Review: ‘The Beguiled’ captivates characters before it all goes wrong (Includes first-hand account)

During war times in the 19th century and earlier, the men would all leave and the women would ban together in an effort to protect their homes and families. While the men faced the carnage of battle, the women faced their own hardships with supply shortages, pillaging soldiers and tending large pieces of land alone. This was the case during the Civil War, in which men of all ages and races were sent to kill each other while the women were delivered news of their deaths. In The Beguiled, a Southern all-girl’s school becomes host to an injured Yankee solider near the end of the conflict.

Miss Martha’s (Nicole Kidman) palatial school for young women is located on the edges of a woods on a large piece of land that has been mostly neglected. Along with a teacher, Edwina (Kirsten Dunst), she has kept the institute open for a small group of girls with nowhere else to go. One day when Amy (Oona Laurence) is foraging for mushrooms in the woods, she is startled by a wounded Yankee named Corporal McBurney (Colin Farrell) who asks for help. Unable to leave him, she carries him back to the school where Miss Martha must decide what to do with him. It’s agreed they will mend his leg and then turn him over to the regularly passing Confederate army. But in the coming weeks, they let each opportunity to turn him in pass as all the ladies become enamoured with the handsome, smooth-talking Irishman… though eventually, he probably wishes they had turned him in.

Director Sofia Coppola creates exquisite female-led movies with excellent casts that challenge gender norms and relate captivating stories. Reversing roles in this instance, it’s the Southern belles who are peacocking for their manly guest. Each of them consistently attempts to spend additional time with the Corporal or spy him through a crack in the door. However, the more time he spends there recuperating, the more comfortable everyone becomes with his presence. When he’s invited to dine with them, all the ladies don their finest attire as if attending a special event rather than just another dinner at the school. And their version of a pissing contest involves them one-upping each other regarding their contributions to the meal.

“You are not a guest here.” #TheBeguiled pic.twitter.com/MQtXGCkEI2

— The Beguiled (@beguiledmovie) June 25, 2017

But the soldier is also smart enough to understand his future depends on these women and his maintaining their favour. Therefore, he’s attentive to each of his visitors; telling them what they wish to hear and assuring them of his affection. But unlike men who would sooner turn on each other than admit defeat, regardless of who McBurney chooses they will blame him — and since he chooses most wrongly, he is inadvertently punished most severely.

As their relationships are out of necessity more than anything else, there is little camaraderie shown in between their necessary interactions of chores and lessons. In fact, even in those situations, they can often be seen sneering behind each other’s back or rolling their eyes. Miss Martha and Edwina have a strained rapport as the teacher is often treated as another one of the children in spite of her age and position. Similarly, as Alicia (Elle Fanning) is the eldest student, she is most threatened by and the biggest threat to her instructors.

The direction of this story is relatively surprising, though the conclusion is both unjust and inevitable.

Director: Sofia Coppola
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst and Elle Fanning

Similar Posts

  • Review: ’45 Years’ is a slow burn that leaves an indelible mark (Includes first-hand account)

    People always marvel at couples whose relationships have lasted several decades, let alone a half-century or more. The subjects of their admiration often admit it hasn’t been perfect, but it’s been good enough that they still want to be together. The less inspirational response asks, “Who wants to start again after x number of years?” After so long, it’s easy to assume you know everything there is to know about your partner and there couldn’t possibly be any surprises left… at least certainly not anything earth-shattering. Unfortunately that theory is proven false in 45 Years.

  • Review: No shortage of explosions in ‘London Has Fallen’ (Includes first-hand account)

    The premise of so many Hollywood action movies is defending American values from terrorist threats. Typically, one lone man who embodies the courage and skills expected of an American hero risks life and limb to defeat ill-matched bad guys and save the day. While they try to hopelessly eliminate him, he racks up a body count. There’s nothing as simultaneously silly and inspiring as watching the enemy fall at his feet… as he walks in plain view but miraculously avoids injury. London Has Fallen is the sequel to just such a movie in which Secret Service Agent Mike Banning is called upon to do it all over again.

  • Review: ‘Furious 7’ gives fans everything they want and then some (Includes first-hand account)

    When the first film premiered in 2001, there was a lot of uncertainty whether The Fast and the Furious would launch a successful franchise — a theory the second film did not do much to refute as it focused on only one-half of the dynamic duo that propelled the original. Though none of the early characters appear in the third film, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift breathed new life into the franchise. The fourth film‘s reunion unleashed a can of NOS and it hasn’t slowed down since. In Furious 7, the story is looping in on itself and doing everything required of a successful series.

  • Review: ‘Boy and the World’ is a sad, wondrous and vivid journey (Includes first-hand account)

    To a child, the world is both full of wonder and anxiety; unknowns are both exciting and frightening; the wide open space outside their front door both calls for exploration and holds the terrifying possibility of becoming lost. The desire to understand is often overwhelming, even though the answer may exist beyond their grasp. In the Oscar-nominated animated film, Boy and the World, a child sets out alone to find out why his father has not returned home.