I saw Don Siegel's version many years ago on TV and thought it was great: A surprising, slightly subversive tale of a macho killed by sexually repressed women. I knew nothing about the story before and expected a Clint Eastwood western, but it was something else, something much better: It's like a Southern Gothic Tale told by Ingmar Bergman.
It has similarities to Bergman's masterpiece "Cries and Whispers" (1972) - the closed setting in a house and many women in psycho-sexual conflicts - but "The Beguiled" (1971) was written and shot earlier than Bergman's popular art house hit. Don Siegel's film is simply a timeless chamber piece about the war of the sexes in a highly symbolic war setting. It offers strong drama, nasty fun and uncommon psychological realism.
I was curious to see Sofia Coppola's version, because of the so-called 'feminine touch': Would it really make a huge difference to the material if a woman was the screenwriter and director? In what way? Would it result in a more realistic portrait of the women? Better female psychology? A better film?
I saw the movie today with the expectation that the answer would be "Yes!", but to my surprise, this was not the case. As a piece of dramatic storytelling it doesn't work as good as Don Siegel's version, which made more out of the dramatic scenes at the end. In Coppola's version we never quite understand the psychology of the women as well and sometimes it even appears like whole scenes are missing, because the women suddenly do things that are not clearly motivated.
Like getting shagged by Colin Farrell on the floor after he threatened to shoot them. If a male director would have made that scene, people would cry: "Such a cheap male fantasy! Women don't get aroused by violent men!" But when Sofia Coppola does this kind of far-fetched scene, it seems to be O.K.? For me, it didn't work. Some people laughed, because it appeared ridiculous in the context.
It might not be a popular thing to write, but in my opinion, the artist who understood women better and showed them in a more plausible way, was Don Siegel - yes, the director of "Dirty Harry" - not the ultra-sensitive Antonioni-esque Sofia Coppola, who is mostly concerned with visual design anyway, not story, psychology and character.
But what visual design! Every shot is exquisite and some scenes are crafted to perfection. Cinematographer Philippe Le Sourd deserves at least an Academy Award nomination for his work. The sound design and minimalist score are very effective, too. All of this is the result of careful direction - no doubt - but Sofia Coppola doesn't succeed where Don Siegel had his strongest points: The characters and the storytelling. So, is this the 'feminine touch' ? I doubt it has much to do with gender.
The distributor and some reviewers will try to sell you this movie as the 'feminist version', but it isn't. It's the same story, but not told as well and with less insight into the women. But don't dare to say it too loud - the feminists will get angry at you, because their cliché ideas of the superiority of 'the feminine touch' ain't true.
Another problem of this version is that Sofia Coppola erased the slave woman character, who had a purpose and function in the original story. Even if she was only a supporting character, it reminded the viewer of the past slavery and other forms of inequality beyond gender: Racism, class and access to education. It made the story richer and added to the theme of unequal power struggles within society. It's a poorer screenplay without her and it smells of historical revisionism and artistic cowardice not to deal with a subject like slavery in this kind of historical setting. The 'Good Old South' was not only a horror to rich white women, right?
All in all, it's still worth seeing, at least for the great visuals, good actors and some fine moments.
In my opinion it's only a 6 out of 10, while Don Siegel's minor classic is at least a 9/10.
It has similarities to Bergman's masterpiece "Cries and Whispers" (1972) - the closed setting in a house and many women in psycho-sexual conflicts - but "The Beguiled" (1971) was written and shot earlier than Bergman's popular art house hit. Don Siegel's film is simply a timeless chamber piece about the war of the sexes in a highly symbolic war setting. It offers strong drama, nasty fun and uncommon psychological realism.
I was curious to see Sofia Coppola's version, because of the so-called 'feminine touch': Would it really make a huge difference to the material if a woman was the screenwriter and director? In what way? Would it result in a more realistic portrait of the women? Better female psychology? A better film?
I saw the movie today with the expectation that the answer would be "Yes!", but to my surprise, this was not the case. As a piece of dramatic storytelling it doesn't work as good as Don Siegel's version, which made more out of the dramatic scenes at the end. In Coppola's version we never quite understand the psychology of the women as well and sometimes it even appears like whole scenes are missing, because the women suddenly do things that are not clearly motivated.
Like getting shagged by Colin Farrell on the floor after he threatened to shoot them. If a male director would have made that scene, people would cry: "Such a cheap male fantasy! Women don't get aroused by violent men!" But when Sofia Coppola does this kind of far-fetched scene, it seems to be O.K.? For me, it didn't work. Some people laughed, because it appeared ridiculous in the context.
It might not be a popular thing to write, but in my opinion, the artist who understood women better and showed them in a more plausible way, was Don Siegel - yes, the director of "Dirty Harry" - not the ultra-sensitive Antonioni-esque Sofia Coppola, who is mostly concerned with visual design anyway, not story, psychology and character.
But what visual design! Every shot is exquisite and some scenes are crafted to perfection. Cinematographer Philippe Le Sourd deserves at least an Academy Award nomination for his work. The sound design and minimalist score are very effective, too. All of this is the result of careful direction - no doubt - but Sofia Coppola doesn't succeed where Don Siegel had his strongest points: The characters and the storytelling. So, is this the 'feminine touch' ? I doubt it has much to do with gender.
The distributor and some reviewers will try to sell you this movie as the 'feminist version', but it isn't. It's the same story, but not told as well and with less insight into the women. But don't dare to say it too loud - the feminists will get angry at you, because their cliché ideas of the superiority of 'the feminine touch' ain't true.
Another problem of this version is that Sofia Coppola erased the slave woman character, who had a purpose and function in the original story. Even if she was only a supporting character, it reminded the viewer of the past slavery and other forms of inequality beyond gender: Racism, class and access to education. It made the story richer and added to the theme of unequal power struggles within society. It's a poorer screenplay without her and it smells of historical revisionism and artistic cowardice not to deal with a subject like slavery in this kind of historical setting. The 'Good Old South' was not only a horror to rich white women, right?
All in all, it's still worth seeing, at least for the great visuals, good actors and some fine moments.
In my opinion it's only a 6 out of 10, while Don Siegel's minor classic is at least a 9/10.