The Crucible (1996)

A Salem resident attempts to frame her ex-lover's wife for being a witch in the middle of the 1692 witchcraft trials.

Director:

Nicholas Hytner

Writers:

Arthur Miller (play), Arthur Miller (screenplay)

Stars:

Daniel Day-Lewis, Winona Ryder, Paul Scofield

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 27 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Daniel Day-Lewis	...	John Proctor
Winona Ryder	...	Abigail Williams
Paul Scofield	...	Judge Thomas Danforth
Joan Allen	...	Elizabeth Proctor
Bruce Davison	...	Reverend Parris
Rob Campbell	...	Reverend Hale
Jeffrey Jones	...	Thomas Putnam
Peter Vaughan	...	Giles Corey
Karron Graves	...	Mary Warren
Charlayne Woodard	...	Tituba
Frances Conroy	...	Ann Putnam
Elizabeth Lawrence	...	Rebecca Nurse
George Gaynes	...	Judge Samuel Sewall
Mary Pat Gleason	...	Martha Corey
Robert Breuler	...	Judge Hathorne

Storyline

A small group of teen girls in 1692 Salem, Massachusetts caught in an innocent conjuring of love potions to catch young men are forced to tell lies that Satan had invaded them and forced them to participate in the rites and are then forced to name those involved. Thrown into the mix are greedy preachers and other major landowners trying to steal others' land and one young woman infatuated with a married man and determined to get rid of his innocent wife. Arthur Miller wrote the events and the subsequent trials where those who demanded their innocence were executed, those who would not name names were incarcerated and tortured, and those who admitted their guilt were immediately freed as a parable of the Congressional Communist witch hunts led by Senator Joe McCarthy in 1950's America.

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Plot Keywords:

witch | salem massachusetts | witch hunt | witchcraft | salem witch trial | 

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Taglines:

Arthur Miller's timeless tale of truth on trial.

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense depiction of the Salem witch trials

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 November 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Las brujas de Salem

Filming Locations:

House of Seven Gables, Salem, Massachusetts, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$62,995, 1 December 1996, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$7,340,103, 21 February 1997

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Kate Winslet was considered for the role of Abigail Williams.

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Goofs

When Abigail Williams meets with John Proctor behind a house, the house's siding has modern round-headed nails instead of cut nails used at that time.

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Quotes

Judge Danforth: John Proctor, I've seen your power. You are combined with ANTI-CHRIST!

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Connections

Version of Hexenjagd (1960)

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Soundtracks

The Yanvalou Chant
Provided by Shakmah Winddrum

User Reviews

Excellent screen version of Miller's play

Nicholas Hytner has a great track record for screen adaptations of plays (The Madness Of King George won the sort of awards for which this film was nominated). In this film about the 17th century Salem witch trials, commonly regarded as a critique of McCarthyism and the HUAC, the past infidelities of a man come back to ruin him and his wife.

Paul Scofield is the stony-faced, implacable agent of proto-religious non-logic (a super role in Miller's play as he's frighteningly plausible most of the time). It's the cold-hearted centre of this tough film. The victims of his assumed position of rule are husband and wife John and Elizabeth Proctor given impeccable, nervy performances by Day-Lewis and Joan Allen. Winona Ryder is the truly possessed villager, if only with a deadly, souring, unrequited love for John. Powerful stuff. 7/10