One of my all time favorites.

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

...but not too good. The story starts with a weak narration in present times, telling a story... Then we flash back to the 1960s and some crazy scenery. The acting in this film is not the best; in fact, the best performances are by the children, who are the most believable characters in the film.This certainly isn't the best adaptation of the novel, but also not the worst.

I was very pleasantly surprised with this adaptation of Henry James novel.It reminds me a little bit Dario Argento's "Suspiria"(1977).Why? Because it's full of wonderful visuals and creepy atmosphere.Some scenes are really chilling without relaying on gore.The acting is pretty good,and Patsy Kensit is really keen on eyes.She is such a beautiful woman!Kudos go also to Rusty Lemonrade-great directing job Rusty,I'm your fan!So if you're in the mood for creepy ghost story don't hesitate to watch it.Recommended!

If you know Henry James' novel and if you know Jack Clayton's first-rate adaptation of this subtle psychological subject, beware this poor adaptation from Rusty Lemorande. No tension at all and Patsy Kensit really is no Deborah Kerr.

If you are thinking of seeing this movie because you liked the story by Henry James, don't bother. The film-makers took every iota of subtlety out of the story and ended up with an overly obvious portrayal of a sexually repressed naive catholic governess' descent into madness. The spirit of the short novel has been abandoned and only a general adherence to the plot is left. Follow the link to external reviews for a more detailed analysis.