THE CRUCIBLE
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 1996 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ** 1/2
Arthur Miller's famous 1952 play "The Crucible" has been into a movie by director Nicholas Hytner (THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE). Although you may no longer remember it, you probably read the play in high school or college. Miller's play was intended to be a denouncement of McCarthyism with the locale changed to Salem so that he could get it produced. The screen version is more obsessed with sexual longing than politics.
I have heard it said that "The Crucible" is Miller's most popular play, but far from his best. After seeing the film version with the screenplay by Miller, I agree with this assessment. The first part is a confusing muddle. The second part manages to provide the clarity the first part lacks, and by the end, the story's powerful message comes through. Still, I remember thinking to myself halfway through that this show was such a hopeless mess that I would be unable to recommend it no matter how (sometimes overly) earnest were the performances.
The film opens in the woods where a group of teenage girls are innocently and foolishly using witchcraft to cast spells on their would-be boyfriends. Led by Abigail Williams (Winona Ryder), their romp in the forest soon gets out of hand with animal sacrifices and naked dancing. They are observed by the Reverend Parris (Bruce Davison), who is suitably scandalized by their behavior.
After this, some of the younger girls in Salem fall into a trance. At first the older girls are denounced as being witches. Using the adage that a good offense is the best defense, the older girls begin to accuse others in Salem. First, they say it was the slave Tituba (Charlayne Woodard) who made them do it, and when that works, they decide to incriminate everyone they do not like. Since Abigail had had an affair with John Proctor (Daniel Day-Lewis) and still has the hots for him, she names his wife Elizabeth (Joan Allen) as a follower of the devil.
Daniel Day-Lewis is a heartthrob to many, and he will not disappoint them in THE CRUCIBLE. His costumes are done in a striking black with a large brimmed hat that sets off his handsome physique. His acting is always full of energy and conviction, and this film is no exception. Notice how effective the make-up by Naomi Donne is on him. He is a farmer who spends his days in the sun, and his complexion is suitably ruddy and sunburnt.
Winona Ryder is great as the conniving little tart. Claiming, "I am but God's finger," she has effective control of the whole town. She will stop at nothing to get her man. Her performance bears many similarities to Glenn Close's in FATAL ATTRACTION.
Joan Allen gives a stern and strong performance as a wife with a heavy sense of what is right. John expresses it as, "Oh Elizabeth, your justice would freeze beer." Elizabeth has a low opinion of herself, explaining to her husband that, "I counted myself so plain, so poorly made that no honest love could come to me." Her make-up and her clothes are so stark that she is homeliness personified.
The village calls in a witchcraft expert, Reverend Hale (Rob Campbell). His work is actually quite easy as he explains, "The marks of the devil are as definite as stone."
When the witchcraft infestation seems to be getting more widespread in the village, the highest judges in the colony come to Salem. The lead judge, Judge John Danforth, masterfully played by Paul Scofield, tells the elders, "I assure you gentlemen that the government has decided that the devil will not rule over any part of Massachusetts." The make-up for him has silver dollar sized bags under his eyes to make him extra sinister.
Although the acting in the film is excellent, the direction is aimless. The cinematography by Andrew Dunn is dark and ugly. Combine these with the choppy editing by Tariq Anwar, and the effect is obscurity when enlightenment is needed. A little humor would have helped as well. As presented, the material is too unrelentingly and intensely serious.
The excellent composer George Fenton (CRY FREEDOM and GANDHI) provides us with majestic music. The film builds to a powerful conclusion, and his music adds greatly to its energy.
THE CRUCIBLE is a film that grew on me but still left me unsatisfied. The acting is wonderful and certainly worth seeing, but the screenplay is more obtuse than it should be.
THE CRUCIBLE runs 2:05. It is rated PG-13. There is brief nudity, sexual fondling, hangings, and mature themes. There is no bad language. The film would be appropriate for kids say eleven and up. I recommend the show to you and suggest you not give up on it if you find the first part as tedious as I did. The second part is worth the wait. I give the movie ** 1/2 for its ultimate power.
**** = One of the top few films of this or any year. A must see film. *** = Excellent show. Look for it. ** = Average movie. Kind of enjoyable. * = Poor show. Don't waste your money. 0 = One of the worst films of this or any year. Totally unbearable.
REVIEW WRITTEN ON: December 19, 1996
Opinions expressed are mine and not meant to reflect my employer's.
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