I place Jack Clayton's THE INNOCENTS high on the list along with THE HAUNTING and THE UNINVITED as one of the best ghost stories ever put on film. Based on Henry James' 1898 novella serialized in COLLIERS, "The Turn of the Screw" it is a marvelous screen adaptation of the story, which is a bit of a tough go as a result of its antiquated writing style, but still worth reading. James played down the supernatural aspect with the title, preferring to use the metaphor of the increasing psychological tension that unfolds during the tale. The film's title lends itself more accessible to modern audiences.
Behind Clayton's masterful direction, actors Deborah Kerr as Governess Miss Giddens, Martin Stevens as Miles, Pamela Franklin as Flora (as an adult, she would star in THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE) and the rest of the supporting cast all provide credibility to their characters, a critical element in stories such as this.
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| Deborah Kerr as Miss Gibbens. |
Freddie Francis was the cinematographer behind the camera. He instills a disturbing, claustrophobic look to the film using modified lenses and creative depth of field shots which lend an overall air of Gothic Noir. Francis would sit in the director's chair for a number of horror and science-fiction films including THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS (1963), THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN (1964), DR. TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS (1965) and DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE (1968).
I highly recommend this film!
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| Pamela Franklin as Flora. |
This article from CINEFANTASTIQUE (June-July 1983) offers an insightful retrospective of the film.
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