor. While this type of plot has since become so familiar it has become a cliché, the film makes it work brilliantly, remaining faithful to the original novella and, crucially, retaining its mysterious ambiguous nature.
Miss Giddens sees and hears ghosts and is convinced that the children are possessed by evil spirits. However, cleverly, it is never made explicit if the supernatural elements are genuine or if they are merely the product of Giddens’s fevered and stressed imagination, the film playing as a much more fascinating psychological horror instead merely a familiar supernatural horror.
The Innocents is a highly inventive work in a technical sense, creating a beautiful, eerie-looking and sounding film. Filmed in black and white, the cinematography, in conjunction with limited lighting, emphasises the sprawling hallways of Bly, with only the dim glow of candlelight able to pierce the darkness. The vast halls seemingly going on for miles yet, in a strange contradiction, also seeming to draw in closer, making the house seem almost claustrophobic. I love how the camera will track behind the characters as they move through the house, almost as if silently stalking them like a spectre.
The creative cinematography is complimented by the groundbreaking sound design, which uses electronic distortion on voices that render the echoing repeated laughs, cries and screams downright bone-chilling.
My favourite scene combines all of these elements. A sequence in which Miss Giddens walks the halls alone at night with a candle, the darkness almost enveloping her and whispering increasingly distorted voices echoing throughout the house. The inventive editing makes things feel even more nightmarish as we, like her, begin to lose our grip on what is real and what is not. I especially found the sound of an unidentified voice pleading “you’re hurting me” to be deeply disturbing.
Perhaps the oddest (which is saying something) and certainly most controversial part of the film is a scene in which the child Miles (who may or may not be possessed) kisses the adult Giddens in what can best be described as “a lover’s kiss”. I don’t think I have to explain why this is weird, but what makes it even weirder is that this isn’t the first film I’ve reviewed this month featuring child/adult kissing. It’s been a strange old month.
Where The Innocents is likely to split viewers is its careful and deliberate pacing. On the plus side, this approach allows the viewer to immerse themselves in the spooky atmosphere and the brilliant creepy story. On the downside, it can sometimes leave things dragging, with more than a few moments where I admit I found my patience being mildly tested.
However, credit has to be given to the highly emotional and surreal climax that, without spoiling too much, ends on a dark note that I honestly didn’t expect. And then, as you’re trying to process what the hell just happened, the film just ends.
While it may prove a tad too slow for more casual viewers, the passionate and often unsettling performances, suitably spooky audio/visual style, and an engrossing story that honours the sinister ambiguity of Henry James’ novella cement The Innocents reputation as one of the great classic cinematic ghost stories.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Graeme Robertson
