The Crucible (1957)
"Les sorcières de Salem" (original title)

Salem, 1692. Industrious farmer, John Proctor, has twice made love to 17-year-old Abigail, a youth he and his wife have taken in. (His wife Elisabeth has rebuffed him for seven months; she ... See full summary »

Director:

Raymond Rouleau

Writers:

Marcel Aymé (translation), Arthur Miller (play),

Stars:

Simone Signoret, Yves Montand, Mylène Demongeot

Won 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Simone Signoret	...	Elisabeth Proctor
Yves Montand	...	John Proctor
Mylène Demongeot	...	Abigail Williams
Alfred Adam	...	Thomas Putnam
Pierre Larquey	...	Francis Nurse
Jean Debucourt	...	Reverend Paris
Jean Gaven	...	Peter Corey
Jeanne Fusier-Gir	...	Martha Corey
Françoise Lugagne	...	Jane Putnam
Coutan-Lambert	...	Rebecca Nurse
Aribert Grimmer	...	Gilles Corey (as A. Grimmer)
Pascale Petit	...	Mary Warren
Yves Brainville	...	Hale
Michel Piccoli	...	James Putnam
Alexandre Rignault	...	Willard

Storyline

Salem, 1692. Industrious farmer, John Proctor, has twice made love to 17-year-old Abigail, a youth he and his wife have taken in. (His wife Elisabeth has rebuffed him for seven months; she is puritanical and cold.) When she finds John and Abigail embracing, she sends the lass from her home and John, feeling damned, agrees. Abigail vows revenge. Her chance comes when she accuses Elisabeth of witchcraft and manipulates younger girls to support her claims of seeing spirits. The town's minister and politicians want a cause: ridding the town of witchcraft is the ideal repression. John too, is accused; Abigail offers him a way to avoid hanging. Elisabeth has her own confession.

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Plot Keywords:

witchcraft | minister | salem massachusetts | witch hunt | paganism | 

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Details

Country:

France East Germany

Language:

French

Release Date:

26 April 1957 (France)

Also Known As:

The Crucible

Company Credits

Production Co:

Films Borderie, Compagnie Industrielle et Commerciale Cinématographique (CICC), Pathé Consortium Cinéma

Technical Specs

Runtime:

145 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Trivia

Actress Mylène Demongeot claimed having begged Arthur Miller on several occasions to allow this version of his play to be shown again. When his newer adaptation, "The Crucible" (1995), eventually came out and bombed at the box office, she pleaded again in favor of the previous one, but in vain.

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Connections

Version of The Crucible (1967)

User Reviews

Unjustly unknown

This great movie does not receive the recognition it deserves and unfortunately, does not yet have a dvd version in order to reach a greater audience. The performances by both Yves Montand and Simone Signoret are memorable and Sartre's screenplay adds a tone which is darker and deprived of hope to Arthur Miller's play. It explores the theme very well and I'd certainly have it my collection with Dreyer's "Day of Wrath", another masterpiece.