A much adoption of Henry Miller short story "The Turn of the Screw" which has been made more times probably than it deserves to be. Other than "The Innocents" and a prequel, "The Night Comers", I haven't been crazy about any of the other versions I've seen. Perhaps my delight in this version is the fact that I did not think Valerie Bertinelli could pull it off, and an hour into the film, I realized that I didn't even think I was watching her at all. She certainly has gone a long way from her teenage sitcom days.
In this version, the character of Helen Walker is an American Widow, living in England and hired by the uncle of two orphan children to be her nanny. She finds mystery and mayhem at their large country estate, unanswered questions in regards to the deceased recent nanny and the valet lover who had died just days before. After a while, she begins to see their spirits and fears that something in regards to the ghosts are affecting the children.
While the children are basically good, there are elements of them that at times seem incestuous, with the brother being on time like a young Caligula, and the sister's desire to sleep with him after she has a nightmare. The ghost of the dead valet even seems to be taking over his body at times. Diana Rigg is great as the housekeeper, basically a kind lady but very strong when she feels that Bertinelli is snooping too much, and Michael Gough is the gardener. They add a classy touch to a very good production.
In this version, the character of Helen Walker is an American Widow, living in England and hired by the uncle of two orphan children to be her nanny. She finds mystery and mayhem at their large country estate, unanswered questions in regards to the deceased recent nanny and the valet lover who had died just days before. After a while, she begins to see their spirits and fears that something in regards to the ghosts are affecting the children.
While the children are basically good, there are elements of them that at times seem incestuous, with the brother being on time like a young Caligula, and the sister's desire to sleep with him after she has a nightmare. The ghost of the dead valet even seems to be taking over his body at times. Diana Rigg is great as the housekeeper, basically a kind lady but very strong when she feels that Bertinelli is snooping too much, and Michael Gough is the gardener. They add a classy touch to a very good production.