CLASSICS
The Innocents 12A
UK | 1961 | 100 minutes
DIRECTED BY
Jack Clayton
STARRING
Deborah Kerr|Peter Wyngarde | Megs Jenkins
With the
spooky season upon us, it’s a good time to screen this adaptation of the Henry
James ghost story The Turn of the Screw. Jack Clayton, its British
director, was flushed with the success of his debut feature Room at the Top
(1959) and much sought after for film projects. But he wanted to avoid making
another film of the same type, and The Innocents is undoubtedly very
different.
The
narrative follows Miss Giddens (Deborah Kerr) to Bly – a grand country estate –
as she applies to become the governess of Flora and Miles, orphans under the
guardianship of their uncle (a cameo performance by Michael Redgrave). It is
made clear that Miss Giddens must take full responsibility for the children and
that the uncle is not to be troubled with any problems. The previous governess,
it transpires, died suddenly in circumstances not entirely clear.
To the
inexperienced Miss Giddens the children behave oddly and seem unusually
secretive. She becomes aware of voices and the apparitions of a man and a
woman, with whom the children seem to be communicating. But is this paranormal
activity or the hyperactivity of Miss Giddens’ sexually repressed mind? It’s
ambiguous – exactly as Clayton intended – and has since been the subject of
many an academic treatise. It was Truman Capote who was brought in by Clayton
to develop the psychological angle of the screenplay and rewrite parts of the
script.
The black-and-white
cinematography and lighting lend much to the ghostly and claustrophobic
atmosphere of the film, despite the studio’s insistence that it be shot in
CinemaScope – a format Clayton disliked. The director and cinematographer
employed many devices to make the most the wide expanse of screen available,
including extreme camera angles, unusual compositions and even vignettes.
So, in preparation
for Hallowe’en, come to see an outstanding performance from Miss Kerr in a film
now listed among the best horror films ever made.
28 October 2024 MONDAY 19:30
AUDITORIUM
Tickets £8.00|£5.00 (up to age 25) CONCESSION NOT AVAILABLE ONLINE