Movie Review on "Movie Review on the Crucible"

Movie Review 3 pages (1106 words) Sources: 1 Style: APA

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Crucible" directed by Nicholas Hytner. Specifically it will review the film, including a discussion of the film as art. The Crucible is the retelling of the classic Arthur Miller play of the same name, first debuting on Broadway in 1953. This version is skillfully filmed and acted, and could be considered an art film because of the film techniques and storyline. It is an artistic success, but falls short on entertainment for many viewers.

The film concerns Abigail Williams, a young girl living in Salem Massachusetts who becomes embroiled in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Abigail and some of her friends dance in the woods with Tituba, a black slave, and are accused of being witches. They confess they are "possessed," and begin to systematically accuse others in Salem of being witches or consorting with them. As the film progresses, the girl's accusations become more and more outlandish, and they become "possessed" in the courtroom as they accuse the people around them. Some of the people of Salem, like Rebecca Nurse, can see through the girls, but for the most part, the people are swept up in witch fever, content to believe the girls and their allegations.

A major focus of Abigail's denunciations is the Proctor family. She and John Proctor had an affair when she worked for the family, and she is still in love with him. She accuses his wife in an attempt to free him of the woman, but he loves his wife Elizabeth, and will not allow her to stand alone in the courtroom. As a result, both are charged with witchcraft. John has a chance to "confess" and save their lives, but he cannot do it, and in the end, they both hang as witches.

The film illustrates how people who know and respect each other can become caught up in accusations and lies, and it shows the justice system of the 17th century, that was both swift and extremely gullible at the same time. The court basically makes its judgments on the word of a few girls who are afraid and attempting to save themselves rather than stand accused of witchcraft, and it sentences nineteen people to death solely on the word of these girls. The film also shows that some people stood up to the girls and the court, but could do nothing to stop it in the end. Perhaps the most famous is Reverend Hale, who, by the end of the trials is totally fed up with the court and the outcome, and denounces the proceedings as he leaves the town.

The film is a blend or realist and formalist. It is realist in that it follows the action real time and formalist in that it follows the formal direction and action of the stage play it was based on. It also does not attempt to show any witchcraft or other "spiritual" fantasies that the girls make up in their minds, which also makes it a realistic and believable film. The narration is omniscient, as it follows the action between characters throughout the village, leading the viewer from one viewpoint to another. Perhaps one of the things that was disappointing about this film was the storytelling itself. It is clear this is a powerful and moving drama, and the actors helped make… READ MORE

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