The Salem witch trials of 1692 are brought vividly to life in this compelling adaptation of Arthur Miller’s play, directed by Nicholas Hytner (“The Madness of King George”). A group of teenage girls meet in the woods at midnight for a secret love-conjuring ceremony. While the other girls attempt to cast love spells, Abigail Williams (Winona Ryder) wishes for the death of her former lover’s (Daniel Day-Lewis) wife. When their ceremony is witnessed by the town minister, the girls suddenly find themselves accused of witchcraft. Soon the entire village is consumed by cries of witchcraft, and as the hysteria grows, blameless victims are torn from their homes, leading to a devastating climax.
Hytner, who directed 1994’s The Madness of King George (also adapted from the stage), has done something startling with Miller’s stately popular classic: He has made it pulsate with dramatic energy. – Entertainment Weekly
Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Winona Ryder, Paul Scofield, Joan Allen, Bruce Davison.