Eastwood Movie Challenge, Week Six: The Beguiled, Play Misty For Me

[Elizabeth77]

Just finished watching Play Misty for Me.  I think I appreciated it more this time around.  I hadn't forgotten how it ended, but I'd surely forgotten the chain of events leading to the finish.  I think the one thing I noticed this time was how the passage of time and the lulling of fear (because they think Evelyn is safely out of the way) is portrayed.  It lulls you along with it.  I really like the pacing of the whole movie.  I'm not fond of the story line because it's just not my type, but it sure is good story telling.  I really didn't like it the first time I saw it, but it seems to have grown on me.

[The Schofield Kid]

Play Misty For Me. The original Fatal Attraction? I'm sure Glenn Close would have watched this to get some tips on how to play a psycho. If there were rabbits in this film, I'm sure Evelyn would have boiled them. I always rated Andy Robinson the best psycho from an Eastwood film but I could easily say Jessica Walter each time after viewing the film. That was such a great performance. It's a shame she didn't work with Clint again.

This was Clint's directorial debut and he did a great job. And to show off his hometown of Carmel and have Don Siegel in the cast as well.

One thing that nagged me watching yesterday was at the end when the police sergeant turns up at Tobie's place and it's all dark, he doesn't pull out his gun, just a torch. I mean if there is a psycho on the loose, wouldn't a cop be ready to defend himself?

I'm not fond of the story line because it's just not my type, but it sure is good story telling. 

I could say the same about both movies this week.

[The Man With No Aim]

Play Misty For Me. The original Fatal Attraction? I'm sure Glenn Close would have watched this to get some tips on how to play a psycho. If there were rabbits in this film, I'm sure Evelyn would have boiled them. I always rated Andy Robinson the best psycho from an Eastwood film but I could easily say Jessica Walter each time after viewing the film. That was such a great performance. It's a shame she didn't work with Clint again.

This was Clint's directorial debut and he did a great job. And to show off his hometown of Carmel and have Don Siegel in the cast as well.

One thing that nagged me watching yesterday was at the end when the police sergeant turns up at Tobie's place and it's all dark, he doesn't pull out his gun, just a torch. I mean if there is a psycho on the loose, wouldn't a cop be ready to defend himself?

I could say the same about both movies this week.

Yeah, I was jarred by that same thing too. I finally guessed that maybe the Carmel community is so laid-back that even the constable is expecting no bad outcome and is therefore not living in a state of FULL ALERT.


Man

[The Man With No Aim]

Just finished watching Play Misty for Me.  I think I appreciated it more this time around.  I hadn't forgotten how it ended, but I'd surely forgotten the chain of events leading to the finish.  I think the one thing I noticed this time was how the passage of time and the lulling of fear (because they think Evelyn is safely out of the way) is portrayed.  It lulls you along with it.  I really like the pacing of the whole movie.  I'm not fond of the story line because it's just not my type, but it sure is good story telling.  I really didn't like it the first time I saw it, but it seems to have grown on me.

That's it the pacing.

I think I remember saying that I could watch this film over and over again, but was not able to pin down exactly why, the PACING is one of those important factors adding up to my having that opinion.

Thank you for saying it whereas I was unable to express it well.

This is really a very watchable Eastwood film.


Man

[The Man With No Aim]

I haven't re-watched The Beguiled yet, but isn't it possible that the brother was killed in the war? I seem to recall thinking that when I've seen it before.

Best I have been able to figure out, the setting of the film is supposed to be the first 6 months of 1863 during which Grant and the Union army was actively battling round about Vicksburg to gain control of the Mississippi River as a grand military tactic. Perhaps confusingly, the film was actually (partially) shot down round Baton Rouge where they found a convenient old huge plantation mansion. But, I think, it was supposed to be set near Vicksburg during early 1863.

We are shown several Sister memory flashbacks in which the lovers are a decade or maybe two, younger than they are in the real time of the film. We would expect that a fond memory of a loved one would be the most recent available memory of Good Times with them. But the memory flashbacks are at lest ten years before film real time.

Man

[The Man With No Aim]

It's completely possible, but did no one notice the very small flashback scene with Hallie and Martha's brother in the barn?  There was a pitchfork involved and I just wondered if that had anything to do with his disappearance.  Like Matt said, maybe there's another sack buried on the property.  The scene goes by very quickly, but it was quite amazing when I went through it step by step to get the screencaps below.  The flashback occurs while McBurney is talking to Hallie while he's preparing to go down into the cellar to get drunk.

It really adds up good that Brother vanished because of the misadventure with Halle.

Halle told McB that "Brother finally broke up me (Halle) and Ben." Why would Halle take it personally unless Brother had taken it personally with Halle?

Halle was a ball of fire. If Brother had tried to rape her, there is no doubt in my mind that she would have tried to defend herself. Successfully.

Or maybe Halle just scared away Brother without harming him.

When Sister found about it, she would have been really pi$$ed that Brother lover had betrayed her love, and may well have not accused Halle of murder. Or maybe Brother was still alive but was scheduled for a dinner he would remember for the rest of his life.

Unravelling this plot is like peeling an onion. Take off one layer, and there is still one more to go.  Always one more to go.


Man

[-satu-]

I just finished The Beguiled.

In my opinion this film is, in some parts, very disturbing. I haven't found the highest appreciation for this film yet. It was a second viewing for me.

I guess it must the manipulation that many of the characters use in their advantage. Manipulation and the flashbacks made it dark. I had to check the genre from my dvd case, says drama. I think this film has some characteristics of a thriller or a psychological thriller.

There were some scenes that kept me glued to my chair. I agree about the amputation scene with Schofield Kid, I think it was well made. It made me wrinkle my nose even though they didn't show it.

I felt what he must have felt when he realized he had lost his leg. The look on his face, well done.

All in all, I could rewatch it again for sure, but maybe not too often.

[Matt]

Did anyone see the similarities between The Beguiled and Misery, the horror film based on Stephen King's novel and starring Kathy Bates?

I'm not sure King wasn't greatly inspired by The Beguiled when he wrote it.

[Christopher]

Did anyone see the similarities between The Beguiled and Misery, the horror film based on Stephen King's novel and starring Kathy Bates?

I'm not sure King wasn't greatly inspired by The Beguiled when he wrote it.

I've never made that connection, but that is interesting!

[Doug]

It's completely possible, but did no one notice the very small flashback scene with Hallie and Martha's brother in the barn?  There was a pitchfork involved and I just wondered if that had anything to do with his disappearance.  Like Matt said, maybe there's another sack buried on the property.  The scene goes by very quickly, but it was quite amazing when I went through it step by step to get the screencaps below.  The flashback occurs while McBurney is talking to Hallie while he's preparing to go down into the cellar to get drunk.

I don't have the dialogue transcript, but McBurney suggests the idea of seducing her, and her response is pretty clear that's not going to happen, and then we see the flashback with the brother attempting to rape her. It's possible she simply thwarted his attempt, and would have killed him if he hadn't backed off. That seems to be left open, but then there's the letters which McBurney reads and are so embarrassing to her, and I guess I've always assumed they were written while he was away in the war.

[-satu-]

Play Misty For Me was an enjoyable film this time around. Second viewing for me, like with The Beguiled yesterday.

I think Jessica Walter makes a great psycho for this film, great acting on her part.

I could remember everything until the festival. After that, my mind was blank. So it was nice to watch it when I couldn't remember what would happen next.

I appreciate this film. I think Clint did a great job directing his first film. It's not something I would watch too often but I did like it. The car was sweet, and I liked the music in this film.

[Rawhide7]

Play misty for me is a very good thriller. My second viewing and I enjoyed it.

The beguiled is not my favorite movie to watch. But it does have some good scenes. Didn't care for the amputation part.

[Christopher]

Both movies for this week are terrific, and they both hold up very well. I watched Play Misty for Me tonight. For one thing, the whole movie is beautifully shot. There's that contrast between the attack on Birdie, the housekeeper, and then not long after we get the love scene with "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" playing over it. Both scenes are wonderful. The first is chilling, and the second is romantic and works to establish that the two are getting things back on track.

I also watched some of the special features on the DVD (this has got to be one of the better Eastwood releases as far as special features go), both the look back at the making of the film, which is a 49 minute documentary, and then a short about Don Siegel and Clint working on The Beguiled and Misty. Eastwood makes the point that if it wasn't for these two movies, he might not have ever been able to stray off the path of what was expected of him. These two movies are two of his best, so I'm obviously glad he chose them, and I agree that they were quite different than anything he'd done up until then (Paint Your Wagon was obviously a bit different too).

[Rawhide7]

very good points Christopher!

[The Schofield Kid]

I also watched some of the special features on the DVD (this has got to be one of the better Eastwood releases as far as special features go), both the look back at the making of the film, which is a 49 minute documentary, and then a short about Don Siegel and Clint working on The Beguiled and Misty. Eastwood makes the point that if it wasn't for these two movies, he might not have ever been able to stray off the path of what was expected of him. These two movies are two of his best, so I'm obviously glad he chose them, and I agree that they were quite different than anything he'd done up until then (Paint Your Wagon was obviously a bit different too).

I always regret not buying Play Misty For Me on DVD years ago. I waited for it to come down in price. It never did and I've never seen it rereleased down here, apart from being in sets. Which I ended up getting just for one movie.

[The Man With No Aim]

I always regret not buying Play Misty For Me on DVD years ago. I waited for it to come down in price. It never did and I've never seen it rereleased down here, apart from being in sets. Which I ended up getting just for one movie.

Call me Mister Lucky.

About two years ago, or maybe three, in all the excitement I lost count myself, I found a 3 disk set in the cheap store for about $5 US.

It has Beguiled, Misty, Eiger Sanction, and, Coogan. All good faves of mine.

Hope your luck improves. 


Man

PS I advise against improving your luck the McB method. Look what it did for him. 

[The Man With No Aim]

Did anyone see the similarities between The Beguiled and Misery, the horror film based on Stephen King's novel and starring Kathy Bates?

I'm not sure King wasn't greatly inspired by The Beguiled when he wrote it.

Have not had the good luck to have happened to see Misery, but will be on the lookout for it now.

Kathy Bates is the counterpart of Sister girl school owner in Beguiled, I guess? She is GOOD in edgy roles.

Man

[Rawhide7]

I always regret not buying Play Misty For Me on DVD years ago. I waited for it to come down in price. It never did and I've never seen it rereleased down here, apart from being in sets. Which I ended up getting just for one movie.

Sk,

I do the same thing when buying movies. I wont pay more than about $10 for a DVD movie. Every once in a blue moon I might find an older movie that I had trouble finding in the past that is available now but the price is like $15 to $20 I have spent that much maybe once or twice on ones I really wanted and couldn't find. Otherwise I stay within $10 usually. And I absolutely will not go any higher than $20 no matter how bad I want the movie. I recently saw a DVD movie that I wanted really bad but they don't produce that movie on any type of format anymore. So my only option was to get it from a third party. But the price range was like between 40 to 50 dollars. So I did not get it. But yeah I usually wait for the price to come down. Like the Creed movie is currently $20. But if I wait like a few months or so I know that it will come down to my price range. And this movie will be available for several yrs. whereas misty is an older movie.

[Matt]

Have not had the good luck to have happened to see Misery, but will be on the lookout for it now.

Kathy Bates is the counterpart of Sister girl school owner in Beguiled, I guess? She is GOOD in edgy roles.

Man

Yep, and good enough to win the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. 

It's not a period film, and it's not a remake, so you'll see a lot of differences, but I think also a lot of similarities. You'll probably enjoy it.

[Christopher]

Have not had the good luck to have happened to see Misery, but will be on the lookout for it now.

Kathy Bates is the counterpart of Sister girl school owner in Beguiled, I guess? She is GOOD in edgy roles.

Man

Misery is based on a novel by Stephen King about a famous novelist who is involved in a car accident, and he is found by the Kathy Bates character, who is his biggest fan. And she's crazy. There are some similarities that can be drawn, but the storylines are different. It is a good movie (one of the best King adaptations, I'd say).