The Crucible
Winona Ryder, Daniel Day-Lewis, Joan Allen, Paul Scofield; Directed by Nicholas Hytner
The one thing Abigail Williams wants most in the world is the love of John Proctor, and she will stop at nothing to get it. She convinces the slave of the local minister to perform a sacred ritual that will cast love spells for the young women of the town on the young men who have caught their attentions. Things start to go horribly wrong when the minister walks in on the ceremony. The next morning, two of the girls refuse to wake, for fear of having to face their parents for the offenses of the previous night. It doesn’t take long for the frightened townspeople of Salem, Massachusetts to come to the conclusion that witchcraft is to blame. Abigail is the first to confess to ‘possession’, and is soon labeled a local hero of the Puritanical society, able to sort out who is under the service of Satan in the town and who is blameless. She travels so far into this dangerous delusion that she ends up fully believing her own lies, (“I am but God’s finger.”). The honorable Judge Danforth comes to the town, a man who has been given the power to pronounce death sentences on those who do not confess to witchcraft. Abigail’s lie spreads like wildfire over the people, and the mass hysteria of a world gone mad leaves no one safe from the gallows.
This story engages the viewer from the beginning. Emotions run high almost the entire length of the film and there are very few ‘quiet times’, - very little time to sit back and take a breath. This is also a film that sucks you in on a visual level. The production team built the town on an uninhabited island near Salem, so the scenery and sets feel absolutely authentic. The bleak winter also lends a big hand to setting the mood. The best performances of the film come from Daniel Day-Lewis (as John Proctor) and Joan Allen (as Elizabeth Proctor). Theirs is a complicated relationship, a marriage that has been marred by John’s adultery and Elizabeth closing her heart to him as a result of this, even after he sought forgiveness from her. Elizabeth is virtually the only character in the film who keeps a level head and does not allow her emotions to get the best of her.
Arthur Miller’s play was meant to mirror the McCarthy era and the widespread confusion and paranoia that his hearings and blacklisting caused, but this story also brings so much relevance to this time in the world as well. There are a lot of characters who resemble many modern-day leaders. There is the minister whose good judgment is corrupted by greed and the paranoid suspicion that a faction in the town is intent on ‘dethroning’ him from his pulpit. There are the misguided judicial members of court who are not questioned, and who continue to make bad judgments even when they know they are wrong, for fear of other people seeing that they have indeed erred. At one point, Judge Danforth explains how witchcraft is an invisible crime. There are only two witnesses, - the witch and the victim. If the witch can certainly not be expected to give him or herself up, then the only reliable witness left to trust is the victim. This is the kind of idiotic thinking that somehow manages to make sense to people who choose to follow their leaders blindly and without reason or questioning. It shows that people who know how to charm and fool a crowd may easily gain a following. It is why there are so many corrupt leaders in politics and so many false religious teachers. It also encourages one to think further on the importance of the argument of separation between church and state.
One particular scene showed a crowd of townspeople brought to a frenzy at the hangings of the first condemned villagers, yelling for their blood and demanding damnation. I was half expecting them to just start shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”. It is a chilling and sickening parable that shows what people will do in the name of God, twisting and deluding themselves into a train of thought that is far, far from what God’s true will would really be. Dancing in the forest at night and conjuring silly love spells did not invite Satan to the village, the mindless fear and eagerness to set blame and follow it with the bloodlust of mass execution invited him. One particular member of the town, a wise woman whose opinion is highly valued and respected, voices her fear over what the village begins delving into, (“There is prodigious danger in seeking loose spirits...”). Even though the people gradually begin to see their huge mistake, it is almost too late for any kind of redemption.
This is not a perfect movie. A few of the actors way overdo it, and a few low angle camera shots made certain scenes look more cheesy than creepy. The lighting was also not expertly done. Whenever there was an interior scene, the lights from outside (through windows, doors, etc) would be overblown. Sometimes this can be done artfully and on purpose, but this was most likely not the case because it made the overall picture quality poorer and even a little grainy. But no one should let the faulty technicalities of this film get in the way of seeing it. The incredible climax and suspense that is built up is almost unbearable. Everyone in the room became so involved that they were practically shouting at the screen. Also, in my opinion, this is one of the most well written dramas in the last century. This is a story that should not be taken lightly or avoided. It is too important.
Story = A+
Originality = A
DVD Extras = B+
Acting = B
Enjoyability = A
Visuals = B-
Overall Grade = A-
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