The Crucible

The Raymond Rouleau French version of the fifties featuring Simone Signoret and Yves Montand as the Proctors seems to have vanished in the air.It's never on French TV and it's not available on tape or DVD either.In the fifties this could not be filmed in the USA ,because it was a highly topical issue,hence the Rouleau version which was first a stage production.

Actually,this masterwork is so strong that it can't be connected only with MCCarthyism.Its scope reaches far beyond.It's a plea for tolerance,freedom of thinking and dignity of the human being wherever and whenever they may be endangered.An excellent cast does the play justice.Daniel Day-Lewis gives a powerful performance (I say God is dead!)that few of his peers can equal.Wynona Ryder is efficient in her ambiguous part.Joan Allen gives a subdued but moving interpretation.Paul Scoffield personifies the inhuman law with authority.Bruce Davison ("Willard"'s hero ,1971).

All in all, a magnificent show ,thanks to all concerned.

"The Crucible" is slow, but it doesn't make the film bad. It is a very impressing, beautiful, well-acted and well-done film.

The story of passion, lies, madness, witchcraft and tragedy kept my attention. The adaptation of Arthur Miller's play is superb.

Joan Allen deserved her nomination for the Oscar as best supporting actress and Daniel Day-Lewis should have been nominated.

A must see.

Rating: 9/10

This movie is in a way a great documentary on the life of early Christian migrants living in America.

The story is a witchcraft practices among the girls of a small community to get the man they love and then the subsequent developments.

Dialogues are fantastic and give you immediate sense of psycho, social life sphere of the time.

As always, watching Daniel Day-Lewis is immense enjoyment. Winona Ryder is amazing, Joan Allen is outstanding.

One would love watching these motional and deceptive scenes.

And I love also the performance of Judge, Paul Scofield, who brings sort of Godly authority to the situation.

It is a two hours movie, and feel like a comedy type but quiet serious.

Setting also gives lots of info about the life of early migrants to America.

Moral story of the movie is evil power of group thinking, and scapegoating.

After the movie you will Google who is Winona Ryder (if you don't know her like me)

Wonderfully set and cast adaption of the play of the same name. Some films are shocking because of their content, this is more shocking because the nature of the true facts of the story, and how people were murdered in cold blood at the hands of the gullible. So many injustices and hurt due to religion and other crazy beliefs at that time, some still exist of course in various guises across the world.

The film has a good start, but loses its way a little in the middle, but picked it up towards the end. Speaking of which I was half expecting a Hollywood ending, where the main characters either got their comeuppance, but it stayed true to some events and for that made me like the movie even more.

...And I also happen to be a very critical person of most films. With that being said, The Crucible completely blows me away with its virtually flawless cinematic achievements!

Daniel Day-Lewis is absolutely superb as John Proctor; there is no other way to put it. He is simply perfect, from his bitter, withdrawn opening few lines to when he is accused of witchcraft by his former adulterous--and scorned--lover (Winona Ryder) and begins passionately fighting for his very life and existence--and, of course, his name.

Winona Ryder turns in a beautiful performance as the disturbed and tragic Abigail Williams: a Puritain orphan raised by her super-strict, brutal, and overall villainous uncle. She becomes infatuated with John Proctor, a married man and a bit of an outcast to their society, and is willing to do anything and everything to 'obtain' him, if you will.

Joan Allen's Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress was not undeserved. Her portrayal of the honest and saintly Elizabeth Proctor (not fake innocence, like Abigail's) was touching and a bit heart-wrenching toward the end (won't give that away here).

It wasn't just the awesome acting that won me over, but the authentic Old English dialog, the somewhat grainy cinematography (which provided an uneasy feeling in viewing the town of Salem), and wonderful sets and costumes that really made this a classic for me, and my all-time favorite movie. Highly recommend it! A perfect 10/10!