In 1961 director and producer Jack Clayton created a cinematography masterpiece! An unusual tale about a haunting that was ingeniously told visually as well as through the script. Actress Debra Kerr plays a young woman who applies for a Nanny and house mistress job that will unlock an entire series of mysterious events that will need to be unraveled in the most disturbing ways possible. You might recall this incredible actress in her roles as the nun in “Heaven Knows Mister Allison” opposite Robert Mitchum and her passionate portrayal of a neglected officer’s wife in “From here to Eternity” opposite Burt Lancaster and the beach love scene that is now iconic.

At the very beginning Debra Kerr’s interview with actor Michael Redgrave’s distant uncle role is already sensing something is amiss and what begins as Debra desperately there for a job evolves into the way faring uncle practically begging her to be the new nanny even when she tells him that she has never held such a position before. Then she finds out that her predecessor has died under questionable circumstances! Yet, the young and beautiful Debra Kerr’s character presses on into what initially appears to be a magical estate full of incredible scenery and artwork! She is enchanted by the place and immediately falls in love with Flora the little girl and Miles who has been strangely expelled from boarding school and will be returning home with an explanation as being corrupted! How can this possibly be? Mrs. Gross, the housekeeping woman laughs at the letter of explanation as being the product of someone’s twisted imagination and tells Debra’s character that, “He may corrupt you!”

As time goes on the seeming splendidness of the mansion and its incredible landscape dissolve into an ominous reality. Miles and Flora constantly whisper their secrets among themselves and seem to demonstrate strange powers that intrigue and disturb their Nanny! Something paranormal and evil is just beyond her inquisitive curiosity, but its there never the less. Both children exhibit talents that seem to exceed their ages and seem driven by some invisible power that the nanny will eventually pick up on! Soon the evening shadows and neglected, cobwebbed rooms begin to erode the surface of a picturesque mansion alluding to something that is malevolent and unholy. Debra Kerr’s character soon sees mysterious figures melting into the shadows just down a hallway or out on the scenic grounds that convince her that a haunting is afoot, and it has something to do with the children!

The special effects of echoing and menacing spirits that leave the young nanny terrified are world class even by today’s standards! Now she is convinced that the children are in danger before finally realizing that both of them are possessed! Possessed by whom? She finds some photographs in an attic along with a music box with a dancing ballerina. The puzzle begins to unravel as the house keeper admits when pressed by the nanny that a very cruel and abusive relationship went on between the former master of the house and the previous nanny who was mysteriously drowned! Debra Kerr’s character sees both spirits who inhabit the children-one being the evil man whom she has glimpsed once at the top of the mansion and another time from the shadows just outside a window while she’s playing hide and seek with the children before their bedtime. His foreboding presence is undeniable! Then there’s the ghost of the drowned former nanny, dressed in black, drenched, and standing above the lilies on the lake in full view but even when the nanny tried to get Flora to acknowledge the ghost she refuses to or lies about it!

Debra Kerr’s character now acting like a detective, presses the children for the oddness of their behavior and what lies behind it! They both refuse, and Flora goes into an uncontrolled screaming fit that lasts for hours even as she is consoled by Mrs. Gross! Miles demonstrates strange matured male characteristics and even gives Debra Kerr’s character a surprisingly electrifying kiss when she attempts to get him to admit to the spirit, she knows he is possessed by! She is shaken by the incident and now convinced that Flora must be sent away for a day while she works at getting Miles to admit to what is tormenting him!

Against the protestations of Mrs. Gross who is given the task of taking Flora from the mansion, the nanny now awaits Miles who has taken off somewhere only to return hours later in the darkness of the evening. Debra Kerr’s character has waited patiently, even making tea and muffins for him when he returns. Around midnight, little Miles walks in like nothing unusual has happened due to his absence and the nanny appeals to his sense of decency telling him that she was taught to love by her father and that she only wants to help him, but the evil spirit of the man who possesses Miles is only cruel and mocking toward the nanny who has knelt pleadingly in every attempt to get him to awaken by speaking the name of the spirit who possesses him!

At the very dark and disturbing climax of the movie, Debra Kerr’s character urges Miles to face his tormentor and speak his name as the evil spirit continues influencing Miles into resisting the nanny’s attempts at freeing the child from his possession! They are out in the courtyard now as a storm begins raining upon them! Miles turns away from the nanny gazing into the dark sky and seeing his spirit captor for the first time, he cries out the name of the one who has possessed him and collapses! Debra Kerr’s character is delighted that she’s finally freed the little boy and holds him in her arms triumphantly announcing that the spell is lifted and he is free, but as she holds him, she realizes something. Miles has died as a result of the purge with his eyes opened! She tries briefly to revive him, but it’s no use! The Debra Kerr’s nanny grips her hands into a desperate prayer there alone in the darkness as raindrops fall. The movie comes to an unsettling end!

It' s reported that Stanley Kubrick was so fascinated by the subtle and overt aspects of “The Innocents” that he analyzed and dissected every detail of the movie obsessively. Watching this tale of horror and mystery 100 times! No doubt, the influence upon his future work would be felt. I suggest, if you haven’t seen this masterpiece to watch it for yourself!  You will not be disappointed.

https://youtu.be/W7Li57-7am0?si=nt0znjohyUOvZVPV