The Beguiled
Dir: Sophia Coppola
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, Colin Farrell, Oona Laurence, Angourie Rice, Addison Riecke, and Emma Howard
In the midst of the summer blockbuster season, it’s understandable that we would get a remake or ten. So why am I making this statement in review about Sophia Coppola’s “The Beguiled”, because, unknown to a few people, it’s a remake of a Don Siegel directed film of the same title from 1971, which starred Clint Eastwood. “The Beguiled” is one of Mr. Eastwood’s most overlooked and severely underrated films. A tale that straddles the line of horror and melodrama, it offered Mr. Eastwood an opportunity to take a break from the western hero character that had defined his early work and ushered in a transition for the actor to become the updated hero with a gun in “Dirty Harry”.
Sophia Coppola has quite a career already; “The Virgin Suicides” and “Lost in Translation” are two highlights that display the director’s talented eye for filmmaking. It may seem obvious to those that are familiar with Ms. Coppola’s catalog to understand why she would remake “The Beguiled”, the director has a particular talent for crafting strong and complicated female leads but also creating an interesting and multifaceted ensemble. Ms. Coppola’s version of “The Beguiled” is a captivating work, one that is beautifully photographed and filled with absorbing characters.
Ms. Coppola’s style of filmmaking is restrained and quiet at times, ethereal in the way the narrative and camera evokes emotion from certain scenes and characters. The entire location is immersed in a haze of canon smoke; you can feel the destruction and isolation of the world around them. The design of the environment is exceptional, many times resembling a fairy tale in certain moments.
Unfortunately Ms. Coppola’s effort erases a significant aspect of this time period, chiefly the aspect of slavery. While the film never makes it a point to let the politics of the world surrounding the plantation to invade, aside from a few Confederate soldiers who stop by momentarily, this film is content to stay with the women and their uninvited guest.
“The Beguiled” is a beautifully composed film, a signature quality of Ms. Coppola’s style in crafting scenes and establishing an environment. While the energy in the film wanes slightly at times, in the steady hands of Ms. Coppola it’s still a haunting and subversive take on the original story.
Monte’s Rating
4.00 out of 5.00
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