THE BEGUILED: CLASSIC SOUTHERN GOTHIC TALE

 

    

 

 
By 1971 Clint Eastwood had solidly placed himself into the role of superstar. With his “man with no name” films, WHERE EAGLES DARE, HANG ‘EM HIGH and KELLY’S HEROES among his roles it was time for him to try something different than the usual tough guy role. Surprisingly the offer came from longtime friend and director Don Siegel who placed him in his new picture THE BEGUILED.

Bases on the novel by Thomas Cullinan, Eastwood plays John McBurney, a wounded Union soldier in Mississippi who is found in the woods by Amy (Pamelyn Ferdin), a 12 year old from the nearby Miss Martha Farnsworth Seminary for Young Ladies. She helps him to the gate of the school where Mrs. Farnsworth (Geraldine Page) at first tells the girls to signal the confederate soldiers he is there. Taking pity on him in his condition she changes her mind and they take him to the house.

There she tends to his wounds, agreeing to allow him to stay locked in the music room until he heals. This mission of mercy will soon set into motions things not foreseen by anyone. As John begins to heal and get his strength back the young girls begin to take an interest in him, especially the slightly older ones. They aren’t experienced with men having not been around them.

Among them is Edwina (Elizabeth Hartman), the young schoolmistress who has never had so much as a boyfriend. She is in line to take over the school when Martha retires. Also interested in 17 year old Carol (Jo Ann Harris), a girl who’s had experience with boys in the past. Her attraction is the most straight forward.

Using the interests of the girls to his advantage John plays one against the other to get the things he wants. It might be a walk around the house, attention or something he needs. He is a manipulator and will do what he needs to get buy. We learn this as he tells them the story of how he was wounded, played side by side with what truly took place.

As the story progressed the girls begin to change in their behavior and attitudes. Jealousies erupt and things take a turn for the worse. This results in something happening to John that will take the story into a dark and twisted place that no one will return from untouched.

I had always heard of this movie and never had the chance to see it. Thanks to Kino Lorber it’s now available on blu-ray. The movie provides Eastwood a chance to give a performance his previous films didn’t allow. They let him act. Not the stone faced killer of so many movies he’d done previously but in a role that allows him to be the most disgusting person you can imagine. For someone early in his career it was a risk and one that paid off at least as an actor.

The rest of the cast is superb as well. Page was already well established by the time she made this movie and she does an amazing job here as the headmistress with a terrifying secret she’s kept from all. Hartman handles the job of schoolmarm discovering her urges convincingly. And Harris is the sultry young girl who more than likely came from the wrong side of the tracks who kicks the whole strange situation into gear as the film moves forward.

The movie wasn’t well received when first released in main part due to the studio, Universal, not being quite sure how to promote the film. Eastwood was by this time and action star but this was not an action film. The marketing was terrible and the film fell flat. Eastwood blamed the studio and once his contract was up with them left them behind. But people have discovered the film since that initial release and are now finding it worth watching. So much so that the film was remade.

The film has some dark moments in it and is not something one would suggest young viewers take a look at. But adults will find this movie interesting, more than most will expect. And you’ll see Eastwood performing with his skills as an actor instead of a gun. It also marks a different kind of movie for director Don Siegel. Most associate him with INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS or DIRTY HARRY. This one allows him to try something new as well. The end result is pretty interesting.

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