Emprisonné dans un pensionnat de filles confédérées, un soldat de l'Union blessé se fraye un chemin dans le coeur de chacune des femmes seules, les amenant à se retourner l'une contre l'autr... Tout lireEmprisonné dans un pensionnat de filles confédérées, un soldat de l'Union blessé se fraye un chemin dans le coeur de chacune des femmes seules, les amenant à se retourner l'une contre l'autre et, éventuellement, contre lui.Emprisonné dans un pensionnat de filles confédérées, un soldat de l'Union blessé se fraye un chemin dans le coeur de chacune des femmes seules, les amenant à se retourner l'une contre l'autre et, éventuellement, contre lui.
- Réalisation
- Scénario
- Casting principal
- Abigail
- (as Melody Thomas)
- Janie
- (as Pattye Mattick)
- 1st Confederate Captain
- (as Charles Briggs)
- 2nd Confederate Captain
- (as Charles Martin)
- Soldier
- (as Wayne 'Buddy' Van Horn)
- Confederate Sergeant
- (non crédité)
- Wagon Driver
- (non crédité)
Avis à la une
The basic storyline almost sounds like the makings of a porno film. We have a masculine male suddenly surrounded by young nubile women. Most of them are sexually attracted to him. And he is more than willing to spread the love amongst them. The material never really slips down to the level of "tasteless", however. Eastwood, Siegel, and cinematographer Bruce Surtees are such skilled filmmakers, that the film always retains its dignity.
Eastwood's John McBurney is like no other character he has ever played. McBurney is an amoral, conniving, and lustful charlatan. He knows that most of the women, even the youngest want his bod, and he lets more than one of them have a shot at him. McBurney often uses flattery to butter the women up, then uses his rugged good looks to reel them in. He is like a drunken player at a cocktail party, often hitting on different women even in the same scene! Eventually, his lustful ways cause him great agony and loss in a way you must see for yourselves. This author would not dream of revealing the specific consequences of his actions, but there is little doubt he has them coming.
Eastwood gives a typically great performance. He seems to be having a blast with the role until things turn really ugly, then he turns mean and ugly. Geraldine Page is a treat as the steely B*tch who runs the school. We know she wants McBurney as much as the other girls, but with her checkered past shown to us in flashbacks, we find out that isn't all she's after! Mae Mercer as a slave belonging to the school gives a great performance, too. She obviously knows McBurney is a skunk from the beginning, and she never lets his phony charm bring her guard down. This is a character you will want to know more about after the film is over. She seems to have a greater knowledge of the world than anyone else in the film.
The Beguiled did poorly in its theatrical release. Nobody was quite sure what to make of it, and some of its content no doubt raised a few eyebrows in 1971. For example, in an early scene we see Eastwood romantically kiss a 12-yr-old girl. Is he just trying to keep her quiet when the rebel soldiers get close, or is he really enjoying it? Probably both! A fantasy sequence later on even shows Clint getting it on with not only Page, but her young assistant! Truly some interesting goings on in this one. It's a good thing Eastwood became the star he did, or this one might have been long forgotten.
Highly recommended. 9 of 10 stars.
The Hound.
A 7 out of 10. Best performance = C. Eastwood. Released the same year as DIRTY HARRY, this did no business, beside getting some good reviews. Seek this out unless you're only into "Explosion" films. Very subtle and frightening, this piece will stick with you.
If nothing else "The Beguiled" silenced anyone who said there were no good parts for actresses in movies-at least in 1971. There were four excellent parts for actresses in this film and all were well cast and well executed.
Pamelyn Ferdin did a fine job as Amy and would go on to play "Wanda June". This must have been the first time an adult male box office star shared an extended kiss with a twelve-year-old girl on camera, wonder if there was much controversy about this at the time. It was probably Polanski's favorite scene. Given the fate of Amy's turtle "Randolph", it is no surprise that Ferdin grew up to be a hardcore animal rights activist.
Geraldine Page was likewise excellent, playing a complex character with just the right amount of restraint. It is interesting that she died just three days after Elizabeth Hartman committed suicide (throwing herself through a fifth floor window) as they had also worked together in "You're a Big Boy Now".
Hartman (who looks like she could be Blair Brown's sister) was wonderful as Edwina and should have gotten an Oscar (no other performance was even close that year), but given what we now know about her you wonder just how much of her performance was a studied effort and how much just came from inside her. Edwina shows such raw pain it is difficult to watch. Like Marilyn Monroe's incredible performance in "The Misfits", the viewer is probably seeing a whole lot of her own demons in the character she is playing.
Finally there is Jo Ann Harris who is stunningly perfect as the flirty Carol. For my money Harris was the sexiest actress of the 1970's, combining sensuality with intelligence and humor. She was the best reason to watch the "Most Wanted" television series and the only reason to watch "Wild Wild West Revisited". Hard to believe that someone who could bring all that to the screen never became a big star.
Offbeat , rare and well paced psychological melodrama by the great team formed by Eastwood and Siegel , though disappointed the spectators faithful to his ordinary action films . Maybe the stranger , yet spellbinding combination of two genius -Clint and Donald- ever made , being based on the 1966 novel , "The Painted Devil" by Thomas P. Cullinan . The flick soon develops into a kind of full blood drama , smouldering with intrigue , suspense , tragic events and suppressed passions ; and all of them lead to an unpredictable and startling conclusion . Clint gives a nice acting as a squinty-eyed soldier who arrives in a seminary for young ladies and who soon reveals his opportunist nature . Excellent interpretation from Geraldine Page as zealous ruler , she is a fading Southern woman , brooding over the past , and Elizabeth Hartman as a naive South belle who falls for Eastwood .
Atmospheric and attractive musical score by Lalo Schifrin , including song sung by Clint Eastwood himself . Colorful and evocative cinematography by Bruce Surtees . This daring change of pace for director Donald Siegel was compellingly and methodically made . Being an unusual Donald fare , but for patient audiences a rewarding , rich movie and Siegel's favorite of all his movies . However , being commercially a failure because Universal Studios released it with advertisements that suggested it was an action movie . Siegel directed good films of all kinds of genres as Invasion of body snatchers , Madigan , Charley Varrick , The Shootist , Ríot in cell Block 11 , Flaming star , Big steal , Black Windmill , Private hell , Rough cut , and a lot of movies starred by Eastwood as Escape from Alcatraz , Two mules for Sister Sarah , Coogan's bluff and Dirty Harry
Le saviez-vous
- AnecdotesClint Eastwood and Jo Ann Harris had an affair that continued well after they made the movie.
- GaffesWhen McBurney is playing cards, the deck has both the symbols (hearts, spades, etc.) and the number in the corner. Numbers were not printed on cards until 1864 and it was extremely rare to see a deck with them until 20-30 years after the war.
- Citations
Hallie: Miss Martha said I should shave you. But I ain't so sure.
[examining his face]
Hallie: I don't think the Lord want a man's face all smooth like a baby's bottom. That's why he gave him whiskers. Might be a sin to shave that group off.
Cpl. John McBurney: [huskily] Then don't do it. Sinning oughta be saved for *much* more important things!
Hallie: I better shave you! Miss Martha give me my orders. Not the Lord. And even without whiskers, you wouldn't look half bad - for a white man.
[laughs]
- Versions alternativesThe leg amputation scene was edited by the censors for the film's original UK cinema release. Later releases were uncut and rated 15.
- ConnexionsFeatured in Moviedrome: The Beguiled (1991)
Meilleurs choix
- How long is The Beguiled?Alimenté par Alexa
- What does the title THE BEGUILED mean and how does it fit the movie?
Détails
Box-office
- Montant brut aux États-Unis et au Canada
- 1 100 000 $US
- Montant brut mondial
- 1 113 069 $US
- Durée1 heure 45 minutes
- Couleur
- Rapport de forme
- 1.85 : 1