The Innocents (1961)

 Jack Clayton's "The Innocents"

Despite having a cult-esque admiration by a sect of the film community, "The Innocents" did not engage with me in the slightest. Beyond its admirable gothic psychology, its contents felt hollow. The film is adapted from a 1950 William Archibald play of the same name, which in turn was adapted from Henry James's famous 1898 novella "The Turn of the Screw." Along the line of adaptation, an atmosphere was kept that renders the film watchable, but something was lost along the way indeed.

The film follows a Miss Giddens, a first time governess of an absent, wealthy bachelor. Her duties are to keep accompany of his orphaned niece and nephew, who are exhibiting strange behavior. During her duties, she uncovers the startling truth that perhaps these children are the conduits of the previous residents of the estate.

I was utterly intrigued by the potential plot of the film, only to be let down by its mundanity. Sure, the tonal resonance of the film offered some substantial morceau of palpable arousal. But, the expositional aspects of the film failed to keep my attention attuned to its gothic utterances.