The Beguiled
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Geraldine Page
Director: Don Siegel
1971
Old stagers Eastwood and Siegel reteam and go all American Gothic in this dark, atmospheric tale of an injured Civil War infantryman finding refuge in a girl’s boarding school in Louisiana. The wily soldier charms and plays the students and teachers off against each other in order to extend his stay and save himself from being handed over to Confederate troops. Things go from bad to worse as his plan unravels, ultimately leading to a grim and unexpected conclusion. Siegel’s use of claustrophobic direction pays off in spades, as does spooky Southern mansion setting and jarring sound design. A fantastic mood piece with plenty of suspense and subtext. Sparse opening and closing theme song sung by Clint himself doesn’t hurt either.
8/10
