The Turn of the Screw

In this 40+ year old, made-for-TV version of the classic horror novella, a sense of dread and impending danger permeates the whole. With no special effects to enhance the atmosphere, the story, script, direction and acting must support the production. They do so admirably. We expect no less from Lynn Redgrave, but the entire cast, especially the children, deserve notice.

Jasper Jacobs, as the 14-year-old Miles, so effectively personifies evil and corruption, I felt a chill every time he was on screen. Young as she is, Eva Griffith handled material one would assume went far beyond the scope of a young child, It is beyond refreshing to see child actors truly act without any of self-consciousness we have become used to from Hollywood. Even the young Benedict Taylor, as Timothy, was utterly believable.

I found the rather slow pace to be one of the most effective methods of communicating the pace of 19th century country life; a challenge in these times of high tech, electronic perception bombardment.