The BBC's The Turn of the Screw is an adaptation of Henry James' celebrated novel written by Sandy Welch and broadcast in December 2009; whilst not produced under the umbrella title A Ghost Story for Christmas, it is virtually an instalment of that program by default. And whilst some critics lambasted Welch for the film's differences from the source material, it makes a suitably chilling seasonal supernatural tale.
Like James' novel, The Turn of the Screw opens with Ann, a young woman who has been admitted to a lunatic asylum, telling the story of how she came to be there to psychiatrist Dr Fisher. She recounts being hired by an otherwise named Master to act as a governess to his children at the country estate at Bly, where she starts to believe that the house is haunted not just by memories of a dark past, but by something more dangerous. Welch's screenplay was criticised for removing the ambiguity of the novel, but literary adaptations often take liberties with the source material and the result certainly captures the sinister atmosphere of James' story. The framing sequence makes it immediately obvious that Ann faces disbelief when she realises that the evil Peter Quint and his lover Miss Jessel - the previous governess - have returned from beyond the grave to possess the Master's children Miles and Flora; with the audience privy to everything that she sees and learns, the futility of her attempts to stop them takes on a dreadful inevitability. Additionally, anyone unfamiliar with the novel may not be expecting the tragic climax, which has an impact even for those who are. And whilst Ann ultimately convinces Dr Fisher of the truth, there is of course a sting in the tale...
The Turn of the Screw is directed by Tim Fywell, who slowly ramps up the atmosphere, and provides chills such as when Ann mistakes Mrs Grose for a ghost in the churchyard and when she sees Quint at the window. He also assembles a strong cast led by Michelle Dockery, who gives a fine performance as Ann, initially fearful, then resolute, and ultimately determined to convince Fisher of the truth. Sue Johnston is extremely convincing as housekeeper Mrs Grose, whilst as Quint Edward MacLiam makes an art form out of being silently terrifying. Crucially, the two child actors also give believable performances, and Josef Lindsay is particularly good as Miles, notably during the disturbing scene when he tries to drown Flora.
If I have one criticism of The Turn of the Screw it is that the setting is changed from the 1840s to the 1920s, which serves no dramatic purpose; it doesn't harm the story per se, but given the BBC's pedigree when it comes to costume drama, either period setting could have been convincingly realised and therefore the change feels redundant and clumsy. That said, the 1920s sets and costumes are as impressive as one would expect and the location filming benefits the production enormously (another trait shared with A Ghost Story for Christmas). The Turn of the Screw isn't perfect, but it is a solid seasonal ghost story in the BBC's occasional tradition.
Like James' novel, The Turn of the Screw opens with Ann, a young woman who has been admitted to a lunatic asylum, telling the story of how she came to be there to psychiatrist Dr Fisher. She recounts being hired by an otherwise named Master to act as a governess to his children at the country estate at Bly, where she starts to believe that the house is haunted not just by memories of a dark past, but by something more dangerous. Welch's screenplay was criticised for removing the ambiguity of the novel, but literary adaptations often take liberties with the source material and the result certainly captures the sinister atmosphere of James' story. The framing sequence makes it immediately obvious that Ann faces disbelief when she realises that the evil Peter Quint and his lover Miss Jessel - the previous governess - have returned from beyond the grave to possess the Master's children Miles and Flora; with the audience privy to everything that she sees and learns, the futility of her attempts to stop them takes on a dreadful inevitability. Additionally, anyone unfamiliar with the novel may not be expecting the tragic climax, which has an impact even for those who are. And whilst Ann ultimately convinces Dr Fisher of the truth, there is of course a sting in the tale...
The Turn of the Screw is directed by Tim Fywell, who slowly ramps up the atmosphere, and provides chills such as when Ann mistakes Mrs Grose for a ghost in the churchyard and when she sees Quint at the window. He also assembles a strong cast led by Michelle Dockery, who gives a fine performance as Ann, initially fearful, then resolute, and ultimately determined to convince Fisher of the truth. Sue Johnston is extremely convincing as housekeeper Mrs Grose, whilst as Quint Edward MacLiam makes an art form out of being silently terrifying. Crucially, the two child actors also give believable performances, and Josef Lindsay is particularly good as Miles, notably during the disturbing scene when he tries to drown Flora.
If I have one criticism of The Turn of the Screw it is that the setting is changed from the 1840s to the 1920s, which serves no dramatic purpose; it doesn't harm the story per se, but given the BBC's pedigree when it comes to costume drama, either period setting could have been convincingly realised and therefore the change feels redundant and clumsy. That said, the 1920s sets and costumes are as impressive as one would expect and the location filming benefits the production enormously (another trait shared with A Ghost Story for Christmas). The Turn of the Screw isn't perfect, but it is a solid seasonal ghost story in the BBC's occasional tradition.