A Lewis & Ryder Classic. It's solidly made all around. Really good costume design, great camerawork, direction, and score. Love Ryder but I HATE her in this in a good way lol. Paul Scofield is really good in this and is arguably the best thing. I think the biggest problem here is there is so many people involved in this "conspiracy"/trial that outside of John & Abigail & the Justices there really isn't that much in the way of character development. All the girls blend in together for the most part and with so many other people accused it's hard to remember all of them, differentiate them, and sympathize on a individual level. John sort of becomes the embodiement of all the accused but it focuses a third of the time on the others. The best part is when he confesses to the affair and they bring his wife in. It's a shame the final 20 minutes after can't really sustain the momentum of that moment. The trial itself is the strongest moments compared to the drama with John. It can also be a little dull to look at because of the grey overcast constantly but never lifeless to it's credit. Also, the acting can be a bit over the top and theater like at times. To it's credit the dialouge is a modern style old english that makes perfect sense 90% of the time which I appreciated too. It's overall a really good fictional take on how the trials could've happened but has trouble giving character to so many people involved. Anyone who is a fan of any actors in this, the director, the source material, or wants to learn about the Trials should check this out.

This movie is a bit of a headache, but worth a watch.. It’s is a succession of unfair and cruel events without any sort of reprieve. There’s too much shouting and screaming! And it is nerve wrecking… There’re surely many ways of telling a story and we can imagine a far more soothing movie. But the story is unfortunately believable. A good reminder of human’s cruelty. Not any kind of cruelty but a specific kind of cruelty, coming under disguise of goodness and purity. - something that Americans tend to be especially prone to, A good reminder of betrayal trauma, where places that are expected to protect us, fail us.

Solid film. Great acting from Danial Day-Lewis and Winona Ryder. Although written as an allegory about communist persecution (McArthyism) - this is not explicit and if you weren't aware of that historical context, it wouldn't take too much away from the film. Definitely worth a watch.

I watched this in school and also we read about the book that the movie was based on and it's amazing. I loved the characters and the story line, the acting was also really good. I usually really dislike old movies, but this one has my heart and I even cried and teared up at the end. I recommend this movie to anyone who has not watched it yet.

The opening scene is enough to introduce you to what kind of movie you're getting yourself into.

Spoiler Warning, this film review of The Crucible (1996) contains heavy spoilers about characters, plot and story as I will be going through scene by scene and discussing my reactions throughout my viewing experience. This film begins with the scene in which we see the girls dancing around the fire in the woods, Abigail drinking blood as well as other satanic mischief. This scene already helps build up a tone of darkness that foreshadows later events in the movie. I like that from the beginning we as the audience are directly shown what the girls were up to that sinister night, which makes it all the more frustrating and difficult to watch as the truth of events becomes hidden throughout the majority of the film. I thoroughly enjoyed the dark and dramatic feeling of this film. The acting of the entire cast was truly captivating. In almost every scene I felt myself getting more and more sucked into the story of the film as the story continued to take unexpected turns and explore concepts of religion and satanic worship, which in themselves are just different versions of light versus darkness, good versus evil. The idea of "the good Christian" is often brought up in this film which made me reflect on my own upbringing within the Christian faith and how even today it continues to be used to spew hateful agendas and ideologies all in the name of "being a good Christian". In a way, much like some of the characters in this film, religion has become the scapegoat for much of the intolerance we see in our world. The scene that certainly struck the nail in the coffin for me that the society we are shown in the film is one centered around faith is when the judge calls on Goody Osborne to recite any of the ten commandments, and because she is unable to do so and the court deems that be enough evidence to solidify their decision that she is a witch. The foolish nature of the townsfolk is shown even more when further members of the town become put to trial. I found it heartbreaking when Mr.Jacobs, who is depicted to be a sweet elderly man, is also put to death because of the girls' tricks and accusations. By this point in the film, I had felt very similar to Martha Corey who outright laughs and mocks the girls in the courtroom as they pretended to be tormented by spirits from the accused. It was as if she was "the audience" who could clearly see right through their deception. And like she says in the film, "What else are fools good for". I found that these concepts of faith and virtue are brought up again during the scene in which Mr.Hale visits the Proctors' home in order to "put some questions as to the Christian character" of their house. I also enjoyed how the main antagonist of the film, or the villain, is quickly identifiable to the audience. That being Abigail. She is immediately shown to be the "cult leader" of the group of girls, and the other girls very much fear what she is capable of. Furthermore, the extent of Abigail's wicked intent and influence is revealed by her ability to tell convincing lies, manipulate her friends and the entire town, and purposefully send innocent people to their deaths. Now that is not to say the other girls are any more innocent as they too spin their own stories as they see fit, stealing the idea directly from Abigail in order to draw attention off themselves of being accused of witchcraft. Additionally, I also enjoy that the writer gave Abigail a clear motive, and a good one at that. The age old tale of "what I wouldn't do for love" is very much present when examining Abigail's actions within the film and her personal vendetta against Mrs.Procter, which inherently stems from her infatuation and entanglement with her husband. But who is to say that John Proctor himself isn't the true villain of this film? After all, it is his betrayal and adultery that leads to Abigail's obsession and desperation to maintain an innocent reputation in the town. A religious aspect of this theory would suggest that it was his sin that planted the seed of evil in the town which quickly grew and spread amongst the townsfolk. Even leading to the condemnation of his own wife. I found it very ironic when Mr. Hare asks the Proctors to recite the commandments and John remembers all but the one he committed which was adultery. It is also ironic how another one of the commandments is to not bear false witness which is what the young girls of Salem have been doing through the entire film. From the beginning of the film to the very end, John Proctor accompanied by some of the other good men of Salem are depicted to be the voice of reason, but by then they are too late and much of the town has been overcome by madness, distrust and mass hysteria. Even when Mr. Hale attempts to convince to court to think otherwise he is quickly dismissed. I absolutely screamed at my screen when Proctor's wife lied to the court about his affair in order to protect his good name, which consequently invalidates his story. The irony is that John has stated to the court that she never lies. Ultimately it is the two most flawed characters that feel the consequences of their actions the most. John Proctor is to rot away in prison after he too is accused of dealing with the devil and Abigail has lost the "love of her life" and also becomes judged by the townsfolk who become suspicious of her lies, tainting her reputation even further. During the scene when Abigail visits John and tries to convince him to go with her you can clearly see the remorse she has for her actions but only because it is John who is now next to be hung. "I want you is all," she says to him. Then John speaks the most powerful words of the film when he says to Abigail, still bound to his chains, "It is not on a ship we will meet again, but in Hell". Another powerful scene that stood out to me is when John blatantly says to the people of Salem that "God is Dead". I also think there is a parallel between John's argument with his wife about his affair in which he tells her that her justice cold freeze beer, and the cold-heartedness of the court who also commits their judgment upon him and other members of Salem. Other characters I wanted to briefly highlight in my review are: Tituba, the first to be accused, which made the most sense and I found it to be not surprising since her African Roots (being a slave) are often associated with Voodoo. Which is a theme that appears again in the film when Abigail tricks the court into believing that Goody Proctor used a doll to stab her. Mary, whose character arc goes from being Salem's only potential hope for the truth to be revealed, only for her to once again lie her way to safety once the other girls turn against her. I truly felt bad for her through many of the scenes between her and the court. And Lastly, Giles Corey, who is tortured and crushed to death with stones after refusing to give any names to the court, probably the most admirable action of any character within this film. Overall this movie is one that teaches us that mankind can be easily fooled. And ultimately it is much easier for us to turn a blind eye to the truth rather than to admit our own flaws and false narratives. I would highly recommend this movie to any of my friends. Mainly because I believe that the moral behind the story is one that can be universally understood among audiences. That being the fine line between the true righteous and false righteous, the line between truth and lies.

While Arthur Miller wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation of his acclaimed play and won himself an Academy Award for it, The Crucible's message didn't come through as profoundly as it did on stage. By focusing on the repercussions of John Proctor's lust, the film supplanted the social and political context of the story. The performances and production design were praiseworthy nonetheless, and the film was generally engrossing.

Not even the great Daniel Day Lewis can save this movie. Winona Ryder is a marginal actress at best, but the rest of the cast is really guilty of overacting and trying to force the dialogue into the period of the day. Every sentence has the word devil devil in it and it gets tedious after the first hour. I watched it because I figured every movie Daniel Day Lewis is in has to have some merit. I was wrong on this count. Instead of calling it the crucible they should call it the overacting devil's advocate.

Based on Arthur Miller's play of the same name Daniel Day-Lewis, Winona Ryder, Bruce Davison, and Joan Allen After nineteen executions the Salem witch trials finally came to an end Many facing public hangings refused to name anyone under false confessions In 1962 Massachusetts John Proctor decides to break off his affair with his young lover, Abigail Williams He has a wife though Abigail leads other local girls in an occult rite to wish death upon his wife, Elizabeth When the ritual is discovered, the girls are brought to trial Accusations begin to fly, and a literal witch hunt gets underway Before long, Elizabeth is suspected of witchcraft, and John's attempt to defend her only makes matters worse The village is ready to place blame on anyone committing suspicious acts or throwing daily life out of balance and normalcy The beatings, chastising, persecution, and punishments are common during these times especially with strong religious ties This is long but the performances by Ryder and Lewis earn a lot of praise There's more of an emotional and moral reading After all the play gets more of a reaction from its strong political background and thematic depth it's more known for

Arthur Miller's hard-hitting study of the Salem witch-hunts makes its American debut on the cinema screen with a strong screenplay penned by the author himself and directed by British-born Nicholas Hytner. Hytner is also known for his stage works and perhaps this shows in his screen approach. It's lavishly photographed in muted tones by Award-winning British cinematographer Andrew Dunn. Essential production values are very good and it's laced with truly outstanding performances. While it may be a thinly camouflaged statement about the McCarthy, Hollywood witch-hunts, it serves as a riveting study of human behavior – in situations where pressure is mounted against individuals - who then attempt to save themselves by transferring their guilt to others, innocent or otherwise. The Fox DVD offers good image a sound and is recommended as a fine study of history, both modern (allegorical) and old.

It's a solid rendition of Arthur Miller's play. Anchored by Daniel Day Lewis and Winona Ryder, the tale of gossip and witchcraft is well executed. It doesn't have the flash and glamour of most Hollywood films, and because of that, the actual message of the film is likely to get lost on modern audiences who will fail to draw parallels between the mob mentality of the teenage girls of Salem, and the Cancel-Happy masses of Twitter.

With a screenplay by Arthur Miller based on his own play, The Crucible tells the story of John and Elizabeth Proctor (Daniel Day-Lewis, Joan Allen) and the downfall of their marriage as the result of accusations made by John's ex-mistress Abigail Williams (Winona Ryder), a young girl accused of consorting with Satan in 1692 Salem. The film has excellent costume and set design, strong performances, and some effective cinematography, but seems to somehow lack the conciseness and clarity of the play, partly due to the fact that there are an excessive number of scenes of teenage girls pointing at and shrilly screaming about imaginary demons whispering in the ears of the townsfolk or hanging out in the rafters. Regardless, the story remains a powerful tale of the ignorance, intolerance, and hysteria associated with blind faith, a problem that plagues society even today.

I am going to be brief. it is ridiculous this movie has garnered merely 68% from "real" critics. I assume it is because critics 30 years ago did not award every single decent Hollywood drama movie with 9/10 and laud all of them as masterpieces, like they do nowadays! A perfectly well-acted movie. It has a sublime script obviously directly adapted from the original theatrical play. In fact, it is so well-made, it really makes you foolishly hope for a happy ending for a while, even though you soon realize how impossible and naive it is to expect this for obvious historical reasons. This movie evidently has been criticized since the 90's for being on-the-nose political. But it is indeed immensely ridiculous and frustrating to have a 68% for this extremely resonating, exceptionally tense and ultimately tragic drama, when childish feel-good movies, with frankly moronic premises, by-the-book and/or unfathomably unreasonable scripts, and political agendas that are subtle as fireworks compared to the latent political meaning of The Crucible, be rewarded with completely overvalued reviews and appreciation. This movie is by no means a masterpiece such as Raging Bull, There Will Be Blood, The Godfather, or Citizen Kane, but it is laughable and utterly unfair to allow the public to see this movie's final rating next to the completely bonkers ratings of movies such as The Shape of Water, Black Panther, Ford v Ferrari, The Last Jedi, Argo, Phantom Thread, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, A Marriage Story, The Post, The Irishman, Moonlight, The Big Short, American Hustle, Finding Dory, and many many more movies, movies that have 90%+ approval ratings on this accursed website. But I guess, we live in the age of Like/Dislike, where even a *meh* review is considered 10/10 by stupid algorithms!

A great adaptation of the play. I don't normally like Lewis but he is great here. Ryder is even better.

A solid film. While the play explains the risks of communism better than the movie, it is still an expertly created plot and film. The addition of the John Proctor hanging scene actually benefits the movie and makes it better. A good film, worth the watch.

This movie gives a great example of why we shouldn't go out dancing at night naked. Not only will you catch a cold but you'll also get accused of being a witch. Join Abigail and the girl gang as they try to get out of the dancing trouble and try to dodge Abigail's boy problems. The Crucible is based on a play of the same name written by Arthur Miller. This movie is about a fictionalised Salem witch hunt which took place around 1690s. Fun fact for parents who want to advise their kids while watching this movie: this movie is apparently alluding to McCarthyism. While I watch this movie, I feel quite indifferent to it, probably because I do not really watch these kinds of movies a lot. But because I have read the play before I watch the movie, I think that the additional scenes in the movies really add a big emotional impact to me. There were additional scenes in this movie that are not the book (such as the part where John and Elizabeth open their hearts out to each other). In the scene of court sections, the atmosphere of the court room also really adds on to the spicy dark feeling, the atmosphere of the court always gives you a kind feeling like you are sitting in a math class alone with a very scary teacher, you're bored but you're also very scared of what is going to happen. And even though I read the play before watching the movie, the dark atmosphere always gives me some kind of fearful feeling that something bad is going to happen, leaving me on the edge of my seat the whole time I was watching (even though already I know what is going to happen). The setting of the movie is also very well set. When I was watching the movie, I felt as though I was really watching people in that era doing their things. While I was watching this movie, I realised how much I like all the actors in the movie, they acted very well and true to their character as in the book. If you are a big fan of Winona Ryder and Daniel Day-Lewis, I think you will enjoy this movie as well. The soundtrack of this movie (if you are living for the sound) also adds on to the dramaticness of this movie. As the story is quite heavy, the soundtrack really makes the movie heavier. This movie is a type of movie that will leave you thinking about the message of this movie long after the movie ended. As this movie is about a witch hunt, (no spoilers here) this movie really illustrates the hypocrisy behind a seemingly normal town. As for me, this movie has all the charm of a papercut on your fingertips. It hurts me emotionally, but I want it to cut me more. All in all, if I were to measure how much impact this movie gives me emotionally by the amount of tears I shed while watching, I'll give it a 6/10 bucket of fresh tears.

The crucible is about the hanging of 19 in the town of Salem in the 1600s. The play is written based on the historical events by Arthur Miller during the cold war where there are false accusations like during the Salem witchcraft trials reflecting on the accusation that this is happening in the US. The movie is directed after the play by Nicholas Hytner. The Crucible is very well interpreted in this movie. The impact of the main turning point of the play is very well represented in the movie. The cast acted out the play perfectly with every action well reflecting the plot in the play. John Proctor acted by Daniel Daylewis was the most impressive acting in the movie especially at the critical point of the movie. The movie is about one night, many girls were mysteriously dancing in the forest and were seen by Parris. The next day the girls were acting weirdly and people were worried there was a mysterious power possessing them. The town of Salem summoned the court to investigate this matter. As the investigation progressed the girls were called up and were forced to confess that they were to do with witchcraft. As things escalated quickly, the girls quickly started pointing fingers at innocent people in the town which leads to their death at the end of the movie. Personally the plot written by Arthur miller is great by itself and the plot is the strongest point of this movie. The plot initially starts off slow and boring, as things escalate extremely, the plot goes too fast to the point where the audience can not catch up. The greatest flaw of the movie is that it did not manage the pacing of the plot well enough. However, the setting of the movie was very well chosen. The town of Salem in the movie really brings you back to the 1600s. The props used in the movie also are well made and look very realistic to the setting. The choices of scenes are also very well chosen. The scenes that were cut out from the movie are the most unnecessary ones. However, the music choice is the best, the music tends to be overly epic and sometimes it doesn't go well with the scene. There are also points where the music is distracting, too loud and should not be there, it is just too epic for a drama like this. The scenes that were added to the movie also contribute to the movie very well. Although there definitely are flaws in the pacing, the plot in this movie is good overall. The essence that is added to this movie that is not in the play is the cinematography and the music. The cinematography in this movie is mediocre. Most shots are up front and boring. Sometimes, the lighting is very lacking and dim to the point where it is hard to see things, there is a transition from dark to light that is too drastic and hurts my eye for a second. Some lighting in certain scenes are clearly artificial and too white to either be the sun or the candle, although it makes the scene easier to see, it takes away the realism of the scene. Certain shots using a crane and a moving camera to show the girls pretending to see spirits is very well thought out and I think those high angles shot are great even though they reuse them quite often. Overall, I think this is a good adaptation of the play. The movie captures the essence of the play well, maintaining the chaotic moments very well and I think the audience who read the book will not be disappointed by the movie. Overall there are no big flaws in this movie, I personally enjoy it and I think most who do not hate drama will like this movie.

Have you ever made a false confession to save your own life? If you don't confess, you'll be hanged. The Crucible is a drama that takes place in Salem, Massachusetts, a religious community that spends all its time praising God. A group of girls who have been dancing in the woods are accused of performing a forbidden act of witchcraft. The movie revolves around this group of girls; one of them is Abigail Williams (Winona Ryder), a villain who lost her virginity with John Proctor (Daniel Day-Lewis), a married farmer. When the witch hunt begins, people suddenly accuse each other of practicing witchcraft, causing a mass hysteria in the town of Salem. In my opinion, The Crucible is a well-thought-out movie because it is able to keep the audience engaged throughout most parts of the movie. I give it four stars out of five. One of the most important parts of a movie is its opening. I have to admit that the opening scene of The Crucible grabs all my attention. One of the reasons is that it is slightly different from what happens in the play. The director vividly shows how the girls dance around a boiling pot of witches' brew. What surprises me is that he even makes it more interesting. The sound effects also suit the dark atmosphere. I bet no one falls asleep throughout the rest of the movie after its opening scene. This opening scene does not only catch my attention but also make me curious and want to see more. After the opening scene, I look forward to seeing how the movie is different — or more special — from the original play. I believe that the audience will attempt to predict how the director will change some parts of the plot and some of the lines that each character has to say. Performance is another significant element that makes this movie interesting. The performance is very strong because each performer is able to communicate his or her character's emotions. I feel like all actors and actresses are carefully chosen and are suitable for their characters. They are able to fully deliver their message to the audience. Daniel Day-Lewis (John Proctor) impressively performs throughout the whole movie, particularly the part where he is in court — "You bring down heaven and raise up a whore!." Joan Allen (Elizabeth Proctor) also performs well, especially during the last part of the movie where everything gets emotional. Her facial expression is able to describe more than words in the original play. She makes the audience feel how she feels. Another talented actress that I have to mention is Winona Ryder. She plays Abigail Williams, one of the main characters in the movie. I have to admit that she is a good actress because she makes me believe that she has gained all the power. She makes me believe that she is the leader of the herd, meaning that she is more superior than all the other girls in her group. Her eyes always reveal her inner feelings. I like the part where she feels the cold wind in the court, and the other girls follow. She really makes me believe that she can manipulate all the girls in her group. Besides the opening scene and the performance, I like the cinematography of The Crucible. I like how the director chooses to present different types of shots throughout the whole movie, creating a sense of variety. This makes the movie even more interesting to watch. For example, when Betty opens her eyes while she is in bed, a point-of-view shot is shown. This makes the audience know exactly what Betty sees when Abigail and the other girls are trying to wake her up. I also like the part where the camera slowly zooms into Elizabeth's face when she is in court. While the camera is slowly zooming in, it creates a sense of silence and gives the audience time to think what Elizabeth will say. In this case, Elizabeth chooses to lie in order to protect her husband's reputation rather than following her instinct to preserve personal integrity. Overall, The Crucible is an interesting movie to watch because it always keeps the audience engaged through the attention-grabbing opening scene, strong performance and good cinematography. I recommend the movie to people who are interested in the subject of witchcraft and people who are fans of these actors and actresses.

The Crucible, a film adaptation of the novel directed by Nicholas Hytner, captures the essence of the play and even adds up to the engrossing conflict of witchcraft, thus being one of the most successful adaptations based on users' reviews. With the aid of several film elements, Hytner is able to create a play that not only recites the tragedy of John Proctor (the main character) and several other Salem villagers, but also delineates the atmosphere of the Puritan society at the time being. Identical to the play, the Salem village reproduced in the film is plagued with corruption, which takes place internally - within the people of the Salem village. This corruption is expressed through false accusations, with the sole reason of witchcraft making the accusations justifiable. One particular case being the case of Abigail Williams, who called against John and Elizabeth Proctor. Prior to the play, John had lustful moments with Abigail. However, those moments ended when Elizabeth caught the both of them together. John, being the person with a flawed "good character" he was, made a promise with Elizabeth that history would not repeat. On the other hand, Abigail had already developed immense feelings for John, although the feelings were denied as John rejected Elizabeth's confession. Motivated by anger, Abigail accused Elizabeth and those who were against her to get John back; not thinking that it would take more than one lie to lie, the accusations led to calamity and ultimately the demise of the Salem Village. The original form this story is told is mostly in the form of dialogues, actions and stage effects were limited emphasizing on the exchange between each character. With the film adaptation, camera angles and film effects became a significant part of the story; Hytner realized this and took advantage of what he had available for him. Camera angles effectively emphasized the way the characters are interacting with each other, this enhanced the tone of the story and made it easier for the audience to understand the relationships in the Salem village. One example being the close up shots that appeared in the conversation between John and Abigail. In the original play, the audience could only discrete how both characters interacted with one another differently from the dialogues and narration. However, the close up shots allowed for a much deeper analysis of the characters through facial expressions. This is not the only case whereby camera angles played a big part in the film. In the course of the movie, establishing shots were set in between different scenes to make the transitions flow better. In the play, transitions from one scene to another could only be emphasized through narration, and the audience could only imagine the atmosphere of the village. On the other hand, Hytner skillfully utilized different camera angles to help illustrate the Salem village at much more accuracy. The people who read the written version of the story could only notice the improvements made from watching the film adaptation; thus becoming much more engaged. The movie's cast really suited the intent of the movie, which director Hytner and the crew has to be praised on. Hytner knew the make-up's ability and adjusted the story line to match the actors' (and actresses) acting skills. The adjustment is only proven to be good as the final product has kept many viewers on the edge of their seats. One minor improvement that could increase the ratings of the movie is lowering the amount of sound effects in some of the scenes. One could say the included sound effects do not match the intensity of the scenes, ultimately giving off an eerie sensation that makes the audience cringe. By lowering the sound effects, or even cutting off some, Hytner could even draw in a larger audience as the movie will be known for purely its script and acting skills. However, Hytner decided to resonate with an overuse of sound effects, this made the movie overly dramatic in some scenes. The movie is still considered a successful film adaptation that captures and expands on the essence of the play. Personally, I would give this movie a rating of 4.2/5 stars, the 0.8 for the over use of sound effects.

One of my favourites! Loved this movie