THE CRUCIBLE

SYNOPSIS: The Salem witch hunts are given a new and nasty perspective when a vengeful teenage girl uses superstition and repression to her advantage, creating a killing machine that becomes a force unto itself.

BOTTOM LINE: A trio of powerful performances gives Arthur Miller's classic play about the Salem Witch Trials – an allegory for the anti-Communist hearings plaguing Hollywood at the time – a devastating dramatic punch. Ryder is at her best as the scorned woman who starts all the trouble. Day-Lewis plays the upright, married farmer who refuses to give in to her charms despite the deadly consequences. His faithful wife, who radiates dignity and intelligence throughout the proceedings is played by the exquisite Joan Allen, in her first major studio role. Her character is the moral center of the film. An innocent caught in a web of lies and hysteria, who chooses death over dishonor. Though the trials are a part of our history, Miller uses them to share his utter horror at his compatriots behavior in the face of the same type of fear and control perpetrated by McCarthy. The film shows how the charge of witchcraft manipulates normally intelligent, honest people into ones willing to do anything to save themselves, even accuse others they know to be innocent. It's both religious and political, a cautionary tale that speaks eloquently for both groups – those from Salem and Hollywood – persecuted for both their beliefs and their courage in the face of personal danger. It's an important story, brilliantly brought to life, that everyone needs to see.