This is a film with a scene that happens today – September 19. I hope you will enjoy this movie and watch it tonight.
THE CRUCIBLE
Early one morning in Salem, Massachusetts some young girls gather in the woods with a West Indian slave Tituba to cast a love spell on the young men they desire. One girl, Abigail Williams drinks blood and calls for the death of John Proctor’s wife. They are found by Abigail’s uncle, Rev. Samuel Parris. Afterwards Betty Parris and Ruth Putnam will not wake up. Some people suspect witchcraft is involved and the Rev. Hale, an expert is sent for. We learn that John Proctor and Abigail Williams had an affair, but he ended it and she tells him no witchcraft was involved in what the girls did. When Hale arrives the girls blame Tituba and soon she and the girls are accusing others of witchcraft. Elizabeth Proctor knows John and Abigail had an affair. Judge Danforth arrives and the girls keep on accusing people, especially those they don’t like. Elizabeth Proctor is accused of witchcraft by Abigail and arrested. John convinces his servant Mary Warren to sign an affidavit that neither she nor any of the other girls had seen the devil. Giles Corey says that when Ruth Putnam accused Rebecca Nurse, Ruth’s father was heard to say she had got him a fine piece of land, as the Nurse’s property could be seized and sold if she was convicted of witchcraft. Corey refuses to tell who overheard this remark and is arrested for contempt of court. Abigail continues to say she sees the devil and Proctor finally admits his affair with her to show Abigail had an illicit motive to accuse his wife. His wife is brought in to testify. If she testifies she knew of the affair, the court will believe John. However, not knowing he confessed, she lies to save his reputation. The girls the accuse Mary Warren of witchcraft. To save herself she accuses John Proctor. Some of the accused are hung. On September 19, 1692 [1:38:10 to 1:39:10] Giles Corey is pressed to death for refusing to name the man who accused Putnam. Abigail tries to help John escape. Hale, who by now is thoroughly disgusted with these events tries to persuade Elizabeth to persuade John to confess, so he will not be hung. John signs a confession, but then tears it up and is hung.
A tale of hysteria and deceit. John Proctor brought what happened on himself. If he had not had an affair with Abigail, his and his wife’s position would have been unassailable. His adultery led to his death.
The Salem Witch Trials by Marilynne K. Roach (St. Martin’s Press, New York, 2002) at pages 296-297 gives Giles Corey’s death date
Producer - Robert A. Miller and David V. Picker
Director -Nicholas Hytner
Screenplay - Arthur Miller
Runtime – 2 hours 4 minutes
Released – November 27, 1996
Starring –
Daniel Day-Lewis as John Proctor
Winona Ryder as Abigail Williams
Paul Scofield as Judge Thomas Danforth
Joan Allen as Elizabeth Proctor
Bruce Davison as Reverend Samuel Parris
Rob Campbell as Reverend John Hale
Jeffrey Jones as Thomas Putnam
Peter Vaughan as Giles Corey
Karron Graves as Mary Warren
Charlayne Woodard as Tituba
Rachael Bella as Betty Parris
Frances Conroy as Ann Putnam
Ashley Peldon as Ruth Putnam
Elizabeth Lawrence as Rebecca Nurse
George Gaynes as Judge Samuel Sewall
Mary Pat Gleason as Martha Corey
Robert Breuler as Judge John Hathorne
Michael Gaston as Marshal George Herrick
Dorothy Brodesser as Mabel
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