This film, based upon the Arthur Miller play of the same name, is excellent. Miller himself wrote the screenplay for it, so it is no wonder that the story told by the film is relatively faithful to the play. Coupled with the capable direction of Nicholas Hynter, as well as a stellar cast, the play successfully makes the transition from stage to celluloid.The movie recounts a fictionalized version of the famous Salem, Massachusetts witch trials of 1692, which saw quite a number of of the town's citizens executed for witchcraft. Winona Ryder is excellent as Abigail Williams, the poor relation of the town's craven minister, well played by Bruce Davison.
Dancing with other young women around a camp fire in the woods one evening, Abigail is surprised by the intrusion of the minister into their festivities. He is just as surprised as they are. The young women are in terror of having been caught doing something forbidden to them, and the games begin.
"The devil made me do it!" becomes the rallying cry of the day, as the young women begin pointing the finger at those townsfolk who in some measure have come under their unfavorable scrutiny. Beginning with Tituba, the slave, who is the first to fall, the circle of those accused widens under the careful leadership of Abigail.
She ultimately sets her sights on Elizabeth Proctor, the prim wife of John Proctor, played with icy calm by Joan Allen. Elizabeth is the woman for whom Abigail had previously worked and from whose employ she had been dismissed, as Mrs. Proctor had rightly suspected her of having an affair with her husband, John.
Abigail still lusts mightily for John, who has spurned her subsequent overtures and advances. She, who has been nothing, has suddenly been empowered in such a way that what she desires may be only an accusation away from being hers, or so Abigail thinks.
John Proctor, wonderfully portrayed by Daniel Day-Lewis, is a taciturn everyman, who does not traffic too much with the townfolk. As witch mania grips the town, however, he becomes more vocal. When his wife is taken into custody on a charge of witchcraft, he can no longer keep silent. He comes to her defense in full fury at the injustice done to his wife and the other poor souls unjustly accused of witchcraft and trafficking with the devil, only to ultimately be done in by love and his own integrity.
It is almost hard to believe that such an event as the Salem witch trials ever really took place, but truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. This film bring that notorious chapter in American history to life. It is well worth watching.
Daniel Day-Lewis (John Proctor) and Winona Ryder (Abigail Williams) both play strong parts which draw you into the film and forces you to empathise with the characters charged with witchcraft as every word said is twisted against them. Reverand Hale plays the part of a well educated religous man who almost loses faith at the wrong doings in Salem and turns to believe in John Proctor when he is accused. Hale's character creates a sub story of the questioning upon the Puritanist ways towards the end which I have used extensively in my work for my GCSE English Lit. exam.
A definate "must see" if you have an interest in the period and Salem witch trials, otherwise still a great movie.
The only thing that prevented me from giving it a 5* rating is that I dont know my GCSE results yet!
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