MUBI

Title: The Innocents
Year: 1961
Country: USA, UK
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Director: Jack Clayton
Writers:
Henry James
John Mortimer
William Archibald
Truman Capote
Cast:
Deborah Kerr
Martin Stephens
Pamela Franklin
Megs Jenkins
Michael Redgrave
Peter Wyngarde
Clytie Jessop
Rating: 9/10

I was sitting in my seat in shock and owe when the film abruptly ended, compared to PSYCHO (1960), which I watched a week ago, this largely overlooked thriller/horror magnum opus distinguishes itself with its tactfully ambiguous elucidation, a carefully vetted exposure of a cracked-up governess who fervently desires to verify her existential merit, saving the possessed children is just the modality, there is a troubled-soul lying deeply within.

Directed by the underrated British directorJack Clayton (ROOM AT THE TOP 1959) and set in a rural countryside villa in Britain, the haunting starts with a creepy song O WILLOW WALY, the horror oozes in spontaneously and steadily through the standpoint of the governess, not until the last minute, the final punchline is overwhelmingly unexpected, which intrigues an indelible aftershock inside.

The film is also remarkable for its cast, Deborah Kerr delivered a world-class performance to lead us into a mysterious world while occasionally kindles some suspicion to her character’s innate lunacy. What’s more unforeseen is two child stars, Martin Stephens and Pamela Franklin, especially the former, whose outstanding work I could confidently address as the best from a child actor. Unjustly the film has been ignored by most of the major awards at that time, maybe the audacious kiss scenes are rather ahead of its time, however now in the 21st century, it is the solidest proof of its precious quality – the conformability towards one’s volition (Truman Capote might take his credit for this as one of the writers).

Without any scary props, the film genuinely shows us how to produce a thorough horrorfest without being ferociously visual-dominant, the true fear will have its prolonged staying power to project on every victim as long as it follows a pliant modus operandi to inject its empathy with the right timing and right interpretation.