Summary:

The Turn of the Screw, Henry James' gripping ghost story, tells the chilling tale of a governess hired by a charming bachelor to look after his young niece and nephew. The story unfolds Victorian England, in a grand mansion in the rural countryside, where sinister events place lives in jeopardy.

The naïve young governess is charmed by her employer and is determined to make a success of her first appointment, despite his strange stipulation that she never contact him.

Her impressions are all good -- the house is beautiful, the children are charming, and the job is a perfect delight. But then she sees the ghosts of the former valet, Peter Quint, and a previous governess, Miss Jessel. She becomes convinced that the children can see them as well and communicate with them, and that their souls are in danger. She feels that she alone can save them. The stage is set for a battle of good and evil.

Filmed on location in London and Thame Park in Oxfordshire.

"The characterization of the Master is very much a creation of this adaptation. In the book he is a presence by implication. But the young governess is so motivated by her feelings for him that we have tried to establish that relationship in this adaptation. It is one of the most argued over books of this century. Are the ghosts real, or is the governess psychotic? The Master manipulates this girl and tries to make use of what he perceives as his power to exploit her vulnerability."

"I love The Turn of the Screw. I love the mystery of it. When ghost stories are told well, they are brilliant. But they are incredibly rare. It is a perpetually misjudged form of story telling. The Turn of the Screw is one of the models of ghost story telling. It is a gripping portrait of a person's psychology. The overwhelming majority of people who attempt such stories fall into the trap of wanting to explain everything. The golden rule of ghost stories is 'don't reveal all.' And that is the beauty of this Henry James story. I like the mood of a ghost story. It is perfect for a wintry night, sitting by the fire, watching a ghost story which gives you a chill and provokes the imagination."

Full credits here

Runtime: 100 min

Country: UK / USA

Language: English

Color: Color

Certification: UK:PG

Also Known As (AKA):

Cast: 

Information courtesy of The Internet Movie Database.