Film Review: The Beguiled (2017)

Vengeful bitches . . .

The Beguiled (15)

Starring: Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning

Director: Sofia Coppola

The Plot: Virginia, 1864. As the American Civil War rages nearby, Miss Martha (Kidman) runs a seminary school for young ladies. When one of her students discovers wounded Union soldier Corporal McBurney (Farrell) in the woods, Miss Martha takes him in rather than hand him over to Confederate forces. As he convalesces, the presence of the handsome soldier begins to have a noticeable effect on the ladies, particularly Edwina (Dunst) and Alicia (Fanning), leading to a dangerous atmosphere of jealousy and betrayal.

Review: Before I begin, I have to hold my hands up and say that I'm a big fan of Sofia Coppola. If you ask a lot of film fans what their favourite of all time is, many of them will find it very difficult to pick one. I don't - mine is The Virgin Suicides, Coppola's directorial debut from 1999. When you look at her body of work (which includes the fantastic Lost in Translation) I would argue that the only real "miss" is 2006's Marie Antoinette. I've been eagerly awaiting The Beguiled since I first learned about it, and as a fan of Coppola, I wasn't disappointed.

This is a slow-burning film in every sense of the phrase, despite it's relatively short running time. The pacing throughout is calm, the build to the drama at it's conclusion is gradual, and the action, when it comes, is itself more about threat than actual violence. I've read reviews of the film criticising it for not having a more dramatic ending to shake up up the sedate pace, but I don't think they quite get it. This is a quiet, ordered world that the women live in, and when danger threatens that world, they respond in the only way that they know how to. I thought it was very fitting that when faced with McBurney's anger and the barrel of a gun, it's their knowledge and intellect (albeit driven by fear) that allows them to resolve the situation, rather than trying to match his physicality.

The film is beautiful to look at, right from the opening shot of one of the younger girls walking down a wide road lined with huge trees covered in hanging moss. The exteriors are gorgeous, sun-dappled shots, the sleepy nature of the location occasionally shattered by the distant thundering of artillery. The interiors, in contrast, are dark and gloomy, and Coppola's choice of a widescreen format makes things feel more cramped when we're indoors. It's a fantastic evocation of time and place, from the location and costuming to the ladies activities - they spend their days alternating between learning what society expected of them at the time (sewing, music, singing, for example) and keeping a lookout for enemy soldiers with a spyglass from the balcony. It makes it all the more understandable why some of them begin to act the way they do when McBurney arrives.

Of the cast, Kidman and Farrell are given the most screen time. Kidman offers a balanced performance as Miss Martha; she's strict and protective of her charges, and the most practical of the women (being the one to treat McBurney's wound and, later on, amputate his leg), but she too is vulnerable to his charms. As loyal Southern ladies she knows their duty is to turn the enemy soldier over to the Confederates, but she chooses not to - her insistence that "Christian charity" is the reason for doing so quickly becomes doubtful as she becomes more taken with their guest, and we sense her uncertainty. Farrell, unleashing his full Irish brogue, is also balanced as the wounded McBurnley, alternating between humble and explosive ("You vengeful bitches!"). He's clearly manipulative with each of the women and begins sowing discord between them, and he feels the amputation to his leg is their revenge for his actions, but it's left to the audience to decide how much of a villain he really is, and whether he gets what he deserves.

Elle Fanning's character Alicia can only be described as horny, a teenager unaccustomed to the presence of men but with no qualms about persuing what she wants, no matter the consequences. The direct opposite to this is Kirsten Dunst's Edwina, who in my opinion gives the best performance of the film. Edwina is quiet, introverted and desperately unhappy, something that she doesn't reveal until McBurney disarms her with a declaration of love. We sympathise with her and why she attaches herself to him, despite his actions in the third act, and it's her that we feel for when the dust finally settles.

Coppola picked up the Best Director prize at Cannes for The Beguiled, and I think it was well-deserved. This isn't the first film to adapt the novel by Thomas Cullinan - a 1971 version exists featuring Clint Eastwood - but through her lens (and script) the film very much becomes about the women rather than soldier, despite Farrell getting top billing. It's a study of how quickly women can turn on each other, but also how quickly they can forgive and rally together when threatened. It's fitting, I feel, that it's the youngest member of the ladies who suggests the deadly solution to their problem at the end.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
A dark, erotically-charged thriller that's beautifully shot. If you go in expecting a grand scale of drama you'll be disappointed, but if you appriecate a slow-burn that's done well then this film is for you. In my opinion this is another feather for Sofia Coppola to add to her cap and a reminder that she's one of the best female directors active today.