Slide 1

							A shocking truth on trial tale that turns deadly… this movie directed by
Nicholas Hytner is based off Arthur Miller’s novel the crucible




             Daniel Day-Lewis                John Proctor
             Winona Ryder                    Abigail Williams
             Joan Allen                      Elizabeth Proctor
             Paul Scofield                   Judge Danforth
             Karron Graves                   Mary Warren
             Charlayne Woodward               Tituba
             Frances Conroy                  Ann Putnam
•The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, was based off a small Puritan community in
Colonial Massachusetts where over 150 people were prosecuted and accused of
Witch craft.
•The play was written in the 1950’s during the time of McCarthyism, when the U.S.
government blacklisted accused communists.
• Miller himself was under question by the House of Representatives’ Committee
of Un-American activities.
               THE New York Times


        Entertainment Weekly Magazine




Roger
Ebert
IMBD grade, 6.8/10
Rotten tomatoes 6.5/10
Historical Accuracy C
Entertainment value C+




                         Nominated for 2 Oscars
                         4 Wins, 10 Nominations
           The movie’s first significant scene starts as a group or “cult” of
girls from the village are found chanting in the woods and the reverend's
daughter becomes ill and falls into a coma. By this time, the whole town is
filled with rumors about witchcraft and an expert in witchcraft is called to
the town. Abigail Williams played by Winona Ryder is questioned of being
the leader of this satanic cult by the expert Rev. Hale
         Betty, Paris’s daughter awakes from the coma and after an
examination by Rev. Hale, he believes Abigail and the town is overflowing
with witches.
Tituba a slave is interrogated forcefully and tells the names of all the girls
involved in the dancing at the beginning of the movie and consulting with
the devil. As she’s doing this Abigail joins here and tells the names and
saying she’s seen the devil.
          a short time later, many of the townsmen’s wives have been
accused and arrested of witchery. Including proctor’s wife. The next day
Proctor goes to the court and has his servant Mary-Warren confess to the
court that the girls are lying about their encounters with the devil.
Now the girls turn on Mary-Warren and accuse her of bewitching them.
Seasons pass and John is Forced to confess about his affair with
Abigail Williams in an effort to save his wife from hanging. She is
brought to the court and says the exact opposite of what Proctor wants
to hear. Because of this John along with his wife Elizabeth are sent to
the gallows to their fait. The witch trials are conducted and ending with
an awful conclusion.
This movie is found relevant to women’s issues
because it deals with witchcraft and the execution of
women.


Women’s issues can also be found in the ethics of
what women’s roles are in the village and what was
expected of them.


And finally, the issues between Abigail Williams and
Elizabeth Proctor about infidelity and jealousy could
be tied to women’s issues as well.
"The Arthur Miller Society Official Web Site." 4 Sept. 2008.
<http://www.ibiblio.org/miller/>.


"The Crucible - 1996 -." The Internet Database. 4 May 2003.
<http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115988/>.


"The Crucible (1996)." Rotten tomatoes. 29 Aug. 02.
<http://www.rottentomatoes.com/>.