Handsome and impassioned, vigorously staged by the director of ''The Madness of King George,'' this ''Crucible'' is a reminder of the play's wide reach, which goes well beyond witch trials in any century. As adapted gamely by the playwright into a screenplay that takes advantage of scenic backgrounds and photogenic stars, ''The Crucible'' now speaks to subtler forms of dishonesty and opportunism than it did before.

Janet Maslin

The New York Times

The Crucible is a drama of ideas, but they seem laid on top of the material, not organically part of it.

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times