According to the Crucible- Faith Combs

“Reel” v. “Real” According To the Crucible
     Have you ever read a book, then watched the movie and you realize that they are very contrasting? This idea is relevant when comparing history and the motion picture presentation, The Crucible. In other words, the film contradicted The Salem Witch Trials for the interest of the spectators.
     There are several odd scenes in The Crucible that are blown out of proportion to please the audience. The opening scene is an example of a “reel” section. The play, directed by Arthur Miller, did not perform this clip, but spoke of it so the audience could use their imagination to fill in the blanks. Like one would do if the motion picture left this part out. Instead, the play opened with Reverend Parris kneeling beside Betty Parris, his daughter’s bed. The film, on the other hand, showed naked dancing in a forest at the dead night and biting live chickens under a full moon. I don't think Puritan children would ever think of doing these things. Yes, maybe dancing but biting a chicken and smearing blood over a child’s face? That is purely an attention seeking part of the film. Another false scene was a short segment where a goat had escaped and was found in Rebecca Nurse's garden. This was “proof” that she was a witch. Even inaccurate, it explained how spectral evidence was used, and how foreign it sounds to us. In history, on the other hand, Rebecca Nurse was called a witch for an incident that had happened three years before her trial where her neighbor’s pigs had gotten into her garden. Just a slight difference.
     The drama within the clique of girls was over emphasized for a “reel” affect. The children made quite a fuss, since they did accuse many people but it's unlikely that they threatened each other's lives in real life. It might have been implied that the girls should follow Abigail Williams, but the “I will kill you if you tell” scene was just for the audience’s enjoyment. It's hard to see young Puritan ladies threatening each other for tattle-taling on their game. Also, I do not think that the part of the film where one of the girls were trying to fly out of the window was very accurate, according the history. The child might have been distraught from losing a mother, and also the pressure on her from the other girls, but it seems odd that she would go from lying on her bed, not saying anything, to trying to jump out of her window in a matter of seconds. This was dramatized and for “reel” purposes only. Another part, was the drama of Mr. Proctor and Abigail Williams. The movie showed how Abigail fell for John but he did not love her, he loved his wife. How could this be? In reality, John Proctor was 60 years old and Abigail, just 11. The story of a young mischievous girl falling for a strong family man just doesn't play out.
     The film blew up several scenes including the opening scene, which added a grand Hollywood effect. It also over dramatized a love affair as well as how the children acted. Although many of the movie’s aspects were falsified, it gave the modern day movie viewer a good feel for the Salem Witch Trials.