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Henry James' The Turn of the Screw

Henry James' The Turn of the Screw

A naive, young governess (May) is hired by a charming bachelor (Firth) to look after his two young children in a grand mansion in rural England. She is determined to make the most of her situation, despite the Master's strange stipulation that she never contact him. Her first impressions are all goodâ€”the house is beautiful, the housekeeper (Ferris) is friendly, the children are lovely and the job is a perfect delight. But then, she sees the ghosts of the former valet, Peter Quint and a previous governess, Miss Jessel, and everything changes. The young governess is convinced that the children can see the ghosts, that they can communicate with them, and and that their very souls are in danger. She feels she alone can save them from a horrifying fate.

Jodhi May (A World Apart), Pam Ferris (Matilda) and Colin Firth (Pride and Prejudice, Shakespeare in Love) star in this chilling adaptation of Henry James' gripping horror story, The Turn of the Screw.

Special DVD features include: link to the Masterpiece TheatreWeb site; scene selections; and closed captions.

On one DVD5 disc. Region coding: All regions. Audio: Dolby stereo. Screen format: 4 x 3 full frame.
Manufacturer: WGBH BOSTON

Price Range: $10.49 - $19.95

Henry James' The Turn of the Screw

User Reviews

Was so dissapointed
rating: 1

Man I was dissapointed in this film I love Johi May and Colin Firth but this was a waste of money and the end was not very clear and the movie was rather depressing.

chilling
rating: 4

in the vein of "the woman in black," "the others" and the old vincent price films such as "the pit and the pendulum" this film doesn't take much to creep up your spine. being a little skeptical and not seeing many masterpiece theater productions, this was lavishly done and uses a simple format to get to the core of what is truly haunting to the human psychology. A great movie with great performances, highly recommended as a definitive interpretation of the classic henry james story.

Quality Masterpiece Theater Production
rating: 4

This version of Henry James's famous ghost story is well rendered and keeps the storyline while adding some subtle (or not so subtle) insight in to the mind of the unnamed governess. Knowing the plot quite well I did not find the movie particularly scary but for someone unfamiliar or who hasn't read the book in awhile there could be some real chills. And as is so often true in ghost stories the more the movie shows of the spirits the less frightening they become and the viewer gets some real good looks at both Peter Quint and Miss Jessel. Just like in James's novel the transformation of the children and the ambiguity of the whole thing causes the most spine tingles.

Disappointing
rating: 2

I understand every generation's desire to remake or reinterpret classic dramas, plays and literature, in this case, Henry James psychological ghost story, "The Turn of the Screw." However, as 21st century filmmakers should know by now: modern and newer is not necessarily better. And less is more as the producers should have realized when they considered this remake. In the outstanding and remarkable 1961 adaptation "The Innocents" the ghosts or apparitions are for the most part seen briefly and at a distance. Music, sound effects, and stunning cinematography made the apparitions and children's precocious behavior even more chilling and disconcerting. This drama doesn't work for the following reasons: the ghosts are revealed close-up, in realistic and lingering shots. They are neither mysterious nor frightening. The children are unappealing and not terribly convincing; in other words very badly cast. And most surprisingly, the very talented Jodhi May who should have been perfect for this role is somehow simultaneously grim and blank from the beginning; she gives us little insight into her character. Overall, this is a disappointing adaptation

WELL DIRECTED, POORLY CAST & SCRIPTED
rating: 2

Ben Bolt is a capable director, and the here he does a good job - with everything but his lead actor. The music is wonderful, just enough to make your spine tingle. The problem here is Jodhi May. She turns in a endlessly one-note performance. She seems to be focussing so hard on not ever blinking, while her mouth is perpetually agape. Mr Bolt must be to blame for this, because she certainly seems a decent actor. Nonetheless, her performance drags this interesting production down into the realm of a cartoon. Unfortunate, for the children and housekeeper - and ghosts - are solid supporting cast. The script also is awkward and at times clumsy. I suspect the other reviewer is correct in ideally wanting to hear this story read by firelight - either 100 years ago, or perhaps tonight.

Henry James' The Turn of the Screw