The movie is a screen version of Arthur Miller’s play “The Crucible”, which is set in 17th century, when humanity perceived the world in a very different way. People were puppets in the hands of the church and the court. The filmmakers tried to portray what happened in the late 17th century in Salem, Massachusetts. The townspeople believed in the devil and had a strong desire to expose his servants. That is why, when a group of your girls set out in the middle of the night to bewitch men, terrible rumors began to spread through the village. The magical concoction on fire and wild dances was a pure entertainment for them. However, the priest happened to see them, and their fate was in the hands of locals, who were ready to execute them. They believed in God’s judgment, and did not understand that their sin would be much worse. The young girls caught dancing naked in the woods near a fire declared that they were victims of witchcraft and evil spirits, in order to avoid punishment. Soon the locals began to accuse other people in witchcraft. These accusations were based on the testimony of women, who claimed to have seen how dark forces unleash the spirits. As a result, more and more people were considered to be witches in Salem, and a special court was assigned to penalize these “servants of Satan”.

In Miller’s adaptation of “Crucible”, the focus is on the relationship of Abigail Williams, the niece of a local pastor, and John Proctor. Abigail was in love with John, therefore, she deliberately accused him and his wife, convincing others that she and the other girls were victims of witchcraft. According to historians, the real cause for witch hunting in Salem was a difficult economic situation, which is of minor importance in Miller’s screen version.

The atmosphere in the film is portrayed very clearly; the belief in a higher power is so strong that one is no longer in control of himself. The film is difficult to attribute to the films about witches and witchcraft, as it is more about people’s attitude and understanding of honor and good sense. Still, the film perfectly reflects the events of those terrible times.
The cast of the film is marvelous. Daniel Day-Lewis’s role is very catchy, and Winona Ryder also does a good job. However, the most memorable actors in the movie are Paul Scofield and Joan Allen. The latter was nominated for an Academy Award as the best supporting actress.