Nicholas Hytner directs Winona Ryder, Daniel Day Lewis and Joan Allen in this faithful adaptation of Arthur Miller’s play about the Salem Witch trials.

Near perfectly cast, with an authentic mud and timber look, this should on paper be a 10 out of 10 classic. And while the cast give it their all, the classic play itself just seemingly doesn’t lend itself to cinema. The direction sensibly opens up and mixes up the settings, losing much of the intense claustrophobia of even an averagely acted stage production, but adds no bit of fun or involving extra visual drama. This The Crucible all just sits up there on screen rather coldly like a museum piece. I was left immaturely checking the fluctuations in how bad the Day Lewis method teeth were; they noticeably slalom from rotting sulphur to pearly whites over scenes set on the same day. My attention shouldn’t be given wriggle room for such nitpicking in what should be an utterly involving tale of injustice and repression. Once a feisty Ryder abandons the third act the univintingly loyal prestige overwhelms the endeavour.

6