VISUAL ARTS

The Innocents is the screen adaptation of Henry James’ famous novella The Turn of the Screw. Deborah Kerr stars as the governess in charge of two children who becomes convinced they are possessed by the ghosts of past servants. The film remains a classic of psychological horror: are the ghosts real, or is she losing her mind – or perhaps the children aren’t as innocent as they seem? Without gore or special effects, Clayton derives real fright from taut editing and deep-focus composition for the widescreen image. He skillfully illustrates James’ basic premise: that childhood is so remote from the world of adults it can seem monstrous.