THE CRUCIBLE
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1996 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 8.5 Alternative Scale: ***1/2 out of ****
United States, 1996 U.S. Release Date: beginning 11/27/96 (limited) Running Length: 2:04 MPAA Classification: PG-13 (Mature themes, brief nudity) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Winona Ryder, Joan Allen, Paul Scofield, Rob Campbell, Karron Graves, Bruce Davison, Mary Pat Gleason, Peter Vaughan Director: Nicholas Hytner Producers: Bob Miller and David V. Picker Screenplay: Arthur Miller based on his play Cinematography: Andrew Dunn Music: George Fenton U.S. Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Arthur Miller's 1953 play, "The Crucible", was written during Senator Joseph McCarthy's House Un-American Activities Committee hearings (for which Miller was called to testify in 1956). And, although the play is an historical allegory for the McCarthy period, its true power lies in its ability to be re-interpreted to fit any time period. Indeed, its fertile themes -- the lure of power, the gullibility of those who believe they have a moral imperative, the need to accept responsibility for the consequences of all actions, and the nature of truth -- are universal in scope. Events such as those depicted in "The Crucible" have recurred with alarming predictability throughout human history.
Scholars can argue about which of Miller's two best plays ("The Crucible" and "Death of a Salesman") is the stronger work, but there's little doubt that "The Crucible" is the most accessible. Oddly, this is the first English-language motion picture version. With Miller handling the screenwriting, it comes as little surprise that THE CRUCIBLE is faithful to its source material. Director Nicholas Hytner (THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE) opens up the play, using location shooting and an impressively-detailed period setting to add a dimension not available on the stage. Those unaware of the film's background may be surprised to learn that such a dynamic production began life in the theater.
Miller has never claimed that his story is historically accurate, although many of the broader strokes correspond to events that actually occurred in Salem, Massachusetts during 1692. In that year, a wave of superstitious terror gripped the Puritan town. 19 villagers were hung as witches. Four died in prison. One was pressed to death when he refused to answer questions. It was an era, like that in America during the 1950s, when a mere accusation could doom a man or woman, and when justice often became secondary to saving face.
The film opens with a seemingly-harmless event -- Abigail Williams (Winona Ryder), Mary Warren (Karron Graves), Mercy Lewis (Kali Rocha), and several other Salem village girls attend a secret voodoo ritual in the woods. Tituba (Charlayne Woodard), a native of Barbados, presides over the ceremony, which involves drinking chicken blood, dancing naked, and casting charms to ensnare boys. However, when the local preacher, Reverend Parris (Bruce Davison), stumbles upon the proceedings, and two of the girls subsequently fall into coma-like states, witchcraft is suspected, and an expert in the field, Reverend Hale (Rob Campbell), is brought in to investigate.
To save themselves from the noose, which is the penalty for a witch who does not admit to consorting with the Devil, Abigail and her cohorts plead for their lives. However, they not only confess to performing witchcraft, but name other townspeople as servants of Satan. Soon, with the arrival of Judge John Danforth (Paul Scofield), the Deputy Governor of Massachusetts, the girls, now turned back to "the ways of God", are regarded as unimpeachable witnesses. Those whom they condemn are arrested, and the innocent who refuse to confess are hanged. Abigail's real reason for starting the charade is to eliminate Elizabeth Proctor (Joan Allen), the wife of John Proctor (Daniel Day Lewis), the man she loves. But, although Abigail and John once had an affair, he will not abandon his wife for his former mistress, and his staunch defense of Elizabeth places him in jeopardy, especially when he accuses Danforth's court of "pulling down heaven and raising up a whore!"
One of the most contemporarily relevant aspects of THE CRUCIBLE, the ease with which justice can be manipulated and perverted, is what Hytner and Miller have chosen to highlight in this adaptation. A parallel-yet-integral theme relates to the thrill of power inherent in being the manipulator. Abigail enjoys playing God until the circumstances she sets in motion gain enough momentum to escape her control. Late in the film, her eyes express the horror that she feels as the crushing ramifications of her masquerade emerge.
As thematically rich as THE CRUCIBLE is, it would be a dry and uninteresting piece if the characters and their situations were less compelling. Indeed, the human interest and drama of the story are what distinguish it. In THE CRUCIBLE, there are heroes and villains, but nothing is black and white. Shades of gray permeate every action. Abigail is the spark that ignites the inferno of mistrust; however, she is guided not by malice, but by a misplaced, obsessive love. John Proctor, the most upright man in the film, is an adulterer whose own actions indirectly lead to the tragedy. He is noble only to a point, and his character faults make him easy to identify with as a human being.
Much has been made of Winona Ryder's performance, but, while she does an excellent job fleshing out Abigail as more than a cardboard instrument of vengeance and evil, two other actors captured my attention more forcefully. The first, perhaps unsurprisingly, is Daniel Day- Lewis, whose John Proctor takes on the dimensions of a classically- flawed tragic hero. The second, a relative-unknown named Karron Graves, plays Mary Warren, a girl who is deeply disturbed by the morality of her false testimony. Graves' interpretation is wrenching, and deserves to be recognized alongside the performances of Ryder and Day-Lewis. Joan Allen (NIXON), as Elizabeth Proctor, and Paul Scofield (QUIZ SHOW), as Danforth, are solid in supporting roles.
Whether on stage or on film, "The Crucible" is a powerful, thought- provoking production. This version illuminates the story's numerous strengths, resulting in a motion picture of surprising emotional and intellectual impact. By re-interpreting this classic so effectively, Hytner has assured that at least one version of "The Crucible" will become a part of film history.
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@bc.cybernex.net ReelViews web site: http://www.cybernex.net/~berardin
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