Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Plodding film based on play has mature themes, sex, violence
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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The Crucible
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 3 parent reviews
Based on 13 kid reviews
Kids say the movie provides an engaging and dramatic portrayal of the Salem witch trials, drawing viewers in with strong performances and a solid script, although it deviates from the original play in several key aspects. While many appreciate the educational value and thematic depth, some viewers found parts of the film uncomfortable or overly violent and highlighted a lack of certain details from the source material.
- strong performances
- educational value
- thematic depth
- deviations from play
- discomfort with violence
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
THE CRUCIBLE pits good against evil. Orphan Abigail (Winona Ryder) has been dismissed from the employ of John (Daniel Day-Lewis) and Elizabeth Proctor (Joan Allen) after Elizabeth learns John has had an affair with the younger woman. When Abigail and other young women "conjure spirits" in the woods, hoping this will make Proctor come back to her, she is discovered by her uncle, the priggish hard-liner Rev. Parris (Bruce Davison). Fearing ruination and punishment, Parris and Abigail accuse others of putting the devil into the girls. Abigail wants vengeance against her rival and accuses Elizabeth of being in cahoots with the devil. John admits to adultery to expose Abigail's vindictive scheme but gets himself hanged when he refuses to admit a falsehood -- that the devil came to him as well.
Is It Any Good?
This overlong, didactic history lesson can be a tough slog for even avid students of this black period in American history. Playwright Arthur Miller wrote the play in 1953, paralleling accusations of witchcraft with equally hysterical accusations of Communism through post-World War II America, a political strategy that ruined the lives of many blacklisted men and women. The decision to mimic 17th-century speech, with its jarring locutions and odd verb tenses, can be off-putting and stiffens a plot that might otherwise be more engaging. Daniel Day-Lewis is persuasive as Proctor, but all the fainting, crying, and hysteria make for a lot of scenery chewing.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the historical circumstances under which Miller wrote The Crucible, using the Salem witch trials to parallel power gone unchecked in 1950s American leaders, who labeled their political opponents Communist.
Why do you think someone who speaks the truth might be seen as a threat to society?
Do you think religious beliefs should play a role in how government is run? Why, or why not?
Do you think the fact that John Proctor was a flawed man made him a stronger or weaker voice of protest against the corruption of the accusers?
Movie Details
- In theaters : January 25, 1996
- On DVD or streaming : June 1, 2004
- Cast : Daniel Day-Lewis , Winona Ryder , Joan Allen , Paul Scofield
- Director : Nicholas Hytner
- Inclusion Information : Gay Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Twentieth Century Fox
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : History
- Run time : 124 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : for intense depiction of the Salem witch trials
- Last updated : March 4, 2026
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