The 1961 Deborah Kerr vehicle, "The Innocents" went for the
supernatural chills and is likely the best adaptation ever (at least
it's likely the most popular), but this straight-forward rendition of
Henry James' best known short novel is probably the closest to the
author's intentions to date. By sticking with psychological terror
rather than creepy SFX, this production succeeds in portraying a
young woman's descent into madness that too often takes a
backseat to the realm of ghost story in lesser productions. Jodhi
May's wide-eyed performance is nothing short of brilliant. Pam
Ferris and Colin Firth round out the strong supporting cast
(although Mr. Firth is seen only in the first five minutes of film and
nothing more, so you Pride & Prejudice fans beware!).
