Rating: 
Summary: Very good, but disturbing.
Review: The cinematography is solid, and all the forshadowing elements like the raven, the flashbacks, and such are wrapped up at the end. Very tidy. Some may find some of the dialogue rather drawn out and the flashabcks dificult to keep up with if you arne't used to this kind of filming -- it may feel "slow" or "boring." I felt it adds to the feeling of the period -- the oppressive heat of the South, the anxiety abour the war, the mounting passions within the characters etc. John (Eastwood) is very complex -- you don't know if you want to hate it or sympathize with him. It's much the same with everyone else -- tortured people plunged together into a strange situation. I would NOT suggest this for kids, or for adults who prefer more action. The drama here is emotional build-up, not car chases or things blowing up. It's a lot like "Taxi Driver" or "The Shining" in that sense, but without the super dramatic endings those have. Even so, just because the ending to this isn't as "showy" as the endings to the others, it will still haunt you.
Rating: 
Summary: Gothic Soap Opera
Review: The novelty of seeing Clint Eastwood as a manipulative but sympathetic villain is the only worthwhile aspect of "The Beguiled." Completely ludicrous and slightly perverse, this Civil War-era film shows the commotion that arises when an under-sexed group of women at a Southern boarding school take in a wounded but virile Union soldier. The more the women are repulsed by him, the more they want him. First half of "The Beguiled" is intriguing, but the last half is frothy soap opera.
Rating: 
Summary: Haunting Southern gothic film. Very poor video.
Review: This disturbing, haunting southern gothic film from director Don Siegel is one of the best, if least known, Eastwood films. Set in the deep South during the Civil War, Eastwood plays a wounded Northern soldier brought to a nearby, nearly deserted all-girls school to be treated before being turned over to the Confederate Army. As long suppressed desires begin to surface in the headmistresses and some of the students, Clint slowly begins to play the women against each other in a bid to avoid being turned in. Unfortunately, such passions can give way to much darker feelings and actions. Clint is excellent in a role that falls between villain and hero, and he is matched by the wonderful women in the cast. As the senior headmistress, the remarkable Geraldine Page delivers one of her most controlled and effective film performances. And Elizabeth Hartman very movingly portrays naive longing and reticence. Her performance here easily matches her more famous one in "A Patch Of Blue". Mae Mercer is fine as the wry slave who sizes Clint up from the start, and the cast of young actresses playing the students are all equally fine. One of the most striking things about the film is the use of color and light. The deep hues and dark shadows are among the richest ever captured on film, while the use of natural light, especially the evening scenes and the candlelit scenes, are stunning. The deep sound is also excellent. Unfortunately, this video edition fails to capture this. The color is washed out almost beyond belief compared to the earlier video editions and the sound is thin with a noticeable hiss on the track. The earlier video editions were excellent, so there's no excuse for Universal's slipshod work on this one. Five stars for the film; one for the video. This great movie deserves to be seen, but in a better edition.
Rating:
Summary: Education at its best
Review: This is one my favorite Eastwood films. I find it very entertaining and watch it a couple times a year. I just found out it's on DVD and can't wait to add it to my collection!
Rating:
Summary: Wretched beyond measure
Review: This movie is so turgid and overwrought that the characters and events are beyond ludicrous. While its critical reception seems to be positive, I can't understand why; all you have to do is mention the name of this movie to someone who has seen it, and they recoil in horror. You have to keep watching it, even as you bewail its awfulness, simply to see what implausible and indefensible thing will happen next. One star is too many.
Rating:
Summary: So Bad, It Leaves People Incoherent
Review: This movie was so bad I couldn't stop watching--I had to know what implausible, ridiculous thing would happen next. The acting is completely over the top, and nothing--nothing--is believeable. I know a number of people who have seen this, and, like me, every one of them howls in horror when the title is mentioned.
Rating:
Summary: Bedazzled by "The Beguiled"
Review: This review refers to the Universal DVD edition of "The Beguiled".... Think of Eastwood, and you think of his cool, tough characters.Harry Callahan, Josey Wales, and The Man With No Name, are the first we envision. Cpl. John McBurney is probably not at the top of that list. Yet, this is a film in which Clint really shines, and one that will hold you from start to finish with it's superb Direction by Don Siegal("Dirty Harry"/"Two Mules For Sister Sara"). The rest of the cast is also outstanding in this psychological drama set in the south during the civil war. Cpl. McBurney(Eastwood) is an injured Union soldier, discovered and nursed back to health by the residents of an all girls school.The first impulse of the Head Mistress, Miss Farnsworth(Geraldine Page) was to turn him over to the Confederate Army, but Mr. McBee, as they have so affectionately come to call him, has charmed nearly all the members of the household from Miss Farnsworth, to the 12 year old Amy(played brillantly by Pamelyn Ferdin),leading each to believe that they are the one he loves. As each disovers the truth, they begin some mind games of their own. Has Clint finally met his match in this tale of jealousy and revenge. Find out in this very different film for Clint...no guns or badges to get him through this one. The cast includes Elizabeth Hartman, Jo Ann Harris and Melody Thomas(Scott). Filmed in Louisiana, the picture of this 1970 film is clear and the colors lush in this transfer to DVD. It is presented in anamorphic widescreen(1.85:1). The sound in Dolby 2 Channel Mono, is decent but Mono is Mono!(I probably would have gone 5 stars if not for that). Stereo surround(at least) would be much better.There are some production notes, Cast and Filmmaker Bios, a theatrical trailer and may be viewed with English captions or with Spanish subtitles. A must see for Clint Fans....enjoy...Laurie
Rating:
Summary: Southern Gothic one of the Best of Eastwood-Siegel Films
Review: This superior southern gothic is one of the best of the Eastwood-Siegel collaborations, ranking just short of Dirty Harry and just above Coogan's Bluff and Eascape from Alcatraz as the most memorable of that duo's contributions to pop culture. The atomosphere is suitably weird and bizarre to create a shroud like atmosphere that ultimately envelops one of Eastwood's amoral protagonists. The great Geraldine Paige heads the supporting cast, which also features the haunting Elizabeth Hartman (who would later die tragically, by her own hand) and a scrumptious piece of crumb cake, Jo Ann Harris. Four stars!
Rating:
Summary: Great Period Piece
Review: Very authentic timeframe depicting the tattered, oppressed Civil War South. Not terribly fast-paced, but life back then was this way. A must for your Clint collection. This 1971 installment from his long career exemplifies his broad acting range. Buy it if you like Clint and his style, and the story aint bad either!
Rating:
Summary: The Beguiled
Review: When a badly wounded Union soldier (Clint Eastwood) is reluctantly taken into a southern girls school, he finds that he must act in a calm and cool manner around the inhabitants in order to keep from being discovered by Confederates. As he falls in love with two of the girls, he finds that the immoral woman in charge of the school (Geraldine Page) is attracted to him. Jealousy and tension rises between everyone in the school until the drama catches up with the man in the most horrific ways possible. This increasingly unpleasant film is executed subtly, and gives a relevant lesson to go by in life: Never underestimate. The film holds up surprisingly well with a fine performance from Clint Eastwood, until the shockingly cruel conclusion. If you liked this film, the best idea for another film you may like is either "Unfaithful" or "Leaving Las Vegas"; it's the best I can think of at the moment. But be warned, this is not an ordinary film, despite its similarities to "Gone With The Wind" and "The Sound Of Music." Overall rating: 4.5 stars Rated R for a sexual encounter with nudity as well as some other lurid sexual situations, brief violence, some profanity, and mature themes.
| 
