Review - The Turn of the Screw (1999)

In 1999, we saw both a cinematic and a televised adaptation of James's work. I'll begin with the BBC's entry. Though this isn't my favorite adaptation (The Innocents has that honor), it's certainly the most faithful!

Jodhi May turns in a striking performance as the nameless governess (called "Miss," like Amy Irving's character), a devout vicar's daughter who consents to look after the orphaned niece and nephew of a dashing wealthy man (Colin Firth) at his remote country estate and to never communicate with or "bother" him about what goes on there.

All goes well at first. The governess is charmed by Flora and her older brother Miles, who's just been expelled from school for some unnamed but unforgivable infraction. Then, one rainy day, she spies an intimidating man through the window, whose description the housekeeper (Pam Ferris) immediately recognizes as the master's deceased and debauched valet, Peter Quint.

Almost instantly (and in a clunky expository monologue), the governess becomes convinced that Quint and her predecessor, his lover, Miss Jessel, have returned from the dead to finish corrupting her charges. From that point, the formerly indulgent governess turns frosty and paranoid, sensing ulterior mischief in everything Miles and Flora do. She resolves to "catch them" at wrongdoing--or even at being on their best behavior, which must be a mask for evildoing.

May is the scariest thing about this movie. She's so intense and, at times, unhinged. The Turn of the Screw is a notoriously ambiguous story, but even though it's tempting to fault the governess's sanity to account for what happens at Bly, one can't forget that she was able to describe Quint accurately enough for Mrs. Grose to recognize him before she'd ever seen his photo or known of his existence.

Watching these many adaptations is entertaining for seeing how the haunting is presented. Does the governess see a picture before she sees a ghost (The Innocents)? Does the ghost appear to other people (TOTS 2009) or materialize when no one is looking (TOTS 1974)? TOTS 1999 makes a viable case for either a paranormal or rational explanation and is well-acted, beautifully filmed, and wonderfully entertaining however you view it.