16 Fantastic Films About Witchcraft (Before Harry Potter)

7. The Crucible (1996)

In Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, sone young girls congregate in the forest along with a slave called Tituba. One of the girls - Abigail drinks chicken's blood in the hope that John Proctor's wife will drop dead. Abigail's uncle - the Reverend Samuel Parris catches the girls in the act and he closely questions Abigail about what was going on in the forest. Some of the girls are in a deep sleep so the Reverend Hale, an expert on witches is called in. Abigail is a servant girl who had an affair with John Proctor and this has led to a cooling of his relationship with his wife Elizabeth. Malicious little Abigail is still after John and the Reverend Hale declares that witchcraft has been perpetrated in Salem. To save her hide, Abigail blames the slave girl Tituba for being behind it all. Tituba is whipped and confesses to witchcraft. Suddenly Abigail realises the power she has and with the other girls, accuses Elizabeth Proctor of being a witch. John is incensed and determined to save his wife. He orders one of the girls - Mary Warren - to testify that it was not witchcraft they were getting up to in the forest. A list of people who can vouch for Elizabeth is read out in court and all of her champions are ordered to be arrested. Elizabeth is pregnant and will not be killed until after she has given birth but Proctor still pursues his case of false witness against the girls. Out of desperation to save his wife, Proctor admits having an affair with Abigail who has made up these allegations because she wants to be his wife. Elizabeth is brought into the court and not knowing of John's confession nor wanting to besmirch his reputation, she denies the affair. After a bit of hysteria, Mary levels accusations of witchcraft at John. And from thereon there is nothing but gloom and the pointless death of a man. Based on Arthur Miller's play of the same name, the film has obvious parallels to the anti-Commie McCarthy witch hunts in the entertainment industry during the 1950s. Miller had seen many friends prosecuted and he was, himself, denied a passport for ten years. The character - John Proctor, played with great conviction by Daniel Day Lewis is a very tragic one, brought down by a nest of spiteful vipers - led by the hateful Abigail Williams. It goes to show that spurious allegations of witchcraft/communism can ruin a good man. The film reminds me of Ken Russell's The Devils - another case of alleged witchcraft made by a bunch of demented nuns - that brings a good man to his ruin. The costumes and sets really bring out the atmosphere of the time period and the acting in the film is wonderful. It was refreshing to see Winona Ryder cast as an evil, immoral little slut - rather than the goody two shoes she always seems to be playing. The whole cast do a stellar job and special mention must go to Joan Allen as Elizabeth - John Proctor's downtrodden wife. An adaptation of a play that is truly excellent.