Starring: Matt Damon, Adam Diver, Jodie Comer, Ben Affleck, Alex Lawther, Martin Csokas, Nathanial Parker, Zeljko Ivanek
Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox
Runtime: 153 mins. Reviewed in Oct 2021
Reviewer: Fr Peter Malone msc
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Set in 14th century France, this is a tale of knights, rivalries and rape. Justice is theoretically delivered when King Charles VI declares knight Jean de Carrouges settle his dispute with his squire by challenging him to a duel.
The first film in Ridley Scott’s distinguished career (from Alien to Thelma and Louise to Gladiator and so many more) was The Duellists (1977). He began with a story of rivalries, honour, slights, vengeance and duels. Almost 45 years later he has returned to these themes.
The film opens in 1386, in France, during the Hundred Years War. The crowds are assembled, the rival lords are putting on their battle dress, the duel is announced. But then, the screenplay (written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who had Oscar success in 1997 with Good Will Hunting, and now working with Nicole Holofcener) goes into flashback – with events seen from the view of the three central characters. (Some commentators have referred to Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon with its telling of the same events from different perspectives, but, by and large, here everyone is agreed on the facts of what happened, despite the central offender in public denial – even though we see him going to confession and admitting his sin.)
The action goes back 16 years when, among grim battle sequences, Jean de Carrouges (Damon) is saved by the squire, Jacques Legris (Driver). But, the audience is wary because they have seen that Jean and Jacques are the two duellists. What has happened?
Jean is a strong and blunt man in financial difficulties, while Jacques is now the tax collector for the local count, Pierre (a distracting Affleck with blond hair and goatee). In the meantime, Jean encounters the daughter of a lord who had previously sided with the English but is now trying to reinstate himself. The daughter is Marguerite (Comer – Killing Eve, Free Guy). They marry but disappointingly have no children.
The central crisis is Jacques’ rape of Marguerite. This is told in the second chapter – Jacques’ memories. We see more of his background; the tax collecting and his welcome into Pierre’s court. The rape scene is brutal. Jacque presumes Marguerite has willingly participated and does not listen to her protests or feel her resistance. He attends confession but the tendency is to give benefit of the doubt to the male, but as women are their husband’s property the offence is considered more as an affront to the husband than a sexual offence against Marguerite. Jean, returning from battles in Scotland, listens to Marguerite, although he interprets the offence as a challenge to his honour. There is a court case, with Jean challenging Jacques to a duel.
Then it is time for the third chapter – Marguerite’s version of what happened. The facts are much the same, except that we learn about her strength of character and qualities as she successfully takes over the farm management while her husband is at war in Scotland. We see again her telling her husband, his reactions, her standing by her statements, the court case and her being badgered by the ecclesiastical prosecutor, and the immature king deciding the duel should go ahead.
As with the battle scenes, the long duel is marked by its brutality.
Many have noted that this is a mediaeval story but with 20th- 21st-century themes, especially about the abuse of women, the automatic presumptions by the male offenders, and punishment. (The scene where the Jacques’ naked body is dragged along the ground and then strung up by the feet is a reminder of the dire consequences when it comes to 14th century justice.)
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