Directed by richard wallace and is based on the play flea market, the film was the first musical production by paramount pictures. The films symbolism is never subtle, but that doesnt make it any less effective. The innocents is a very wellmade film, with many subtle touches. The screenplay by truman capote was actually based on the 1950 stage adaptation by william archibald and may be one reason henry james purists find fault with the 1961 film version. The innocents ends just as the turn of the screw doesabruptly and without explanations, either about the climactic event, or about what led miss giddens to such desperate measures. View of the south side of orsanmichele, 14th15th century, florence.
Cosimos grandson lorenzo medici throws himself into shoring up the clans finances and securing florence s future while his enemies plot against him. It took me on a path of new discoveries and extended my. Beginning with its sponsorship and through its services as well as its architecture, the innocenti represents the evolving humanistic views of florence of the early renaissance. Brunelleschis building comprises the main facade on piazza della santissima annunziata and two wings, containing a church and the childrens residence, which flank a large square cloister known as. Two teenagers secretly meet up in the forest, only to witness a blood bath. Museum of the innocents pays tribute to 600 years of childcare.
Based on the novella the turn of the screw by the american novelist henry james, the screenplay was adapted by william archibald and truman capote, who used archibalds own stage playalso titled the innocents. The cool, observational style that has marked much of fontaines work, including the lush biopic coco before chanel and the deliciously tawdry adore, serves her well here. After three years of renovation and restorations, the new museum of the innocents dedicated to the history and lives of the abandoned children will open its doors on june 24th. They cannot turn to a local doctor, for the nuns would be evicted and disgraced. Jul 07, 2016 based loosely on real events, the innocents tells a tale of haunting moral choices and the calculus of attempting to understand gods plan even in the face of unimaginably horrid events. Based on actual postwar events, the innocents follows a polish convent housing several pregnant nuns victims of an indescribable nightmare who are due to give birth. Magical is the word that best suits the experience i had while creating my most recent film, the innocents of florence.
The museo degli innocenti in florence is a museum of art and history located in the worldfamous ospedale degli innocenti building designed by filippo brunelleschi in the early 15th century. The making of the innocents of florence the florentine. J ack claytons the innocents 1961, now on national rerelease, is an elegant, sinister and scalpprickling ghost story as scary in its way as rosemarys baby or the exorcist. Although it is inspired by real events, some parts of the narrative are fictitious. The innocents les innocentes critics consensus the innocents isnt always easy to watch, but its nuanced exploration of complex themes and its refreshing perspective are well worth the effort. Rent the innocents 1961 on dvd and bluray dvd netflix. The innocents sweeps you away and takes the audience on a journey that is rarely explored in cinema. The theme can be also handled by distant restraint however and such is the picture of pieter brueghel the younger. Nov 26, 2016 the innocents is a fascinating and unusual ghost story filled with complex emotions and themes. The innocents official selection, sundance film festival. Rent the innocents 1961 starring deborah kerr and peter wyngarde on dvd and bluray. The films color palette is crystalline, the cinematography gorgeous, and it has excellent set design, costumes, onscene filming, editing and acting. When art restorers in florence begin work on a 600 year old painting they lead the journey to uncover the story of the citys forgotten children, and the women who saved them.
The innocents was the second feature by producer, ad, and allround film set junkie jack clayton, whose directorial career was marked by few projects and enormous choosiness as he leapt from genre to genre his previous film was the frank romantic drama room at the top, and he made no better choice in that capacity than bringing along room. Serene, austere benedictine nuns sing sweetly in the quiet stillness of morninguntil a piercing scream echoes through the stone hallways, sending a chill. The ospedale degli innocenti, hospital of the innocents florence. The innocents of florence documentary 17 may 2019 italy when art restorers in florence begin work on a 600 year old painting they lead the journey to uncover the story of the citys forgotten children, and the women who saved. The tension is on a relentless track that gives the audience very little down time. The innocents is a classic psychological thrillerhorror film that relies on a stark setting, taut cinematography, superb performancesscript and no gore.
The innocents of florence is beautiful in every sense and full of fascinating information both on the restoration and the institution. The massacre of the innocents is a repulsive theme. Film premiere spotlights women, art and conservation. The original site of the ospedale degli innocenti hospital of the innocentsfoundling hospital and orphanage continues to focus on the well being of children as the istituto degli innocenti. This genuinely frightening, exquisitely made supernatural gothic stars deborah kerr as an emotionally fragile governess who comes to suspect that there is something very, very wrong with her precocious new charges. The performances are good, though in typical 1950sstyle melodramatic form. Ospedale degli innocenti hospital of the innocents. The museum is housed in the complex built by filippo brunelleschi, the famous hospital of the innocents, a major symbol of renaissance architecture and civilization.
With nicoletta fontani, eleonora mazzocchi, lucia sandri, timothy verdon. Based loosely on real events, the innocents tells a tale of haunting moral choices and the calculus of attempting to understand gods plan even in the face of unimaginably horrid events. Introduction by cultural historian christopher frayling audio commentary featuring frayling new interview with cinematographer john bailey about. Much of anne fontaines blistering film the innocents is set within the walls of a polish convent in december 1945, just after the end of world war ii.
After a surprise attack, lorenzo and giuliano search for the culprits. The innocents begins at the end of world war ii in poland, december 1945. An emotionally rewarding drama set in the aftermath of ww2. Through the example of friendship and cooperation, the innocents shines a glimmer of hope on a period of great doubt. Cosimos grandson lorenzo medici throws himself into shoring up the clans finances and securing florence s future while his enemies plot. Anne fontaines film the innocents is a thought provoking, often disturbing film. A psychosexually intensified adaptation of henry jamess classic the turn of the screw, cowritten by truman capote and directed by jack clayton, the innocents is a triumph of. The innocents wants to ask whether and how its possible to go on believing in god after being not just violated but, in a sense, mocked by the permanent evidence of lost chastity that a baby entails.
Film locations for the innocents 1961, in east sussex. Mathilde is a french red cross doctor working on a mission to help the french survivors of the german camps. Fans of classic super natural tales would be most satisfied with this movie. Jul 07, 2016 through the example of friendship and cooperation, the innocents shines a glimmer of hope on a period of great doubt. The 90minute feature length documentary details a presentday restoration of a 600yearold painting, which takes two art conservators on a journey uncovering the citys forgotten children and the women who saved them. With odile vuillemin, tomer sisley, jules houplain, victor meutelet. The film takes place in december 1945, but the issues it raises about belief and devotion to duty will resonate with people of faith today. The innocents is more tense than frightening though it is very, very frightening. Cosimos grandson lorenzo medici throws himself into shoring up the clans finances and securing florences future while his enemies plot against him.
I wont tell you what it is, except to say that, like so many things in this film, it involves a window. Built, with the support of the silk guild of florence, by brunelleschi, it was completed in 1445. Ultimately, the innocents represents filmmaking of a bygone era, the others being the one contemporary exception. Karine, pascal bonitzer, anne fontaine and alice vial, after an original idea by philippe maynial. Discover ospedale degli innocenti hospital of the innocents in florence, italy.
Youve never seen a world war ii film like this before. This film has extreme depth in character and story textures. Based on the 1898 novella the turn of the screw by the american novelist henry james, the screenplay was adapted by william archibald and truman capote, who used archibalds own stage playalso titled the innocentsas a primary. Set in the aftermath of world war ii, the quietly powerful drama the innocents shows women of faith working side by side with nonbelievers to bring light to a dark, horrifying world. The suddenness of the finale leaves plenty of questions open, and. Miss giddens deborah karr takes on her first job taking care of flora pamela franklin and. The innocents is a 1961 british psychological horror film directed and produced by jack clayton, and starring deborah kerr, michael redgrave, and megs jenkins. The innocents of florence follows two conservators, nicoletta fontani and elizabeth wicks, as they set out to salvage the mysterious painting madonna of the innocents, a restoration sponsored by dr. The ospedale degli innocenti hospital of the innocents is a former orphanage whose nucleus was built between 1419 and 1427 after a design by filippo brunelleschi. Luca della robbia completed several works of sculpture inside the cathedral, including one of the cantorie.
Jun 24, 2016 anne fontaines film the innocents is a thought provoking, often disturbing film. The innocents is a horror film based on the novella the turn of the screw and released in 1961. Among the many film versions, however, most agree that the innocents 1961, directed by jack clayton, is the most elegant, evocative and frightening of them all. The innocents shines a light on an episode shrouded in. Join awa at the film premiere the innocents of florence at teatro della compagina, via cavour 14, florence, at 9pm on may 17, 2019, and remember the foresight of awas founder jane fortune. Dec 12, 20 j ack claytons the innocents 1961, now on national rerelease, is an elegant, sinister and scalpprickling ghost story as scary in its way as rosemarys baby or the exorcist. They are seen, but escape trying to keep this as a secret, both in fear of the perpetrator and that their secret is revealed.
The innocents 2016 stream and watch online moviefone. It can be handled in all the violence of the base bloodshed, and such is da volterras representation. Innocents of paris is a 1929 black and white american musical film. While she works in poland, she is asked for help by a nun. The first renaissance building in florence duration. Lilies, symbolic of both the virgin and florence, grow alongside the arched shrine that surrounds the figures. Veteran french director anne fontaine approaches a spiritually and emotionally complex reallife slice of history with deftness and understated drama in the innocents. The innocents is a fascinating and unusual ghost story filled with complex emotions and themes. It combines brunelleschis talent with a take on everyday life in ancient florence, a city devoted to commerce and money but capable of great generosity. Sometimes one cant help imagining things, fragile british governess miss giddens tells one of her countrymanor wards early in 1961s the innocents. Jan 11, 2017 the museum is housed in the complex built by filippo brunelleschi, the famous hospital of the innocents, a major symbol of renaissance architecture and civilization.
Margaret haines the innocents of florence is a beautifully told story that carefully unpacks a fascinating part of florentine history by investigating the origins of a mysterious a renaissance painting. Jul 01, 2016 much of anne fontaines blistering film the innocents is set within the walls of a polish convent in december 1945, just after the end of world war ii. The highly literate production, both visually and verbally, is one of. The innocents has an unforgettable musical theme like the music box in burnt offerings and the piano themes in curtains, the changeling and the girl in a swing. It still contains at least one of the great scares of cinema. However, this is a film that would really have benefited from the texture and depth of being shot not digitally, but on film. With that line, nervously delivered in response to a strange, unidentified noise from outside, she reopens a can of worms thats been actively squirming since 1898, when henry james the turn of the screw was first published.