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StevenPayneUnit3
Environment
TheInnocents
(1961)Dir.JackClayton
TheInnocents
isaclassicghoststory,followingthesurrealexperiencesofMissGiddens,themanor’snewlyappointedgoverness.Sheisresponsibleforthecareofheremployer’syoungnieceandnephew,FloraandMiles,twowonderfullypolite,yetundeniablyunnervingchildrenwhosebehaviorthatwouldtypicallybeconsideredunusualfortheirage.ThefilmaddressesthemesofsexualrepressionfromtheperspectiveofMissGiddens.ThisismostnotablewhenobservingthevariouskissesexchangedbetweenherselfandMiles.Theseexchangeswouldnormallybeconsideredinnocent,ifitweren’tforthesubtlequirksofundeniablepassionthatwouldleadtheaudiencetoperceiveitassomethingmoresordid.Although,BosleyCrowtherofthe
NewYorkTimes
wrotethat,
“MissKerr(MissGiddens)neverlooksnoractsarepressedorinhibitedwoman.Andevenwhensheisbeginningtogetstrangeandhorrendousideasofghostlyinhabitantsoftheoldmansion,shestillseemsathoroughlyhealthywoman” 
(Crowther,1961)Thepresentationofthechildren’ssupposedpossessionisreminiscentoftheideaofthelossofinnocence,particularlythroughadolescenceintoadulthood.Theoverwhelmingmaturitydisplayedbythechildrenindicatessomewhatofanadultperceptionoftheworldsurroundingthem,whichmaybewhyitissaidthatMilesdoesnotgetalongwiththeotherchildrenhisage.Thedetachmentfromtheirunclemayhaveleadthechildrentoadoptamoreadultmindset,havingtoeffectively,intheireyes,fendforthemselves.TheadorationdisplayedbyMilestowardshissisterislesslikethetypicalrelationshipbetweenabrotherandasister,andmorelikethatofafatheranddaughter.HistreatmentofMissGiddensislikethatofahusbandtohiswife,andbeingtheonlymaleinthehouseholdultimatelymakeshimawareofhispositionof‘manofthehouse’.Thesettingisstereotypicalofgeneric‘hauntedhouse’ghoststories,butthisdoesnotresultintheportrayalofaclearlyadultstoryinanimmature,
Scooby-Doo
fashion.Thereisanever-presentsupernaturalundertonetothemanor,buttheplacestillfeelssuitedtoafamilythroughout.Thecreepynatureofthesettingisonlymadetrulyapparentwhenpairedwiththeunusualmannerismsofitsinhabitants.Mainly,theunsettlingpresentationispushforwardthroughspecificdecisionsofcinematography,asstatedbyWesleyLovellofCinemasight.com.
“Thestoryistoldquiteeffectivelyusinglightandshadowstocreatedimensionandspace,andtotrickthemindintoseeingthingsthatmaynotbepossible” 
(Lovell,2011)Although,ofcourse,thetruehorrorcomesfromthecharactersofMissJessel,theformerGoverness,andherlover,PeterQuint,theformervalet,bothhavingdiedsuddenlyayearpriortoMissGiddens’employment.TherelationshiptheyhadwiththechildreniswhatleadsMissGiddenstobelievethatFloraandMilesmayinfactbepossessedbytheirrestlessspirits,inorderfortheirrelationshiptocontinueafterdeath.TheirpresencebecomesapparenttoMissGiddensthroughaseriesofencounters.SteveBiodrowskiofCinefantastiqueonline.comdescribestheseencounters,saying,
“MissJessellisthemorereticentofthetwo,waitingintheshadowsattheendofthehallwayorstandingontheshoreacrossthelake.Quintseemsmoreaggressive,his
Fig1.
TheInnocents
FilmPoster
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