Review - In a Dark Place (2006)

To date, this is the only film I've seen that sets its events in the present day. Even other films that shift the action to the 20th century tend to set it 20-30 years earlier.

Anna (Leelee Sobieski) is a troubled young woman with a poor track record of employment. She's perpetually haunted by an incident of sexual abuse from her childhood and tries to work out her trauma through "art therapy." She also tries to push art therapy onto the students of the school where she currently works, which doesn't go over well with the headmaster, Mr. James. However, he finds her a new job (the movie implies he took a sexual favor in exchange) as live-in nanny to the orphaned niece and nephew of a wealthy businessman. The "interview" is a joke; Mr. Laing grants Anna the job without even talking to her. I'm not sure what qualifies an art teacher to be a live-in childcare provider and tutor (especially considering that once Anna moves into Bly, all she does is give the children free-style art projects; we never see one spelling lesson or math test).

Though Anna takes a shine to Flora and Miles, she's uneasy at Bly and ineffectual in her job. Eventually, she starts to hear voices and see strange people lurking around the estate. Based in part on her own experiences, Anna becomes convinced these are the ghosts of her predecessor Jessel and her paramour, Quint, that they abused the children in life, and are seeking to possess them in death.

The original story takes place in summer, but this movie is set in the dead of winter. That's not the least of the changes, though. Anna is accompanied by Miss Grose (Tara Fitzgerald); in a change of pace, she is the uncle's stylish personal assistant and not an aging housekeeper. She also nursed an unrequited crush on the former governess, Miss Jessel.

Of all the adaptations I've watched, this is the only one where I sensed right off the bat that the governess was crazy. That reduces the ambiguity and somewhat lessens the tension in the story as I never feared the children were in danger--from ghosts, at least.

Consequently, I found Anna to be a pitiable rather than an admirable protagonist. I actually liked Miss Grose more. Her longing for the lost Jessel adds a new dimension to the story. In one poignant scene, she goes to the late governess's room, puts on her lingerie, and plays her violin in an attempt to get closer to the woman she loved.

In a Dark Place is a very sexualized film, particularly in its overt references to the abuse obliquely alluded to in other versions. The movie definitely foregrounds the governess's mental health, but I don't see that it adds much to the overall story, particularly since we don't see the kids demonstrating much questionable behavior apart from some ambiguous paintings that Anna over-analyzes. Perhaps the movie's purpose is to highlight how some adults see evil/abuse everywhere (McMartin Preschool, anyone?)

Generally, I'm not a fan of contemporary settings for Turn of the Screw as I think they make the governess's actions less tenable. In a past time, the lack of communication and the governess's uncertainty become more credible. A period setting also makes the ghosts creepier. In a Dark Place is a unique and innovative take on the source material. It's entertaining, but not a good rendering of the story.