Visual Clarification: The Innocents

Like most books to movies, the Innocents relays a lot more than the book does in certain ways, namely body gestures and intonations. However, in a book that is all about subtext and the underlying meaning, I feel that the physical representation adds layers to the story. There are so many things the movie adds to the story I can't even really begin. For one, the initial focus on beauty is astounding. The background setting is breathtaking, and the children are just adorable. It really sets up the "fanciful" world of the novel, a place that is too good to be true. Another point the movie brings up is the utter manipulation of the uncle and the children. Through their body language, blatantly ignoring others and then changing topics, those pauses that are forcefully implemented really get the manipulation across. And all the subtext. Especially when you've already read the book, every line almost sounds as if it could have a double meaning. I think what got me the most is the few moments of true childishness.
The way the movie sets it up, the children are absolute perfection, always happy and glad. But there are two points in the movie that briefly break through the children's masks of perfection, and show their true innocent selves. The first is in a conversation between the governess and Flora. "It's a picture of my family". "Am I in it?" "It's of my family, how could you be in it?" "Oh." There is such a profound and momentary sadness and loss of hope in Flora's response, and it shows how much in truth she just wants a family to belong to, and how it hurts to know she doesn't have it. The second time is when the governess is talking to Miles about his uncle, and he responds that his uncle doesn't care. His perfect charming voice briefly drops, and you can hear the pare and despondancy in his voice. It is these small things that I believe truly make the characters. And in a film of complete subtext, it is these small things that I believe truly reveal the most.