Another of [Ichabod Crane's] sources of fearful pleasure was to pass long winter evenings with the old Dutch wives, as they sat spinning by the fire, with a row of apples roasting and spluttering along the hearth, and listen to their marvellous tales of ghosts and goblins, and haunted fields, and haunted brooks, and haunted bridges, and haunted houses, and particularly of the headless horseman, or Galloping Hessian of the Hollow, as they sometimes called him.

— Washington Irving, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow“

About as True to Irving as It Gets

I have a special affection for the 1999 adaptation of Irving’s tale, going by the same title and directed by Pierre Gang. It’s a cozy, leisurely paced, family-friendly version that comes about as close to the original as I’ve seen. This version is much less Hollywood and much more — let’s go with Canadian, which is where it was cast and filmed.

Despite its faithfulness to Irving, there are some added touches. For instance, there’s a narrative frame involving a stormy night and the arrival at a Tarry Town inn of none other than Geoffrey Crayon. This is the pseudonym/persona Irving uses to weave together his collection The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., which includes “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” In the adaptation, it’s at this rustic inn where a gaggle of old-timers tells Crayon the yarn about a quirky fellow named Ichabod Crane, who passed through the village several years back.

On a dark and stormy night — and beside a cozy fire — Geoffrey Crayon (Paul Hopkins) records the local lore of Sleepy Hollow in his sketch book.

Another twist is Katrina having her own wants and the courage to stand up for them instead simply catering to the wants of her suitors. In Irving’s story, she’s treated as little more than the village’s most attractive candidate for marriage: “a blooming lass of fresh eighteen; plump as a partridge; ripe and melting and rosy-cheeked as one of her father’s peaches.” But in this version, she resolutely rejects Crane’s proposal of marriage, knowing full well that he’s primarily interested in the big farm that’ll come with her and the little babies who’ll come from her. In addition, her desire to visit her ancestral homeland of Amsterdam clashes with Brom Bones’ plan to go west and establish his own farm, making her uncertain about their future together.

Speaking of Brom, one twist that is… well… interesting arrives at the very end. In the original story, Irving concludes with the suggestion that the Headless Horseman who chased Ichabod out of town might very well have been Brom in disguise. Rather than spoil how this version spins that, I’ll just say that those old-timers entertaining Geoffrey Crayon might’ve imbibed too much ale. It’s not a terrible change, mind you. It’s just… interesting.

Speaking of Brom

Regarding Brom Bones, Irving writes:

This rantipole hero had for some time singled out the blooming Katrina for the object of his uncouth gallantries, and though his amorous toyings were something like the gentle caresses and endearments of a bear, yet it was whispered that she did not altogether discourage his hopes.

One of the great things about Irving’s Brom is his mix of uncouthness and gallantry. It makes him a round character with a pinch more complexity than one who’s flat or definable with a single word.

On a not-quite-so dark and stormy night — but beside another cozy fire — Brom Bones (Paul Lemelin) tells of his own encounter with the Headless Horseman

There’s something else going on this adaptation. Brom, played by Paul Lemelin, easily wins the audience’s sympathy over Brent Carver’s wonderfully sputtering, fastidious, sycophantic Ichabod. There’s not much rantipole-ishness to this Brom, and whatever bear-ishness there is winds up being softened with teddy-ishness. This Brom is defined more by lingering boyhood competing with that desire to make his own way in the world with Katrina by his side. One might even see this version as Brom’s coming-of-age story, if one were inclined to put as him at the narrative core.

And true to form, Brom wins Katrina’s hand in marriage (after they resolve their west-or-east travel plans). We rejoin Crayon and the old-timers at the Tarry Town inn, and our evening of fireside-stories-within-fireside-stories ends with a feeling of having been among those listening to a quaintly amusing and curiously soothing tale. I very much recommend this adaptation, and it’s pretty easy to find on streaming formats and elsewhere.

— Tim

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