- The Innocents (film)
Infobox_Film
name = The Innocents
amg_id = 1:96596
imdb_id = 0055018
producer =Jack Clayton
director =Jack Clayton
writer = Novella:Henry James
Screenplay:
William ArchibaldTruman Capote John Mortimer
starring =Deborah Kerr Michael Redgrave
music =Georges Auric
cinematography =Freddie Francis
editing = Jim Clark
distributor =20th Century Fox
released =December 25 ,1961
(NY premiere)
country =UK
runtime = 100 min.
language = English"The Innocents" is a 1961
horror film based on the novella "The Turn of the Screw " byHenry James . Directed and produced byJack Clayton , it starredDeborah Kerr andMichael Redgrave . Falling into the subgenre ofpsychological horror , the film makes use of its lighting, music, and direction for its effect rather than gore and shock factor. Its atmospheric feel was achieved byAcademy Award winning cinematographerFreddie Francis , who employeddeep focus in many scenes, as well as bold, minimal lighting. It was filmed on location at the gothic mansion of Sheffield Park inEast Sussex . The film marked the first film role for child actorPamela Franklin ."The Innocents" was nominated for two
BAFTA Awards , including Best British Film and Best Film from any Source. For his direction, Clayton was awarded the National Board of Review Award for Best Director. William Archibald andTruman Capote won a 1962Edgar Award from theMystery Writers of America for Best Motion Picture Screenplay. The title of the film was taken from Archibald's stage adaptation of James' novella.Plot
The Innocents tells the story of an inexperienced
governess , and daughter of a country parson (Kerr) who is hired to care for the niece and nephew of a callous socialite (Redgrave) at his country mansion, Bly House, whilst he continues to reside in London. He stipulates that the whole responsibility for looking after the children is hers. The gothic Bly House proves to have many dark secrets: the governess discovers that her predecessor, Miss Jessel, was having an affair with the valet Quint, and that both of them died in bizarre circumstances. Thereafter, the governess starts seeing their apparitions in the house and grounds and comes to believe that the ghosts of Quint and his lover are attempting to possess the bodies of the children.Cast
Production Notes
According to Professor
Christopher Frayling 's commentary on theBritish Film Institute DVD (2006), much of the screenplay is derived from William Archibald's play of the same name, which premiered on Broadway in 1950, rather than coming directly from James' novella. Frayling attributes the Freudian subtext to screenwriter Truman Capote, whose contribution gives the film aSouthern Gothic feel - with the governess's repressed erotic sensibility counterpointed by shots of lush and decaying plants and rapacious insect life. Reportedly, when first screened.Twentieth Century Fox executives were disturbed by the scene (which doesn't occur in the novella) where the governess kisses the boy Miles directly on the lips. Although there in no explicit sex or violence the film has been given a 12 rating by theBBFC ."The Infant Kiss", a song by
Kate Bush , from her 1980 album "Never for Ever ", was inspired by the film. An audiotrack from this film was sampled into the cursed tape of the 2002 film "The Ring".External links
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