Movie Reviews for The Innocents

The Innocents

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Movie Reviews of The Innocents

Movie Review: A Highlight of the Horror genre!
Summary: 5 Stars

This is one not to be missed. Great story, great acting and superb cinematography make this flick a joy from start to finish.

For reference, this film is in the same great league as the films Night of the Demon, The Haunting, and The Cat People.

Movie Review: NURSERY RYHME OF THE DEAD
Summary: 5 Stars

Total darkness, a child's sweet voice begins to sing a nursery rhyme like song, hauntingly beautiful, yet somehow disturbing. This is how the ghostly 1961 classic "The Innocents" begins. Deborah Kerr took the role of child loving governess, Miss Giddons, and makes it her own. The children, Flora (Pamela Franklin) and Miles (Martin Stephens) are especially chilling as the possessed innocents, who are under Miss Giddon's care. Arriving at the estate on the heels of two deaths of the estate's grounds keeper, Quint, and the children's former governess, Miss Jessel. Eventually Miss Giddons discovers the two were not only lovers, but were dementedly open with their acts of lusts before the children. The children speak with grown up attitudes and are always whispering and acting in odd and mysterious ways. Childhood games become sinister and compelling, such as the hide and seek game which produces the ghostly apparition of the deceased Miss Jessel, floating down a darkened hallway. The discovery of a music box in the attic unveils the ever-familiar tune that the children are humming, singing, or playing on the piano. Miss Giddons tries reaching out to the children, especially Miles, but is taken aback by the extreme possession that the dead lovers have seemingly taken them. There are two memorable scenes that will haunt you after you've viewed this gothic masterpiece. The first is the ghostly appearance of Quint, outside on the terrace, with a demonic scowl on his face as he stares through the glass paned door at Miss Giddons. The second is the haunting tune of the music box playing as Flora dances to the audience of her dearly departed Miss Jessel, whose dark figure can be seen out on the lake. "The Innocents" is dripping with a haunting atmosphere, dark and mysterious apparitions, and loaded with a sophistication that is sorely missing from today's cinema fare.

Movie Review: supremely-effective ghost thriller
Summary: 5 Stars

THE INNOCENTS is based on Henry James' classic gothic novella "The Turn of the Screw". The story recounts one Miss Giddens (Deborah Kerr), a young governess who has just been offered her first big job, as teacher and companion to two young children at a country estate. Their mysterious Uncle (Michael Redgrave) makes the offer too good to resist and Miss Giddens excitedly travels to Bly House, to start her new job.

At first everything seems too good to be true; Flora (Pamela Franklin) and Miles (Martin Stephens) are wonderful children, displaying a level of maturity and temperament which belies their age, and Mrs Grose, (Megs Jenkins) the housekeeper, is a wise and friendly aid. But life at Bly House takes a sinister turn. Miss Giddens begins to see haunting images and ghosts. The children also begin to act strangely: Flora becomes distant and Miles begins to flirt with Miss Giddens, at one point kissing her forcefully on the mouth. Everything seems to hark back to the previous governess Miss Jessel (Clytie Jessop), who died under mysterious circumstances, and the strange relationship she had with the deceased former squier Alan Quint (Peter Wyngarde). Miss Giddens becomes convinced that the children have been a party to this evil, and attempts to save them - and herself - from the same fate.

If one wanted a Freudian analysis, one could say that the seductive Alan appeared to help the repressed Miss Giddens confront her long-buried sexual urges, but you can glean whatever you wish from the ambiguous material. The performances from the entire company are superb. I agree that the performance of Martin Stephens is amazing (and it must have been difficult for him to have played the confronting kissing scene with Kerr). The scenes between Stephens and Deborah Kerr are eerie and full of tension. Likewise, young Pamela Franklin (who would later make acclaimed appearances in "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" and "The Legend of Hell House") makes the role of Flora one that the audience completely falls in love with. Deborah Kerr, attired in a beautiful wardrobe of Victorian hoopskirt creations by Motley, delivers one of her greatest performances, wonderfully-plotted and realised as Miss Giddens slowly becomes transformed by paranoia.

The new DVD edition from Fox presents the DVD in it's original CinemaScope ratio, capturing the moody and innovative photography by Freddie Francis (a fullscreen version is featured on the flipside). Extra features are limited to the trailer, as well as trailers for other thrillers from Fox: "The Legend of Hell House", "Phantom of the Paradise" and "The Cabinet of Caligari".

Movie Review: An excellent well-balanced portrayal of James' work
Summary: 5 Stars

Casting Deborah Kerr as "Miss Gibbons" was a stroke of genius. Kerr lends the governess's role great credibility. She is sincere and affectionate in her convictions and commitments to her charges.

The child actors are amazing and quite convincing in their parts. It is never completely clear whether the children are intentionally wicked, totally innocent, or the victims of supernatural evil.

Sets, cinematography and costuming are used to utmost advantage (Note in the beginning of the film Kerr's dresses are frillier and prettier while as her character is sucked deeper and deper into the mires of psychosis her dresses resemble mourning weeds.) A definitely chilling keeper.