Cinema Blind Spots: The Innocents (1961)

We all have films we really, really want to see, but many of them never make it from our Blu-ray shelves to the television, and simply remain on a list for years. As an aspiring film historian, I have read so much about, and seen so many signature scenes from, several important films that, honestly, I sometimes forget to actually watch them from beginning to end. And in other cases, there are pop-culture hits that I have yet to make a priority. So I have decided to use this column as motivation to check off many of the titles I’ve wanted to see for so long. These are my Cinema Blind Spots.

With the “Poltergeist” remake hitting theaters last Friday, I thought I’d look at haunted house movies for this week. While scanning my list, my eyes landed on Jack Clayton’s “The Innocents,” a 1961 British classic that has fallen below the surface over the years but still pings on cinephile radars.

Horror is an interesting genre to me. It has always been one of my least favorite categories as a whole while many of its films are among my favorites of all time. It’s also such a diverse genre with so many sub-genres that it’s impossible for someone to simply say, without a doubt, “I don’t like horror movies.” Furthermore, horror has changed so drastically over the decades that for someone to say they don’t like new horror doesn’t mean they won’t find something a few years — or decades — back that really connects with them on a deep level. It really is an ever-changing genre.

“The Innocents” is a film that demands to be seen in its historical context. It was critically well-received upon its release and although it didn’t initially attract too big an audience, it has grown to be considered a must-see by many. Variety said the film “catches an eerie, spine-chilling mood right at the start and never lets up on its grim, evil theme.” Time Magazine called it “the most sophisticated scare show since ‘Diabolique.' ” It was nominated for two BAFTA awards, Best British Film and Best Film from Any Source, and a Palme d’Or nomination at the Cannes Film Festival in 1962. Time Out placed the film at No. 18 on its Top 100 British Films, and acclaimed filmmaker Martin Scorsese ranked it No. 10 out of 11 on his Scariest Movies of All Time — above “Psycho” (1960)! What was he smoking?! But I digress …

The Criterion Collection released the film on Blu-ray in September of last year and wrote “this genuinely frightening, exquisitely made supernatural gothic stars Deborah Kerr as an emotionally fragile governess who comes to suspect that there is something very, very wrong with her precocious new charges.” It takes the form of a classic haunted house movie where paranoia, fear and unexplainable happenings affect our protagonist. Things to know: There is a giant house; two creepy kids; an eerie music box; and supernatural beings, to name a few.

The performances are hit or miss. Kerr plays Miss Giddens, a timid nanny paid to play mother for the two children. I found her performance underwhelming, honestly. At times she struck a powerful chord, but by and large she misses her mark. Mrs. Grose (Megs Jenkins) is the caretaker and head servant on the property. I really enjoyed her role, surprisingly, and thought she depicted her character better than the protagonist. Miles (Martin Stephens) and Flora (Pamela Franklin) are the two children and have so many secrets! They’re precocious beyond their years, which adds a deeply unsettling quality to the film. “Over the top” does not quite explain their performances, but they’re kids in a 1960s movie, so I’ll give them a pass this time.

Unfortunately, horror movies are not usually graded on the performances — although it can certainly help — but there are two components that tend to be mentioned when discussing this film: Technical aspects and atmosphere.

The technical elements can really propel one of these genre films into something wonderful. “The Innocents” looks amazing! Long takes, sweeping tracking shots and wonderful lighting techniques really add to the mood and story. The Criterion Collection went on to say “ ‘The Innocents’ is a triumph of narrative economy and technical expressiveness, from its chilling sound design to the stygian depths of its widescreen cinematography by Freddie Francis.” Yes to all of those things. Although I found the sound distracting at times, it is really effective in other, arguably more important, scenes.

That said, I don’t really think the film holds up today. It relies on the audience to consider its age, which I do naturally, but many of its scares and thrills are overshadowed greatly by its many proficient predecessors. One could see its possible influence on Polanski’s “Repulsion” (1965) or “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968), and even more directly on films like Robert Wise’s “The Haunting” (1963). In my opinion, the script by William Archibald and Truman Capote is quite poor. Although I know it was based on the 1898 novel “The Turn of the Screw,” I would expect any filmmaker/writer(s), past, present, and future, to adapt a source in a way that best fits the medium; in this case film. I don't believe that is accomplished here.

I found the tension and atmosphere in this film almost nonexistent despite the critical praise I quoted earlier. I am simply not a part of the film’s target audience, and that’s OK; it happens. What they were trying to do within the horror genre didn’t work for me, and because of the rapid and perpetual evolution of that genre, “The Innocents” was doomed to age within a decade of its release. That’s not to say I don’t like films like this, because I do, and I enjoyed “The Innocents” for what it is. I can just think of films like it that have a far deeper impact on me.

Today this film would be considered a psychological thriller, but it fits the definition of horror for that time. It’s not a bad film by any means, and although it falls a little short for its genre in my opinion, I think it’s a beautifully crafted film altogether. There are a few really great scenes, but the film ends with little to no payoff — apparently accurate to the source. I will admit that I have a very limited knowledge of ‘50s and ‘60s British horror, so my views may change as I explore it further. Until then, I'm going to go watch "Peeping Tom" (1960) and remind myself why Britain is a force to be reckoned with.

Next week in celebration of Bob Hope’s birthday, I will talk about “The Ghost Breakers” (1940). Feel free to get caught up and let us know your thoughts on “The Innocents,” “The Ghost Breakers” or movies you would like to see me check off the list in the comments below.