box office success, making only $7,343,114 in the United States. Critical reception The film has an overall score of 70% on the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 63 critic reviews, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The critics consensus states, "This staid adaptation of The Crucible dutifully renders Arthur Miller's landmark play on the screen with handsome production design and sturdy performances, if not with the political anger and thematic depth that earned the drama its reputation." Victor Navasky of The New York Times wrote that the film was "thought impossible to make during the McCarthy years" due to its allegorical connections to McCarthyism, yet was "probably destined for Hollywood all along". Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a grade of "A", calling the adaptation "joltingly powerful" and noting the "spectacularly" acted performances of Day-Lewis, Scofield, and Allen. Roger Ebert gave the film 2 out of 4 stars, writing that the "story has all the right moves and all the correct attitudes, but there is something lacking at its core; I think it needs less frenzy and more human nature". Philip Thomas of Empire gave the film 5 out of 5 stars, calling it an "almost perfect screen adaptation". Awards and honors The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists: 2008: AFI's 10 Top 10: Nominated Courtroom Drama Film References External links 1996 films 1996 drama films 20th Century Fox films American drama films BAFTA winners (films) Drama films based on actual events Essex, Massachusetts Films scored by George Fenton Films about capital punishment Films about lawyers Films about McCarthyism Films about miscarriage of justice American films based on plays Films directed by Nicholas Hytner Films set in the 1690s Films shot in Massachusetts Films set in Massachusetts Films set in the Thirteen Colonies Films about narcissism Salem witch trials in fiction Films about witchcraft Films with screenplays by Arthur Miller 1990s English-language films 1990s American films