The Turn of the Screw

Miles was expelled from his boarding school, though the exact reason is never explicitly revealed in the film. When Ann receives the letter informing her of the expulsion, Mrs Grose insists that Miles is well-behaved and nothing is wrong. The mystery of why Miles was sent away remains ambiguous, though it is later suggested that his exposure to Peter Quint's influence may have contributed to behavior that led to his expulsion.

The expulsion is mentioned early in the film, establishing that Miles has a troubled past that precedes Ann's arrival at Bly.

The film deliberately leaves this ambiguous. Ann sees the ghosts of Peter Quint and Emily Jessel, and other characters also witness some supernatural phenomena, Carla dies after seeing a ghost on the roof, and Miles himself appears to see the figures. However, Dr. Fisher suggests a psychological interpretation, and the staff dismisses Ann's sightings. The framing device of Ann as a patient in a sanatorium reinforces the possibility that her perceptions were distorted, yet the film never confirms either the supernatural or psychological explanation.

The opening therapy session establishes that Ann is a patient whose account may be subject to psychological interpretation.

Emily Jessel was Ann's predecessor as governess at Bly. She is buried in Bly's church after reportedly killing herself. Ann learns that Jessel had a passionate and ultimately tragic relationship with Peter Quint, the former valet. The implication is that Jessel either took her own life out of guilt or despair over the affair, or that her death was connected to Quint's influence.

The discovery of Jessel's grave and suicide deepens the mystery of Bly and connects the present haunting to past events.

Peter Quint was the former valet at Bly who had a sexual relationship with the previous governess, Emily Jessel. The staff reveals that Quint was physically abusive and sexually exploitative. After his death, Ann becomes convinced that Quint's spirit is trying to corrupt and possess Miles, using the boy as a conduit to continue his control. Quint's ghost is first seen on the roof of the estate, and Ann believes he is manipulating Miles throughout the story.

Carla's warning about Quint's abusive past establishes him as a dangerous figure whose influence may extend beyond death.

Miles dies during the confrontation at the lake. Ann watches as Miles, seemingly under Quint's influence, pushes Flora's head underwater. When Ann intervenes, she grapples with a figure that shifts between Quint and Miles. Mrs Grose stops the struggle, and Miles's body goes limp in Ann's arms. The exact cause of death is ambiguous, Ann believes Quint's spirit has taken Miles's life, but it is never clarified whether this is supernatural or a psychological break leading to accidental death.

Throughout the film, Ann warns that Quint is trying to destroy the children, building toward this tragic climax.

After Ann intervenes at the lake and confronts the supernatural presence, Flora tells Ann that she no longer wishes to see her. This rejection suggests that Flora has been fully influenced by Jessel's ghost, just as Ann believes Miles has been controlled by Quint. Flora's withdrawal indicates that the children's allegiances have shifted toward the spectral figures, and they view Ann as an obstacle to their connection with the ghosts.

Earlier, Ann suspects the spirits are trying to turn the children against her.

Peter Quint and Emily Jessel had a passionate but ultimately destructive sexual relationship while both worked at Bly. Quint was physically and sexually abusive toward Jessel. Their affair ended tragically, Quint died (likely in an accident or violent incident), and Jessel killed herself, unable to cope with the aftermath. Ann believes their spirits have returned to Bly to continue their relationship, using the children as vessels for their passion.

Ann learns about their past from Carla, who warns of Quint's violent nature.

During the final confrontation, Miles appears to be possessed by Quint's spirit. When he finally speaks, his voice is described as quint's, not his own, as if Quint is using Miles to communicate. Miles then seemingly breaks free, speaking in his own voice to tell Quint to leave him alone. Moments later, Miles collapses and dies in Ann's arms. This moment suggests either genuine possession or Ann's perception of Miles being overtaken by Quint's influence.

Throughout the film, Ann observes Miles exhibiting behaviors and knowledge that seem beyond his years, suggesting external influence.

Carla, one of the maids at Bly, dies after seeing a ghost. On the night Ann is awakened by the female figure and follows her to Flora's window, Carla falls from the roof after sighting the male ghost. Her death appears to be either a suicide or an accident caused by terror at witnessing the supernatural manifestation. Carla had been fragile due to war trauma, and her death further establishes the reality of the haunting to Ann.

Carla previously warned Ann about the unsettling effects of the war on the staff's psyche, and she was aware of Quint's violent history.

Dr. Fisher, the psychiatrist treating Ann, remains skeptical but open-minded. He does not outright dismiss Ann's account of the haunting, though his training inclines him toward psychological explanations. He seems to accept the plausibility of her story, resisting a purely psychosexual interpretation while acknowledging the limits of his own understanding. His professional doubt lingers throughout, and he grapples with whether Ann experienced genuine supernatural events or a mental breakdown.

The opening scene establishes Fisher as a cautious, rationalist who seeks any possible path to help Ann.

The closing scene shows a new governess arriving at Bly, implying that the cycle will repeat. This mirrors the beginning of Ann's own tenure and suggests that the haunting or the psychological trauma associated with Bly continues to claim new victims. It reinforces the ambiguous and tragic nature of the story, whether the threat is supernatural or psychological, the outcome remains the same, and another young woman has been drawn into the estate's darkness.

The circular structure parallels Ann's initial arrival at Bly, emphasizing the inescapable nature of the tragedy.

Ann initially contemplates leaving Bly after the haunting intensifies and she sees the ghosts. However, when she says goodbye to Miles, she discovers that he also sees the figures and is being affected by them. This compels Ann to stay and fight to protect the children from the supernatural threat she believes is real. Her maternal instinct and sense of responsibility override her fear, leading her to confront the spirits directly.

Miles's revelation that he sees the ghosts motivates Ann's final confrontation.