The Beguiled finds Corporal John McBurney, Union soldier during the American Civil War, recovering in an all-girls seminary, after retreating into the Virginia forest during battle after suffering a severe leg injury. John is discovered by student Amy (Oona Lawrence) who takes him to the headmistress Miss Martha (Nicole Kidman) to recover. His presence in the seminary leads to temptation and rivalry as the young vie for his attention.
The main theme explored in The Beguiled is that of temptation and desire, particularly for those that inhabit an insular world. From the moment that John enters the seminary, the effect that his presence has on the young ladies who have only had each other for so long is evident. They begin to dress differently, seek his attention and affection in obvious ways, and interact with each other in more hostile, aggressive ways. The curiosity sparked by the foreign and unfamiliar awakens a desire for new experiences apart from what has become mundane. Teacher at the seminary Miss Ellie (Kirsten Dunst) displays this the most, quickly succumbing to John’s charms and the allure of a life outside the seminary and with someone of the same age and the opposite sex. Once things head south and John reveals that is he different from the man he pretended to be, Ellie still can’t let the promise of what could be go, sneaking off to sleep with him immediately after he threatens to kill one of the women. Director Sofia Coppola seemingly hints at this during a final scene at the dinner table when the women, sans Ellie, decide to rid themselves of John once and for all. John and Ellie enter the dining room in darker clothing, contrasting with the lighter, more colorful wardrobe of the other women. She has made her choice and it is to leave the seminary and world that she has been in and be with John.
The subtext of the film is how John’s manipulative seduction of the young women, and his about face after they amputate his leg in an effort to save his life, is an allegory for how men treat women objects and a means to satisfy their own wants and needs. From the moment John wakes up in the seminary, he is reading each of the women present, looking for openings to charm his way into their hearts and minds, so that he can accomplish what he wants, which is to stay permanently, away from the war. He plays on the fact that he is the first male presence many of the young women have been around in quite some time, or ever in the case of the youngest ones. He plays on their loneliness and even acquiesces to Miss Martha’s sternness as a way of breaking her down. This manipulation leads to competition and passive aggressive pettiness amongst a group of women that were previously harmonious. In the turning point of the film, the amputation of John’s leg, and his feeling as if he’s lost his manhood as a result, make it clear that his niceties toward the women has been hinged on his ability to use his masculinity to dominate them and be in control. Once he feels as if that’s been lost, he turns on the women with violent outbursts and threats, accusing them of “taking his manhood” due to their own desire for him and anger at his rejection of them. Once the women were no longer pawns to be led around by him, the facade dropped and he transformed into another person. This subtext is one that has been explored in a couple films so far this year and, given the nature of our current times, will be explored many more times in the coming years.
The Beguiled is wonderfully acted by its ensemble, with Farrell, Dunst, and Kidman sure to be at the forefront of awards talk for the rest of the year. Dunst in particular is convincing as a young woman secretly yearning for a life outside of what she has, making her susceptible to the slightest temptation. Farrell also deftly portrays a man skillful at manipulation and sensing the vulnerabilities present in people and how to use them to his advantage. The film also featured two of my favorite young actresses in Elle Fanning (as Alicia, John’s second most aggressive suitor) and Angourie Rice (Jane). I was disappointed that they didn’t give Rice more to work with; I’ve been such a fan of her potential following her amazing performance in 2016’s The Nice Guys where she outshined both Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe. There was one scene with her and Farrell where she got to show off some of her chops but overall, her character was just a simple supporting one. Fanning once again shows that she has mastered the character of a young woman with an underlying hint of deviousness present in her personality. Oona Lawrence was a pleasant surprise as Amy, convincingly playing an innocent young girl whose encounter with a nice older man awakens her burgeoning womanhood while still keeping much of her childhood innocence. The entire ensemble cast makes what could’ve easily been a dry, slow plot with other actors into a very engaging watch that never seems slow or uninteresting. Kudos to the direction and writing of Coppola, as well as casting directors Courtney Bright and Nicole Daniels.
The Beguiled is a well paced and written film that features great acting and some nice uses of tension. I liked both the theme of the film and the subtext and the pacing and length work perfectly with the story it tells. There is a tendency these days to make period piece arthouse films such as this two hours or longer but Coppola smartly realized that there was no need for the story to go on longer than it has to, making for a stronger watch. The Beguiled is definitely worth of your time.
Image: Focus Features
