The beguiled
Screenwriters: Albert Maltz and Irene Kamp, from the novel by Thomas Cullinan
Cast: Clint Eastwood , Geraldine Page, Elizabeth Hartman, Jo Ann Harris
Thematic interest: repression, obsession
Synopsis:
During the American Civil War, John McBurney, a soldier in northern troops, is injured. Death saves him from a girl who leads him to a school for girls governed solely by women. Martha, the director decides to take care of him until his wound heals, which will force him to go on crutches for a while and then plans to deliver to the southern authorities, but is putting off the idea, fearing that means a death sentence, and perhaps also because, like the rest of the teachers and students of the boarding school, is attracted to him.
Comment:
John is enclosed in a group of attractive women who are both their saving and their jailers. Recovering from serious injuries, is totally at their mercy: they can at any time send him to military prison, where he died in all likelihood. In a very shrewd, takes advantage of what is commonly called the arms of women, although men also sometimes used: seduction. We can guess from the beginning that John is a rascal and a troublemaker well aware of its appeal and was probably used to playing with women and in civilian life, but now depends on the ability of their game to stay alive.
The first element in this story interesting is that we see a man seen as sexual objects in a way very similar to 
as is the female characters in traditional stories. Unable for his convalescence from using any other talent apart from the seduction and forced to accept a passive role, John is girl in the movie. Women, meanwhile, are shown as desiring subjects and sexual predators, reversing again the classic gender roles. Finally put on the table, something very unusual for almost 40 years, women have a sexuality and feel desire. It is true that this desire and this reversal of roles is seen as something negative and threatening, but would have to discuss whether what is presented as something unhealthy is sexuality in women or rather the suppression of the sexuality in the strict boarding school in action takes place.
The seductive
is a cloudy film that enjoys wallowing in the rough: Martha, director of the internship, repress their sexuality because of the incestuous relationship he had with his brother, whom we see in flashbacks go back of all women at your fingertips. Abandoned by him, his repressed desire is directed both to the attractive prisoner of the north and to his right hand in the business, Edwina. His proposition to become his partner at the beginning of the film makes us feel something more than a job offer, and that lesbian attraction is shown clearly in the dreams of Martha. When two objects of desire, John and Edwina, attract each other, Martha will take revenge by becoming the personification of castration.
The film would have easily provided simply misogynist and morbid fantasy, especially given the lack of subtlety with which the script makes obvious sexual metaphors, but for the ambiguous character of Clint Eastwood. The good work of the actor prevents easy identification of the viewer with the victim's captivity, a simpleton scheme in which if fell Misery, another story of castrating women with much in common with it, in this story there are no good or bad all lie and use others, though some have upper hand and hold power, in this case matriarchal, and the other uses the picaresque to subvert that power. Top Scenes
:
- saving John and his little hiding from troops in the south. The soldier asks the young girl her age. When she meets twelve years, John replies that it is old enough to be kissed and gives his first kiss on the mouth. This scene, which went unnoticed at the time, would be absolutely unthinkable in a current movie.
- expected Martha to John in his bedroom after having had the key to be present in it overnight. The soldier goes completely naked and placed in the bed of the woman. Soon discovered a third occupant in the bed: it is Edwina, the scene is happening only in the dreams of Martha.
- John does not believe that the cause of the amputation of his leg was therapeutic but sees it as a punishment and a symbolic castration by Martha. When a woman gives laudanum to relieve pain, replies: better not, lest I fall asleep and make you to cut .... (eloquent pause) ... the other leg.
- Apparently the project was the brainchild of Clint Eastwood himself, seduced by the novel on which the film is based. Both he and Don Siegel, the director, had to fight to keep the end they wanted for the story, from the pressures of the production.
- According to IMDB, Siegel said this is his favorite among his films as director.
- However, the production company tried to launch the film as a western action and the box office did not respond when faced with something very different from what was announced by advertising.
Don Siegel (Chicago 1912 - California 1991) studied in England before starting a career as a director of B movies, among them probably the most remembered is the original version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers . From the 60's would specialize in westerns and action movies that made him famous, especially those featuring their favorite actor, Clint Eastwood, as The human jungle, Dirty Harry or Two Mules for Sister Sara . Links:
IMDB
The picky
Cinemascope Film Blog
