Not Guilty

We'd seen The Innocents (1961) a few times before - I think the first time was when we lived in New Hampshire. We drove for about an hour to some nothing cafe or community center in a tiny town to watch it, because that's what you do in New Hampshire. You get your culture where you can.

The Innocents is certainly cultural, being based on Henry James' Turn of the Screw. A naive young woman, Deborah Kerr, is hired to be the governess for a pair of young children, alone in a secluded mansion with only the cook for adult company. Only the cook and an uneasy presence, which might be related to the previous governess, who was no longer around. Or the handsome roguish valet, likewise absent, but not undetected.

Aside from the psychological suspense and the great acting, this movie looks beautiful. I'm not familar with director Jack Clayton, but we've seen a bit of DP Freddie Francis, including The Deadly Bees. It seems he directed some pretty schlocky stuff, but was a very stylish cinematographer.

This is not a violent movie, but a pretty intense one. I'd gladly drive all over New Hampshire or even Vermont to watch it again.