The Turn of the Screw

Dr Fisher. When are you going to let me out of here?

When are you going to let me out of here?

Calm down!

Has she said anything at all today?

No.

Nothing, as usual.

What is it, Ann, something you recognise?

I've told you. I'm not here to judge you, I'm here to help you.

Wouldn't it help if you could tell me about the terrible things that happened in this beautiful house?

Tell me about Wigmore Street, Ann.

You CAN do that.

When you left home

and went to Wigmore Street that day, you were excited, weren't you?

You were young, innocent,

in the big city for the first time.

You wanted to make a good impression.

INSECT BUZZES

DOOR OPENS

Ah! The new Governess, if I'm not mistaken.

You're not very old, are you?

Forgive me, I'm sure you're quite old enough.

I'm 20. That is considered quite old in Suffolk.

I lost my only brother in the war.

So, here I am. All the others are long gone. I'm the only one left.

And the children?

Oh, of course, there's my niece and nephew.

Orphans, poor things.

Miles and Flora.

Strange little... shadowy creatures.

I'm responsible for them.

Bly's our old country house.

My London life is hardly suitable for children.

And I don't need Bly, for now anyway.

I may need it in the future, of course, when I marry.

You are to be married? In the abstract, I will be married.

One day we men must people the earth again.

But, er,

there are so many women.

Beautiful, accomplished, virtuous.

How can one choose?

You're not the nervous sort, are you? Some girls are.

That's not you, is it?

No.

No, sir, it's not.

Because the post of Governess,

so many have left it before they even start it.

The last girl, the pretty one I chose, Miss Jessel,

I favoured her and she let me down.

She left without even a week's notice.

If I trust you with this job,

you must promise, promise, never to disturb me,

never to worry me, about anything.

I would never let you down, sir.

Then, if everything goes well,

if you succeed, where all the others failed,

I will come and visit,

to inspect what you do.

You need to talk to me, Ann.

MAN SHOUTS

Why do you let those bloody priests in here? This is a place of science.

Where was their god when those boys were at the Somme?

I hear you were in the women's wing again this afternoon?

I don't understand what makes this case so fascinating. What is it that you are trying to achieve?

I don't know. I just know I have to try.

Well, you can make your name on any of these soldiers' cases.

That's where all the glory is.

Young men who've been torn apart and been through unimaginable horrors.

A female mind is less of a challenge.

They don't have anything to do all day so they imagine all kinds of things.

What's the point trying to save her soul?

If she has one, that is.

Or is that what you're looking for? I'm convinced I'm getting somewhere with her.

She's about to tell me what happened. On the brink.

Then the matter must takes it's course.

But you're running out of time. Soon it will be out of our hands.

Well, we don't need that, do we?

We've gone beyond that, haven't we?

Do you believe in God, Ann?

I believe in...

The other.

You believe in the devil?

I've seen him.

We don't have much time, Ann. You need to tell me what happened.

You need to take me there.

It was a sunny day.

The perfect day.

That first day I went to Bly.

DOG BARKS

Hello. Mrs Grose?

Miss Hazeldine, welcome to Bly.

I'm sorry, Miss. We haven't got a full compliment of staff to greet you.

Not like we use to have before the war.

There's just us women now.

Of course, I don't know what the master might have told you to expect.

It is a very fine welcome.

I hope we can be friends.

And where is Flora?

GIRL GIGGLES

Er...

She was so excited when she knew you were coming. I think she's hiding.

She's hoping that you'll play hide and seek with her.

It's her favourite game. Thank you.

Let's get back to work.

PIANO PLAYS

Hello?

DOOR SLAMS SHUT

Flora?

Where are you?

GIRL GIGGLES

GIGGLES TURN TO SOBS

It's all right, Flora.

Don't worry. I'm coming.

There you are. We've been waiting for you.

Was that you I heard, playing the piano?

I play the piano very well.

Miles does too, but better.

Would you like to see my bedroom?

ECHOED WHISPERS

Well?

It's beautiful.

This is Miles's room.

He doesn't like people going in, touching his things.

He'll be home soon, so he can show you.

Not very soon. I think.

Maybe at the end of term.

It'll be a little while yet.

Is my room so very far away?

You're to have the governess's room.

Did you like her? Your last governess?

We all liked her. Uncle liked her especially.

Was she pretty? Oh, yes.

She was just like a princess.

This is your room.

No! Not yet.

You'll spoil the surprise.

You can't look.

Not just yet.

Who is that? Is someone there with you?

WHISPERED VOICES

Stop it!

GIGGLING

Do you like them?

We spent all day yesterday picking them from the garden.

DOG BARKS

HEAVY BREATHING

DOG GROWLS

Hello, boy.

Where did you get to last night, eh?

BREATHING

Hello?

Who's there?

Playing a game, were we, boy?

I can see through your tricks.

FLOORBOARDS CREAK

There you are, Miss. Won't you call me Ann?

Flora is so lovely.

I can't believe Miles could be her equal.

Yes, Miss Flora is an angel.

And Miles, well you'll be quite carried away by him,

you see if you're not.

I'm afraid I can get carried away by people quite easily.

I got rather carried away in Wigmore Street.

Well, you wouldn't be the first.

Miss Ann?

She's been up for hours. She's waiting to show you the garden.

Oh, I forgot to thank you for the flowers.

In my room. Flora said you'd helped her pick them. Thank you for making me feel so welcome.

'I told you I would come if you did well. '

BIRD FLAPS WINGS

You are sure that there isn't a gamekeeper,

someone from the village, maybe?

No, there's only been us women here since the master left.

I saw someone, hiding on the tower.

Are you sure none of the maids has a lover?

Someone they're helping, with food maybe?

Good lord, no.

No-one would do anything like that here. This is a respectable house.

You must have been mistaken.

It's a wild garden, it's been a hot day and if you're not used to it...

Aren't you going to open that?

It's a letter from uncle, isn't it?

It will be business I'm sure, so I will read it later,

in private.

'Could Flora tell?

'How much I was longing to hear from him.

'How I wish the master would come home.

'Was he thinking of me, I wondered?

'Even a fraction as much as I thought of him. '

"This is from the Headmaster. He's an awful bore.

"Read him, deal with him, but don't bother me with it.

"Not a word to me, remember?"

Miles is dismissed from his school.

But why? Miles may never go back at all.

They refuse to take him?

Absolutely.

Do they say why?

Here. No.

Such things are not for me.

Master left you in charge.

Tell me honestly, Sarah, is Miles a bad boy?