Don Siegel directs The Beguiled as a Jacobean revenge tragedy. It really is mostly about women and their repressed sexual desires which are awakened when they come across John McBurney (Clint Eastwood) an injured Union soldier who is brought to a Confederate girl's school.The headmistress, Miss Martha (Geraldine Page) does not notify the local militia of his presence. Instead her assistant Edwina (Elizabeth Hartman) their black servant Hallie (Mae Mercer) and the teenage school girls treat his wounds and fall for his rugged looks. McBurney a deserter knows how to charm his way to their hearts by deceit, only Hallie sees through him. Once his philandering is discovered Miss Martha plots brutal revenge as McBurney finds out about her lurid past.The Beguiled has attracted a cult reputation over the years. It is not a typical Eastwood western, as a film set in the civil war it is lot less about nobility. It has a Gothic anti hero who exploits the women's sexual yearnings.The Beguiled is a slow moody film with aspects of art house 1960s counterculture cinema. There are multiple exposures, quick flashbacks and dream sequences.

This movie, compared to the remake, does not include a good plot-twist. Clint Eastwood, from the beginning on, plays a two-faced/immoral character, and towards the end his actions as well as those of the women, don't come as a surprise. Also, I preferred the rather over exaggerated depiction of 19th century Virginia that can be found in the remake from Sofia Coppola.

I was astonished when l did watch this movie for first time in 1984, unusual Clint's character,very scared and disturbing,but instead to dislike the movie it's really enchanted me,it was quite different from previous works from Siegel and Eastwood partnership...for a long time l've looking for this picture,first it come out on DVD and now l have it on Blu-ray with a classic dubbed version in a clean image this remarkable movie...yesterday l finally decided to watch again...what a delightful night reviewing the entire movie seen those sexually repressed women, All the casting are fantastic but the little Amy played marvelous by Pamela Ferdin is unforgettable with their wild mushrooms... really a priceless acting in the movie although Geraldine Page is worth to see too,almost a masterpiece!!Resume:First watch: 1984 / How many: 3 / Source-TV-Cable TV-Blu-Ray Rating: 8.5

The Beguiled (1971)Plot In A Paragraph: While imprisoned in a Confederate girls' boarding school, an injured Union soldier (Eastwood) cons his way into each of the lonely women's hearts, causing them to turn on each other, and eventually, on him.One of my favourite non sequel/western Clint Eastwood movies and it was a total failure at the box office!! Universal inexplicably marketed it as an action flick, using an image with Clint holding a pistol on the poster, despite him not holding a pistol in the movie. We see him fire a rifle during a flashback, but that's it.It's a slow burner, but Clint's performance is full of charm and it's well directed by Don Siegel too. Geraldine Page, Elizabeth Hartman and Pamelyn Ferdin all put in good performances, but it's the gorgeous, 17 year old Jo Anne Harris (who Clint had an affair with) who leaves the biggest impression as the teenage tease Carol. Sadly, this movie didn't even gross $1 million at the domestic box office.