The Beguiled (1971)

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

The Beguiled (1971)Plot In A Paragraph: While imprisoned in a Confederate girls' boarding school, an injured Union soldier (Eastwood) cons his way into each of the lonely women's hearts, causing them to turn on each other, and eventually, on him.One of my favourite non sequel/western Clint Eastwood movies and it was a total failure at the box office!! Universal inexplicably marketed it as an action flick, using an image with Clint holding a pistol on the poster, despite him not holding a pistol in the movie. We see him fire a rifle during a flashback, but that's it.It's a slow burner, but Clint's performance is full of charm and it's well directed by Don Siegel too. Geraldine Page, Elizabeth Hartman and Pamelyn Ferdin all put in good performances, but it's the gorgeous, 17 year old Jo Anne Harris (who Clint had an affair with) who leaves the biggest impression as the teenage tease Carol. Sadly, this movie didn't even gross $1 million at the domestic box office.

"The Beguiled" follows John McBurney, a fallen Union soldier in the American Civil War who is reluctantly taken in at a rural girls' school in Mississippi. The headmistress, Martha, agrees to keep him there until his health has been restored. John begins to woo each of the women in the house, but his flirtations and manipulations land him in dangerous territory as the household begins to come apart at the seams.Directed by frequent Eastwood collaborator Don Siegel ("Dirty Harry"), this little-seen but much- loved thriller is a potent blend of Southern Gothic and psychosexual drama. All of its strengths aside (and there are many), "The Beguiled" is one of those rare films that plays a variety of different ways without ever really committing itself to one. It could be read as a meditation on the war, a feminist parable, an outright horror film, or even all three (and more) at once. It never quite leans one way or the other; it's just as much a feminist film as it is anti-feminist; just as much horror as it is drama. The screenplay, based on Thomas Cullinan's novel, is left open-ended. What we have before us is ultimately a character study on sexuality and human desire, and the way it's read it depends on individual perspective.The film begins with a haunting credit montage that plays over disturbing historical photos of the war. Sounds of horses, gunfire, and screaming narrate the credit sequence, which sets a tone of unease and instability from the first frame. The film is saturated with an oppressive Gothic atmosphere that underpins an array of situations between Eastwood and the women in the house— even the lighter (sometimes even darkly humorous) moments hint toward an impending reckless abandon. Moody cinematography accentuates the unease, and several haunting POV shots from Eastwood as he is carried by the women into the house (and later, into the dining room in one of the film's most famous and most violent scene) are unforgettable.Eastwood, who made a career for himself as a hyper-masculine sex bomb in his early years, plays against character—here, he is physically helpless, resorting to emotional manipulation that eventually backfires. His performance is memorable, though his character, despite being the film's center, seems to be given far less screen time in comparison to the rest of the female cast. Geraldine Page gives one of the best performances of her career as the sexually repressed headmistress who has a questionable romantic history. Page is terrifying and at times sympathetic, but, like the film as a whole, can never quite be pinned down, and that's part of her brilliance. Elizabeth Hartman is fantastic as well as the meek schoolteacher who wins Eastwood's affections, and Jo Ann Harris plays a Civil War Lolita who is as devious as she is charming. Pamelyn Ferdin is also striking in her performance as the youngest of the girls, and the catalyst for what brings Eastwood into the house, and eventually, out of itOverall, "The Beguiled" is something of an unsung classic. The strength of its performances alone is enough to warrant multiple viewings, but the ambiguity of its moral stance (if there even is one), and its candid yet dithering narrative make it an even more compelling watch. It's tense, hauntingly beautiful, and also downright unnerving in unexpected ways. Regardless of how it's read, the presentation is flawless. 10/10.

"The Beguiled" is certainly unusual - but rewarding - Clint Eastwood fare. It's an extremely sordid melodrama that dips its toes a little into the horror genre. It's extremely well acted, stylishly made - with Clints' frequent collaborator Don Siegel in the directors' chair - and often sexy and sinister in equal measure. It's nice to see Clint take chances like this with his projects, but then he's always been a very interesting leading man. (Another Clint vehicle that's somewhat in this vein is 1984s' "Tightrope".) The period recreation is sound, and there are also doses of sex and gore in this film that earns its R rating.Clint plays Yankee officer John McBurney, severely wounded during the latter days of the Civil War. He's discovered by Amy (Pamelyn Ferdin), a child who escorts him back to her girls' school. The staff, led by Martha (Geraldine Page), agree to keep him there basically for the purpose of nursing him back to health before he can be surrendered to Rebel troops and taken to prison. However, Johns' arrival in this female setting is the trigger for an escalating series of ugly incidents as the male stranger cons his way into the hearts of some of the ladies.Clint is impressive as he puts a smarmy and self-serving spin on his screen charisma. Page and Elizabeth Hartman likewise impressed this viewer with their takes on these vulnerable characters. The child actresses are all good without being overly cutesy. Jo Ann Harris is the sexpot teenager Carol, and Darleen Carr the rigid Doris. Mae Mercer is able to play her slave character of Hallie with dignity, and she really holds her own in confrontations with Clint. Ferdin is appealing in the role of the girl who gets the ball rolling in terms of plot. Melody Thomas Scott (of 'The Young and the Restless' fame) is another of the girls; character actor Matt Clark has a small role.Highly memorable stuff, with very quick flashback cuts that add to the somber quality of this tale by Thomas Cullinan.Eight out of 10.

Back Before Clint Eastwood succumbed to Over-Adulation and Unwarranted Praise He did His Best Work under the Tutelage of Good Director's like Sergio Leone and Don Siegel. Here between the Spaghetti Westerns and Dirty Harry came this Underseen and Under-appreciated Oddball Film. A Sexy, Gothic, Horror Story set in the Civil War about a Wounded Soldier taken In by an All Girl's School who becomes the Center of Attention and the Outlet for Repressed Sexual Desires. Eastwood Plays the Villainous Viper for all its worth and Manipulates the Females Stroking Libido after Libido until All are Under His Spell. Or is it the Other Way Around?This is a Disturbing and Daring Film that still Resonates and Repulses Today. A Forgotten Film that was a Flop among the more Categorical Output from Clint at the Time. It's an Art Film and has a Distinctive European Flavor. The Movie Plays on the Edge from the very Beginning and it is an Ensemble of Effective Acting from All involved. Even Eastwood Stretching His ability to the limit Succeeds as His Lack of Talent is always Pulling Him back. That's a Testament to the Power of the Story and His Co-Stars.Overall, a Very Distinctive One of a Kind for Eastwood, and even Director Don Siegel Stretches to make this a Unique Experience. Siegel says its His Favorite Directorial Effort. One can See why. It is so Demanding and Off Beat and Everyone involved Came Together to make this a Cunning and Crafty Picture. It is an Unsung and Obscure Gem.