Tag: Reese Witherspoon

The Legacy of Bridget Bishop and the “Witches” of Salem

Salem witch trial
Bridget Bishop

On June 10, 1692, Bridget Bishop became the first person hanged in Salem, Massachusetts after being accused of being a witch. By the end of the year, a total of nineteen innocent men and women had been hanged –and one man had been pressed to death — as a result of the Salem witch trials.

Hysteria around accusations of witchcraft were not unique to Salem and occurred around the world.  But the Salem executions remain prominent in America’s history. There are various theories about the conditions and rivalries that led to the accusations of witchcraft and the government’s condoning of the executions.

The Crucible

Although the U.S. does not hang people for being witches today, the Salem witch trials are still invoked for modern day forms of hysteria. Playwright Arthur Miller used a dramatic interpretation of the Salem witch trials to comment on the witch-hunting of his own time. His play The Crucible opened in 1953.  This fictionalized version of the Salem witch trials provided a commentary on the American government’s hunt for communists during Miller’s time.

Director Nicholas Hytner turned Miller’s play into a movie in 1996. The film version of The Crucible stars Daniel Day-Lewis, Winona Ryder, Paul Scofield, and Joan Allen.

At the time of the movie’s release, Miller wrote an essay in The New Yorker, “Why I Wrote ‘The Crucible.'” In the article, he explained that when he wrote the play over the course of a year, he also thought of other recent events of national insanity, like the Nazis in Germany. He also noted that the play continued to be relevant to later events in Joseph Stalin’s Russia, Mao Zedong’s China, and Augusto Pinochet’s Chile.

In his essay, Miller further explained, “below its concerns with justice the play evokes a lethal brew of illicit sexuality, fear of the supernatural, and political manipulation.” The play remains relevant as a reminder to stand up against hysteria and tyranny.

The West Memphis 3

A few years before the release of the film version of The Crucible, similar concerns about justice, illicit sexuality, fear of the supernatural, and political manipulation arose in the prosecution of the West Memphis 3. That case involved three young men convicted of the 1993 murders of three boys in West Memphis, Arkansas.

In the case, where some evoked parallels with the Salem with trials, the three accused eventually were released.  Documentaries had helped create supporters for the three young men.

One of the three young men in the West Memphis 3 case, Damien Echols, was sentenced to death.  Echols dressed and believed differently than others in the Arkansas community. Many believed his differences contributed to the reason he was prosecuted and sentenced to death.

After Echols was released from prison, he moved to Salem, Massachusetts. He explained, “Due to its history, Salem’s like a mecca for people in any form of alternative spirituality.”

A recent movie, Devil’s Knot (2013), tells the story of the West Memphis 3 in a dramatic retelling. That film, by chance or intent, was released on DVD in 2014 on the June 10 Salem anniversary.

Devil’s Knot, which stars Colin Firth and Reese Withspoon, is a decent introduction to the West Memphis 3 case and features a strong performance by Witherspoon.  But the movie may try to do too much. And it is hard to beat the outstanding Paradise Lost documentaries.

The three documentaries are worth seeking out (the first of which currently is on YouTube).  But viewers should be prepared that the films evoke strong emotions in recounting the horrible murders and problematic justice system. Similarly, the 1996 movie version of The Crucible features fine acting and remains a powerful reminder that injustice is not confined to one time period.

The Legacy of Salem

Bridget Bishop was around sixty years old when she went to the gallows. But we do not know what she thought as the executioner put a noose around her neck this week in 1692.

Perhaps the residents of Salem failed to stop the execution because of their own fears. Perhaps they would not risk their own lives for someone who was “different” because she had been married three times, frequented taverns, and did not dress like other Puritans.

But I wish Ms. Bishop could have known that she and the other condemned “witches” would not be forgotten.  And I wish they could know that they continue to challenge us and make us question our beliefs more than three hundred years later.

Bridget Bishop picture via public domain. Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    Jewel as June

    jewel ring of fire

    In an upcoming LIfetime biopic, Ring of Fire, Jewel plays Johnny Cash’s wife June Carter. This clip gives an idea of Jewel’s performance. While it is not surprising that Jewel has the singing chops on such songs as “Wildwood Flower,” it is interesting to see her capturing Carter’s humor. It will be hard to top Reese Witherspoon’s fine performance in Walk the Line (2005), but Carter deserves her own film and this clip shows the film has potential. Check it out.

    The movie is based on the book, Anchored In Love, by Johnny and June’s son, John Carter Cash. Ring of Fire premieres on May 27.

    For a bonus video, check out the Carter family singing the same “Wildwood Flower” song in 1990 in this video, featuring June, Helen, and Anita Carter.

    Will you watch Jewel as June Carter? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    Missed Movies Roundup: Contrasting East vs. West Edition

    Below are some good reviews of some good movies that we liked that you might have missed. Both of these movies, which are very different, are available on Blu-Ray and DVD.

    How Do You Know Reese Witherspoon How Do You Know (2010) seemed to fly mostly under the radar as just another romantic comedy, perhaps partly because of the generic-sounding name. It bombed with critics and bombed at the box office, perhaps partly due to poor marketing, as explained in The Washington Post. But How Do You Know was written and directed by James L. Brooks, who also directed and co-wrote screenplays for As Good As it Gets (1997) and Terms of Endearment (1983). And like those two movies, How Do You Know features Jack Nicholson, although in a smaller role than the previous films. While How Do You Know does not live up to those predecessors, it does have a touch of the Brooks magic in that it is not a predictable romp with two-dimensional characters like so many modern romantic comedies. The film features nice performances by Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson, and Paul Rudd. If you have high expectations, though, you might agree with Manohla Dargis at The New York Times that it is “an airless, sometimes distressingly mirthless comedy.” Okay, the reviews are pretty much horrible (except this one from Australia’s Sydney Morning Herald). At the beginning of the film, I felt like something was missing, but as it went on, it was entertaining. It is not great, but if you are looking for a decent romantic comedy and go into it with modest expectations, you might be pleasantly surprised by this film.

    Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring (2003) has critics and audience ratings of 90+% on the Rotten Tomatoes website. I do not think everyone will love it, and suspect that the high rating among audience members is because the people who would see this movie are the ones who would like it. Among others, Movie Habit gives the movie a good review. The South Korean film starts off with a boy being raised by a monk in an isolated area, and it follows the boy as he grows into a man. The movie has dialogue, but not a lot, so it is almost like watching a silent movie in a beautiful setting full of symbolism. I am still trying to decide how much I like it, but unlike How Do You Know, I will remember this one for a long time.

    {Missed Movies is our continuing series on good films you might have missed because they did not receive the recognition they deserved when released.}

    What did you think of How Do You Know and of Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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