The Woman in Black: From page, to stage, to film

With today’s release of ‘The Woman in Black’, director James Watkins and screenwriter Jane Goldman discuss how they kept up the constant high-level suspense and why they were so relieved when writer Susan Hill was pleased with the script.

Taking on the second longest-running play in the history of the West End, you were aware that there’s a big audience out there who know and love the story. What was the biggest change you made to the play version?

James: Jane’s script and the film are based on the book, so that was very much the source material. The play is very much in a theatrical idiom. The film is much closer in spirit in the book.

What was the secret to the suspense in the film?

James: Susan [Hill], and then Jane, wrote a great story, and that’s at its core. You’re on a journey with a character you care about, and that’s fundamental in so many horror films. I think our film is more of a ghost story, but often horror films are more cynical in their treatment of characters. Then it’s just how you build the suspense, and that’s a very careful collaboration of what happens and how it slowly ratchets up. It’s timing. It’s like creating a joke in a way. It’s how you build, set-up, pay off, release, build a bit more…it’s quite technical! It’s the sense of less means more. It’s a ghost story, so it’s about what you can’t quite see. That mystery, that intrigue. Because that’s what scares people about ghosts. We very much wanted to play that rather than an in-your-face type of Americanised crass and crude aesthetic.

Did you agree with the horror clichés that The Guardian pointed out when dissecting the trailer?

Jane: I think Susan, when she wrote the novel, set out to write something that had all the classic elements of a ghost story, and I guess all of that long and rich tradition has informed movies over the years. I thought it was quite an ill-informed piece actually, because there’s a vast difference between tropes and clichés.

James: Also, traditions.

Jane: There are a lot of things in the trailer that don’t quite portray the film.

James: When was the last British ghost story? Also, doing a screen grab on a trailer? A trailer is a selling tool to sell the film… I’m not going to engage with a review of a trailer, it’s facetious.

Casting someone like Daniel Radcliffe, who is known for one major role, is obviously a big move. Were worried about the expectations?

James: It’s disingenuous to cast someone like Daniel and say you’re not aware of those ten years. And of course you’re aware people have huge associations with Daniel, good or ill. But then we had the fortunate opportunity of getting to meet him. I thought he was very smart and considerate in his response to the film. And he looks fantastic.

Jane: As soon as people see him in it…they’ll know he’s an actor, and a very good one.

James: People that bring a bit of Potter baggage, the people that don’t like the franchise, can come and see the film and judge him on his merits.

There’s a scene where Mrs Daily’s son essentially explains the film, was there any discussion as to whether this was needed?

Jane: In the book and the play, there is an explanation, but it comes from a different character. We cut back an awful lot on the explanation, to the extent that we got notes from an executive saying, “Can you explain more?” [laughs]. The film is really quite sparing of explanation.

If Susan Hill disagreed with a certain scene or part,  would this have been an issue?

James: Of course. We were very fortunate in that she read, and really enjoyed the script, and has been a real ally and support. It was a real relief to both of us actually, to get that endorsement from Susan. It was a real weight off our shoulders, as she knows the material better than anyone, and we wanted to do it justice.

The Woman in Black is released in cinemas today

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