Some people who have read James' novella might be off-put by the changes made here: the change of setting, the change of narrator. However, I find that this adaptation is the most faithful to the source of any I have seen. It conveys the mood, the nature of the spectres, and the bewilderment of the novella extremely well. If you want a grey, word-perfect recitation of the story, you can find it elsewhere, but this captures the nature of the torment better than any other.I do not recommend it for everyone, however, since you have to leave your expectations at the door.

...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 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.