In a Dark Place (2006)

User Rating:

4.3/10   

Director:

Donato Rotunno

Writers:

Henry James (novel)
Peter Waddington (screenplay)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

There is nowhere to hide in your mind...

Plot:

The disturbed arts teacher, Anna Veigh, is hired by Mr. Laing as a governess to raise Flora and her brother Miles...

Plot Keywords:

Children | Soul | Orphan | Governess | Teacher

Cast

Leelee Sobieski	...	Anna Veigh
Tara Fitzgerald	...	Ms. Grose
Christian Olson	...	Miles
Gabrielle Adam	...	Flora
Graham Pountney	...	Mr. James
Jonathan Fox	...	Mr. Laing
Thomas Sanne	...	Headmaster
Cleo Rotunno	...	Small Girl
Jean Schimdt	...	Groundsman
Patrice Ristic	...	Man in Playground
Paul Schroeder	...	Paramedic
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chris Bearne	...	Vicar
Gintare Parulyte

Also Known As:

Dark Places (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexual content/nudity and disturbing images.

Runtime:

UK:95 min

Country:

Luxembourg | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Germany:16 | USA:R | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

Luxembourg

Company:

Phantom Pictures Ltd.

Trivia:

The book that Anna reads in bed is the 1994 Penguin Books edition of "The Turn of the Screw" by Henry James, on which this movie is based.

Movie Connections:

Version of The Innocents (1961)

Another Unnecessary Remake

The disturbed arts teacher Anna Veigh (Leelee Sobieski) is hired by the busy Mr. Laing (Jonathan Fox), the tutor of the orphan siblings Flora (Gabrielle Adam) and her brother Miles (Christian Olson), to work as governess and raise the children in their huge mansion in Bly with the support of his secretary Ms. Grose (Tara Fitzgerald). Sooner, Anna believes that the ghosts of the former governess Miss Jessel and housekeeper Peter Quint are in the property haunting the children, and she decides to help them to face the spirits and get their souls free.

"In a Dark Place" is an unsuccessful update and unnecessary remake of the classic ghost story "The Innocents". In the original movie, Debora Kerr magnificently performed an ambiguous character while in this remake Leelee Sobieski visibly performs a deranged woman, spoiling the fantastic ambiguity of the original screenplay. If the viewer has not seen "The Innocents", he or she may like "In the Dark Place"; but for those like me that saw the other film, "In a Dark Place" ruins the mysterious atmosphere of the story. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Lugares Escuros" ("Dark Places")