The Innocents: How To Create Ambiguity | Film Analysis

'The Innocents', Jack Clayton's 1961 adaption of Henry James' novella 'The Turn of The Screw', is not only one of the great horror films, it is one of the greatest of all films.
And key to its success is how expertly the film exploits its key theme of 'ambiguity'. But this begs the question, what exactly is ambiguity, and more importantly, how do you create it?

It's also the 10th anniversary of cinematographer Freddie Francis' death this week, so this is for him. Vale.

No Spoilers. For educational purposes only. Fair use.

Mark Kermode on The Innocents:
BFI Classics DVD/Blu-Ray re-release Introduction by Sir Prof. Christopher Frayling

'On Film-making: An Introduction to the Craft of the Director' by Alexander Mackendrick -

'The Ambiguities of Henry James' by Edmund Wilson -

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[cirquedude]

I just saw this film last night after hearing Ari Aster reference it as an influence on Hereditary and I was completely captivated by it. I don’t understand why people feel ambiguity is an enemy to be feared. All the best films contain ambiguity, without it films feel dumbed down.

[veilofreality]

Absolute masterpiece, straight 10 on my book. Jack Clayton and Stanley Kubrick are among the few directors who made a genre movie, who really had a clear understanding of how to use ambiguity and let the audience's imagination fill in all that is left unexplained.

[jeffcobb]

great job. this is one of my favorite films of all time. I love subtle movies that leave a lot of decisions up to the viewer.

[judelindsay]

One of the most under appreciated masterpieces. Great video 👍

[stevenpeters]

Just finished watching the film (1st time). Your analysis was very insightful, and laid out wonderfully. Thank you for making this.

[melodymaker]

This video made me want to watch the film again and I've seen it twice in the span of 3 months oh my god?! Masterpiece indeed.

[francesca]

I love so much your analysis, thank you! Can't wait to see all of your videos. Compliments and greetings from Italy.

[geslinam]

Henry James himself said this was intended to be a ghost story. The film was ambiguous, not so much the novella. Consider the time in which the film was made.

I will always see iit as a ghost story, one of the best ever written, and I feel the film captured the atmosphere of the book. The housekeeper herself was frightened, just in denial. The fact that no one else could see the ghosts -besides the children, who were secretive - added to the horror of it all, and the sense of isolation the governess felt.

[gunndlewittlebaum]

Great to see such effort taken in understanding why certain films are great. Keep it up, mate!

[babyjenks]

I have loved "The Innocents" ever since I saw it on TCM one time I had to go out and find it. I think I got it on VHS and couldn't even find it on DVD. It's not even available for streaming anywhere and it's such a good movie. It was made in 1961 but shot in Black and White to make it more dramatic, to emphasize the light and the dark. It is an amazing example of cinematography.

[annaritaranalli]

Perfect cast and gorgeous soundtrack and location suites movie

[sam]

Saw this film when I was 12. Great screenplay by Truman Capote and excellent performance by Deborah Kerr. Clayton made “A” list film of a ghost story. Or maybe not. ☺️. Very good review!

[michaelpennington]

I saw this at release as a boy of 7 or 8. I knew it was exceptional and special even with my limited awareness of great film.

[Saffron-sugar]

In the book Miss Gibbens is a young woman of 20, sheltered too long and new in the world. Somehow, Deborah Kerr, playing her at 40, made it more mysterious. Why would a beautiful woman who "loved children more than anything" and clearly fancied men, not be a married mother of grown-up children by 40 in the 19th century? There is clearly a reason.
Was her heart broken? Was she caring for sick parents? Had she already had children that she lost? Can she not have children? was she in an asylum?
I'm quite sure that the uncle, a "confirmed bachelor" is gay, but this is lost on the naive Miss Gibbens.

[michellejsmith]

Either Miss Gidden IS Insane. She's not. OR.... MAYBE, it's, BOTH. Miss Giddens IS insane, And, there REALLY ARE, ghosts in the house.

[MrBulky]

The film "The Innocents" was released in 1961 but 7 years earlier, Benjamin Britten's chamber opera "The Turn of the Screw" had been premiered in London, with a libretto by Myfanwy Piper, retaining the title of Henry James's original novella. The characters and storyline are very similar to the film and this idea of ambiguity is very much to the fore: the governess's feelings for the uncle, the nature of the corruption of Miles by Quint (when he was alive), the nature of Miles's misdeeds at school which led to his never explained expulsion and his return to Bly and the hint of an unhealthy, inappropriate relationship developing between him and the governess.

The opera was premiered in Venice and performed over the next four years in London, Canada and New York as well as being recorded commercially.

There had also been a Broadway play in 1950.

The story itself seems to have originated from Edward White Benson, Archbishop of Canterbury, who had narrated it to James (or something similar) in 1895, three years before the novella appeared. I believe the ambiguities are all there in the novella.

[gretchenzwicker]

Oh God! This is the scariest film I have ever experienced, it took me years honestly to be able to watch it right through. I BELIEVE and always have that the ghosts are real❤

[poetcomic]

After the film's release and just mediocre response, Francois Truffaut came up to Jack Clayton in a restaurant to say "This is the most magnificent English film made since Hitchcock went to America."

[anastasiasdream]

One of the greatest movies of all time I seen it this being my 5th time and I still get the frights.. I love Debra Kerr she is so underrated but IN all her movies she's believable and still very relevant ..She is also in my favorite movie From Here To Eternity. I love her as she was a risk taker and in 1960 and for that era a controversial movie actress thank you for putting out this movie ♥

[TheRichmond]

Just stumbled across this after finishing bly manor and then looking into previous adaptions. I just watched the trailer and then your video came on.

The Descent is another great horror that leaves you wondering if the monsters were real at all. Or if they were all in the protagonists head and she'd gone nuts.

A few years later the descent 2 happens and completely ruined this ending.