Wednesday, October 28, 2009

The Innocents (1961): Spectres of Complexity


From a solid black screen, the sound of a child, eerily singing an echoing lullaby is the first indication that the film that follows is one of a creepy and spine chilling nature. The screen remains blank for a full 44 seconds before the 20th Century-Fox studio logo slowly presents itself, the sing-song voice continuing in the background. Thus begins The Innocents (1961), a ghost story of high artistic quality. A work of psychological horror as opposed to physical. There is no gore, nor are there monsters. The principals involved are actually quite attractive; beautiful, charming children, the lovely albeit prim governess, even the ghost seen in close up is ruggedly handsome. All of which allows the imagination of the viewer to expand even further than if physical ugliness were laid before them.

When I first saw The Innocents, many years ago, I wasn't quite sure how I felt about it. I certainly didn't dislike it and I appreciated its paranormal themes, but its vagueness about some of these themes was something I wasn't used to as a teenager. However, upon later viewings with a more mature and discriminating eye, these ambiguities showed themselves as examples of masterful creativity on the part of producer/ director Jack Clayton. Clayton had been nominated for an Oscar two years prior for Room at the Top and was establishing himself as a quality director.


Based on Henry James novella, The Turn of the Screw, the film opens to an interview between a wealthy Victorian Englishman and Miss Giddens (Deborah Kerr), candidate for governess to his very young niece and nephew, who live away from him in his country estate. A self proclaimed "very selfish fellow," The Uncle, as he is billed, asks that the inexperienced caregiver take complete charge of the youngsters, as he wants no part in their upbringing. The former nanny, Miss Jessel, died and Miss Giddens would replace her as sole guardian. Upon her acceptance of the job, the attractive spinster is taken to the beautiful but solitary estate where she meets the housekeeper, Mrs. Grose (Megs Jenkins) and Flora (Pamela Franklin), the female half of her enchanting charge. Miles (Martin Stephens), Flora's brother is away at boarding school. Almost immediately, the governess receives word from the boy's school that he is expelled for corrupting the minds of the other lads. Mrs. Grose finds this impossible to believe, as she knows him as a spirited but innocent and loving boy. Upon his arrival home, the new governess finds Miles to be just as Mrs. Grose described; charming, outgoing and affectionate. They form a cheerful, caring bond, with Miss Giddens doting on the youthful pair.



The blissful existence discovered by the nanny is interrupted when strange occurrences take place in and around the manor house. The children become sly and secretive and Giddens starts to see a man around the place that she recognizes from a photo to be the former valet, Peter Quint. But as Mrs. Grose tells her, "It can't be, you see he's dead. Quint is dead." More eerie shenanigans and the vision of Miss Jessel looking very much alive lead to more questioning of Mrs. Grose, who reveals that the former governess and valet Quint were lovers. "Rooms, used by daylight as though they were dark woods." Miss Giddens becomes convinced that the two spirits are possessing the bodies of the children for their own evil purposes, but how can she eradicate them and save her precious wards?

The creepy nuances of The Innocents is well paced, moderately at first then building the suspense to a crescendo of rapid pace encounters of a dark nature. The music box melody from the films' introduction is sporadically scattered about for a most chilling effect. Another spooky scene is the eerie game of hide and seek between Miss Giddens, Flora and Miles. As the governess goes in search of the hidden tykes, she encounters in the decrepit, dusty attic, a toy clown jack in the box, the head of which is mysteriously bobbing about. The Gothic feel of the film is achieved with outstanding lighting and camera work. There are hints of Jane Eyre and even The Uninvited (1944), just as there are hints of this film in the 2001 Nicole Kidman yarn, The Others.

Deborah Kerr gives a memorable performance as Miss Giddens. The actress touches ever so slightly on her characters repressed sexuality and the scenes of the governess and young Miles in a mouth on mouth kiss are still considered racy even today. The Innocents was not the first nor the last time Kerr would play a governess. Five years earlier, she immortalized the role of Anna, governess to the royal children of Siam in The King and I and in 1964, she would again play caregiver to the young in Enid Bagnold's The Chalk Garden. The child actors, Martin Stephens and Pamela Franklin, were not allowed to see the entire script due to its adult nature. Their portrayals were eerily sublime and Franklin would go on to a fairly prosperous career. A role I found particularly favorable was that of young Flora's pet tortoise. His name is Rupert.

19 comments:

  1. Wow, this sounds really good. I'm a huge fan of The Uninvited, and now it looks like I'm going to be putting this one on my list of must sees. Thanks, for turning me on to another one, Rupert.

    Ineresting...I also just found that Truman Capote did the screenplay. Okay, it's in my queue.

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  2. Rupert, I'm thrilled to see a blog (and a very good one!) on one of my favorite Deborah Kerr movies. But is this a ghost story? Or is it a more terrifying tale of someone losing their mind? The fact that THE INNOCENTS can be interpreted either way is what makes it so memorable for me. Have you seen the unofficial prequel THE NIGHTCOMERS with Brando as Quint?

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  3. In my top 5 favorite films ever! It never gets old. I probably watch it 10 times a year.

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  4. Excellent review. I love this movie and particularly like considering it in the light that Rick29 brings up -- is it a ghost story or, even scarier I think, the portrayal of a woman going mad? The ambiguity is great. Definitely a perfect film for this time of year.

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  5. Rupert, a superlative post on a brilliant movie--for me "high artistic quality" is an understatement. Deborah Kerr was a great actress, and this is my very favorite performance by her. I think she should have gotten her long overdue Oscar for this performance. How did she not even get a nomination? Cinematography is such a big part of highly atmospheric movies like this one, and the great Freddie Francis, who also did "Room at the Top" for Clayton, does an exemplary job here. By the way, Dave at Goodfellas Movie Blog picked "The Innocents" as the best film of 1961.

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  6. Great review! Deborah Kerr was such a brilliant actress and a favourite of mine, and this film is such a great example of her talent. Another horror she did in the later part of her career that I really like is, EYE OF THE DEVIL - David Niven turns in a good performance in that too.

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  7. Great review, once again, Rupert. I have never seen this movie so I will be on the look out for it. It's sounds like my kind of film.

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  8. Just a quick note. I am fortunate to have a dvd copy of the movie but for anyone who doesn't have access to this film any other way, it is currently on YouTube.

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  9. hurrah! hurrah!

    thanks for persevering!

    I knew it could be fixed. LOL

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  10. Great Tristan!
    Now feel free to leave comments anytime! :)

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  11. Hey, Rupert, you've got great taste! The Innocents is one of Martin Scorses's 11 Scariest Hooror Movies of All Time http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-10-28/martin-scorseses-top-11-horror-films-of-all-time/

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  12. Great review - I am a big fan of the Henry James story, so will be interested to see the movie. Judy

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  13. Great movie and a great performance by Deborah Kerr. And excellent blog Rupert.

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  14. I really like that picture of Deborah Kerr. She was so amazing. This looks creepy and definitely worth seeing...I'll have to look into it! :)

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  15. Very nice movie. I am Innocent too. This sounds good and also one of my very favorite move. Thanks for your nice and rich collection of blog post
    bye

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  16. Hello... Thank you for your comment!

    I love your unusual classic movie choices. I hadn't even heard of this one and I love old scary movies. Thanks!

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  17. The information here is great. I will invite my friends here.

    Thanks

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  18. If you never see another movie, SEE THIS ONE!

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  19. As a young viewer, this movie scared the bejesus out of me. So atmospheric. If I remember, the ghost was played by Peter Wyngarde, the actor who later played Jason King.

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