The Innocents is a hauntingly good ghost story starring Deborah Kerr. based on the novella The Turn Of The Screw by Henry James the film was one of the first to feature adult themes in it's horror story.
The children Flora (Pamela Franklin) and Miles (Martin Stephens) are adorable at first, but soon Miss Giddens seems to seem more in their behavior than just child like playfulness. She also begins to experience unexplained voices and visions of a strange man and woman.
When Miss Giddens describes the appirition she has seen to the housekeeper, Mrs. Grose (Meg Jenkins) she tells of Peter Quint (Peter Wyngarde), the uncle's former valet who died under odd circumstances. Quint had been having a violent affair with the former governess Miss Jessel, who went into depression and drowned herself after Quint's death.
Miss Giddens realizes that the two have come back from the dead to continue their affair by possessing the children. She goes to extreme lengths to free them from these ghoulish monsters.
The film is shot in stunning deep focus black & white cinematography with carefully controlled lighting to maintain the look of candlelight. Kerr is excellent as the determined but petrified governess and the two children turn in chillingly creepy performances. The film is full of chilling atmosphere and relies on tension and suspense for thrills instead of violence and gore.
An excellent ghost story.
At The Movie House rating *** 1/2 stars
Other films of note:
The Bad Seed
The Others
The Omen
The Exorcist
The Good Son
The Changeling
Ghost Story
The Lady In White
The Uninvited
The Haunting
The Other
What Lies Beneath
Turn Of The Screw
Poltergeist
Rosemary's Baby
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