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.
- Nominated for 2 BAFTA Awards
- 4 wins & 5 nominations total
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaTo create such sharp visuals, director of photography Freddie Francis used lots of huge bright lamps. Deborah Kerr sometimes had to resort to wearing sunglasses between takes. He also had candles custom made with four or five wicks entwined to produce more light.
- GoofsAn obvious center back zipper in several of Miss Kerr's costumes, as well as in Mrs. Gross & Flora's costumes. The Innocents is set during the Victorian period, 1837-1901. Commercial zippers were not used in clothing until 1925.
- 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 creditsThe 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.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Aweful Movies with Deadly Earnest: The Innocents (1974)
The first screen adaptation of Henry James's "The Turn of the Screw, " a psychological ghost story that leaves unanswered the question of whether the ghosts are real or imagined. This sort of story is pretty common in movies of the last 20 years but was much less so in 1898 or even 1961. Don't let the ambiguity put you off that there are no scares here. This is a movie full of spooky moments, shadowy figures, startling reflections, eerie voices. It's beautifully photographed by Freddie Francis. The music and sound effects add to the feeling of unease. Deborah Kerr gives a nail-biting performance as the neurotic, repressed Miss Giddens. The child actors, Pamela Franklin and Martin Stephens, are sufficiently precocious and weird to keep you off balance as to the truth behind their possession. Stephens was the leader of the kids in Village of the Damned. Franklin would go on to appear in such '70s greats as And Soon the Darkness and The Legend of Hell House. Megs Jenkins is good as the kindly housekeeper. Peter Wyngarde is creepy as the menacing Quint.
The pace is slow, which will turn off impatient viewers, and the scares are subtle and not as visceral as most modern horror fans seem to enjoy. But if you like thoughtful horror films then this is one you'll want to see. Fans of the suggestive classics Val Lewton produced in the '40s should also check this out.
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- The Turn of the Screw
- Filming locations
- Sheffield Park Garden, Dane Mill, Uckfield, East Sussex, England, UK(house and grounds)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- £430,000 (estimated)
- Gross worldwide
- $30,103
- Runtime1 hour 40 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1