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The Innocents

  • 19611961
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
30K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
The Innocents (1961)
Trailer for The Innocents
Play trailer3:09
1 Video
82 Photos
  • Horror

A young governess for two children becomes convinced that the house and grounds are haunted.A young governess for two children becomes convinced that the house and grounds are haunted.A young governess for two children becomes convinced that the house and grounds are haunted.

IMDb RATING
7.8/10
30K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Jack Clayton
  • Writers
    • Henry James(based on the story "The Turn of the Screw")
    • John Mortimer(additional scenes & dialogue)
    • William Archibald(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Deborah Kerr
    • Peter Wyngarde
    • Megs Jenkins
Top credits
  • Director
    • Jack Clayton
  • Writers
    • Henry James(based on the story "The Turn of the Screw")
    • John Mortimer(additional scenes & dialogue)
    • William Archibald(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Deborah Kerr
    • Peter Wyngarde
    • Megs Jenkins
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 252User reviews
    • 141Critic reviews
    • 88Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 BAFTA Awards
      • 3 wins & 5 nominations total

    Videos1

    The Innocents (1961)
    Trailer 3:09
    The Innocents (1961)

    Photos82

    Deborah Kerr in The Innocents (1961)
    Deborah Kerr and Peter Wyngarde in The Innocents (1961)
    Martin Stephens in The Innocents (1961)
    Deborah Kerr and Martin Stephens in The Innocents (1961)
    Deborah Kerr and Pamela Franklin in The Innocents (1961)
    "The Innocents" Deborah Kerr 1961 Twentieth Century Fox
    "The Innocents" Deborah Kerr 1961 Twentieth Century Fox
    Deborah Kerr in The Innocents (1961)
    Deborah Kerr in The Innocents (1961)
    Deborah Kerr in The Innocents (1961)
    The Innocents (1961)
    Deborah Kerr in The Innocents (1961)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Deborah Kerr
    Deborah Kerr
    • Miss Giddensas Miss Giddens
    Peter Wyngarde
    Peter Wyngarde
    • Peter Quintas Peter Quint
    Megs Jenkins
    Megs Jenkins
    • Mrs. Groseas Mrs. Grose
    Michael Redgrave
    Michael Redgrave
    • The Uncleas The Uncle
    Martin Stephens
    Martin Stephens
    • Milesas Miles
    Pamela Franklin
    Pamela Franklin
    • Floraas Flora
    Clytie Jessop
    Clytie Jessop
    • Miss Jesselas Miss Jessel
    Isla Cameron
    Isla Cameron
    • Annaas Anna
    Eric Woodburn
    • Coachmanas Coachman
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Jack Clayton
    • Writers
      • Henry James(based on the story "The Turn of the Screw")
      • John Mortimer(additional scenes & dialogue)
      • William Archibald(screenplay)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    In Victorian England, the uncle (Sir Michael Redgrave) of orphaned niece Flora (Pamela Franklin) and nephew Miles (Martin Stephens) hires Miss Giddens (Deborah Kerr) as governess to raise the children at his estate with total independence and authority. Soon after her arrival, Miss Giddens comes to believe that the spirits of the former governess Miss Jessel (Clytie Jessop) and valet Peter Quint (Peter Wyngarde) are possessing the children. Miss Giddens decides to help the children to face and exorcise the spirits. —Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
    • babysitter in peril
    • bodily possession
    • psychotronic film
    • downward spiral
    • fear
    • 165 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Do They Ever Return to Possess the Living?
    • Genre
      • Horror
    • Certificate
      • Not Rated
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Deborah Kerr was said to have regarded this as her finest performance.
    • Goofs
      In the scene where Miles is on the horse, he rides with and without a saddle in various shots.
    • Quotes

      Miles: What shall I sing to my lord from my window? What shall I sing for my lord will not stay? What shall I sing for my lord will not listen? Where shall I go when my lord is away? Whom shall I love when the moon is arisen? Gone is my lord and the grave is his prison. What shall I say when my lord comes a calling? What shall I say when he knocks on my door? What shall I say when his feet enter softly? Leaving the marks of his grave on my floor. Enter my lord. Come from your prison. Come from your grave, for the moon is a risen. Welcome, my lord.

    • Crazy credits
      The film begins with a totally black screen and the sound of Flora singing for several seconds; then the 20th Century Fox logo fades in and out. The singing continues for a few seconds before the opening credits begin. As the credits display, we see an anguished Miss Giddens praying on the left side of the screen. Her actions are not explained until the film's climax.
    • Connections
      Featured in Aweful Movies with Deadly Earnest: The Innocents (1974)
    • Soundtracks
      O Willow Waly
      Music by Georges Auric

      Lyric by Paul Dehn

      Performed by Isla Cameron

    User reviews252

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    The other Others
    The Innocents is a masterpiece of atmospheric horror cinema. The obvious influence for 2001's 'The Others', The Innocents portrays themes of paranoia, death and madness; superbly wrapped around a plethora of great performances from the four main leads.

    The story revolves around an uncle who doesn't have time for the children he has inherited, and therefore hires Miss Giddens (Deborah Kerr) to look after them. When Miss Giddens arrives at the mansion, she first meets Flora, the young girl and is 'enchanted' by the child. A few days later the boy, Miles, arrives at the house after being expelled from school. The fourth lead is made up by the housekeeper, Mrs Grose; played by Meg Jenkins. From the housekeeper, Miss Giddens eventually learns of what happened to the previous occupants of the house, and that's where the fun starts...

    Martin Stephens (Miles) and Pamela Franklin (Flora) do surprisingly good jobs as the two adorable young children that are the centre of the story. Their characters are portrayed as nice young children, but at the same time there is something sinister about them, and that is where the tale draws a lot of it's suspense and mystery from. Deborah Kerr also shines as the watcher of the children. We know from the outset that her character loves children, which makes her plight believable to the audience when she does all she can to save the children from the evil she believes is haunting them. We never really know what is happening in the movie; the children's viewpoints contradict that of Miss Giddens, and as there is evidence to support what both sides say, along with evidence to support that of the contrary, the mystery is able to build itself through this and that, therefore, along with the empathy we are able to feel for Mrs Giddens due to the nature of her character; the film is able to remain interesting and suspenseful for it's running time.

    The thing that this film does best is in capturing a dark and foreboding atmosphere. Through the way the story is portrayed and the beautiful cinematography, Jack Clayton is able to create scenes and sequences that are genuinely frightening and suspenseful; less is more rarely works to a great effect, but here it does. The 'ghosts' have very little screen time, but the time they do have is powerful and memorable enough to make it seem like much more. The film's creepy and menacing atmosphere never delves into violence or gore and relies solely on the story itself and the Gothic, atmospheric setting; and that is much to the film's credit.

    If you liked the slightly later 60's paranoid horror films, such as Carnival of Souls or The Haunting, then this film is definitely one to check out.
    helpful•51
    12
    • The_Void
    • Jul 1, 2004

    FAQ9

    • What is "The Innocents" about?
    • Is "The Innocents" based on a book?
    • What does "the turn of the screw" mean?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 15, 1961 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Turn of the Screw
    • Filming locations
      • Sheffield Park Garden, Dane Mill, Uckfield, East Sussex, England, UK
    • Production company
      • Achilles
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • £430,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $30,103
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 40 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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