The Turn of the Screw (1999 film)
A 1999 Masterpiece Theatre adaptation of Henry James's ghost story.
The Turn of the Screw is a 1999 television film adaptation of Henry James's 1898 novel, produced for the anthology series Masterpiece Theatre. Directed by Ben Bolt and starring Colin Firth, Jodhi May, and Pam Ferris, the 138-minute film was made by WGBH Boston.
Quick Facts
- Based on
- The Turn of the Screw, Henry James
- Writer
- Nick Dear
- Director
- Ben Bolt
- Producer
- Martin Pope
- Starring
- Colin Firth
- Jodhi May
- Pam Ferris
- Composer
- Adrian Johnston
- Runtime
- 101 minutes
- Company
- United Film and Television
- Meridian Broadcasting
- Martin Pope Productions
Facts from the source article.
Synopsis
A young governess, called Miss, is hired by the Master to care for his orphaned nephew and niece, with the stipulation that she never contact him about the children. She befriends the housekeeper Mrs Grose but soon suspects the orphans are communicating with the ghosts of the previous governess and her lover.
Production
The film was shot in London and at Thame Park in Oxfordshire. A Variety review described it as a straightforward, solid adaptation with fine performances and seamless production, though bringing nothing especially new to the material. Walter Goodman of The New York Times noted that the apparitions were not particularly spooky despite scenes of the governess carrying a candle through gloomy corridors. Actress Jodhi May stated that Nick Dear's adaptation captured the governess's constant doubt about whether the children are innocent or sophisticated, and her inability to define reality rationally. Director Ben Bolt believed the children were not possessed but psychologically disturbed by the early loss of their parents, which made them close and private; he said the ghosts appeared only because of the governess's hysterical psychological state.
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