The Crucible (1996 film)

The Crucible is a 1996 drama film written by Arthur Miller adapting his play of the same title, inspired by the Salem witchcraft trials. It was directed by Nicholas Hytner and stars Daniel DayLewis as John Proctor, Winona Ryder as Abigail Williams, Paul Scofield as Judge Thomas Danforth, Bruce Davison as Reverend Parris, and Joan Allen as Elizabeth Proctor. Much of the filming took place on Choate Island in Essex, Massachusetts.

Early morning in 1692 Salem, Massachusetts, some young village girls meet in the woods with a Barbadian slave named Tituba Charlayne Woodard. One of the girls, Abigail Williams Winona Ryder, kills a chicken and drinks the blood, wishing for John Proctors wife to die. They are surprised by Abigails uncle, Reverend Samuel Parris Bruce Davison, who discovers them. As the girls run away, Parris daughter Betty Rachael Bella falls over unconscious.Parris questions Abigail about the events that took place in the woods Betty will not awaken, nor will Ruth Ashley Peldon, the daughter of Thomas and Ann Putnam Jeffrey Jones and Frances Conroy, who was also dancing. This strikes Mrs. Putnam hard as she has had seven other children before Ruth who died at childbirth. In real life, Thomas and Ann Putnam, who both died in 1699, were survived by ten of their twelve children. The Parris household is also visited by Giles Corey Peter Vaughan, who suspects that the children are just acting out, and John Proctor Daniel DayLewis, with whom Abigail had an affair and whose wife she wants dead. Abigail still loves Proctor, but Proctor realizes his mistake and leaves her. The Putnams and Reverend Parris believe that Betty and Ruth are demonically possessed, so they call Reverend John Hale Rob Campbell from Beverly, to examine Betty. To save herself and the other girls from punishment, Abigail claims that Tituba was working with the devil. After a brutal whipping, Tituba confesses to being a witch, and is saved from being hanged. Struck by their new power, the other girls begin naming other women whom they saw with the devil. One of these is Elizabeth Proctor Joan Allen, John Proctors wife. ........

Source: Wikipedia