THE RECKONING
UK, 2003, 112 minutes, Colour.
Paul Bettany, Willem Dafoe, Simon Mc Burney, Tom Hardy, Brian Cox, Gina Mc Kee, Ewan Bremner, Elvira Minguez, Mark Benton.
Directed by Paul Mc Guigan.
The Reckoning is based on a novel by Barry Unsworth, Pascalli's Island.
This is a mediaeval tale, from the 14th century, one of the most difficult of centuries in Christendom, especially for monks and monasteries, for the English and conflict with the French, and the fact that there were three popes after the return of the papacy from Avignon. This story reflects these dark times.
This is a story of strolling players, with the tradition of the miracle plays and the transition to the morality plays. The film spends a great deal of time on the players, the characters, interactions, the nature of the travel and performances. Willem Dafoe has a good role as the leader of the troupe. Other members include Gina Mc Kee and Brian Cox.
However, the focus of the film is on Paul Bettany as a monk who commits adultery and has to leave his monastery. There is also the complication of a murder. He encounters the troupe and joins them. When a mute woman is accused of murder, and the trial is held, he suggests that the group put on a play which dramatizes the killing to expose the killer. This echoes the play within a play of Hamlet.
Direction is by Paul Mc Guigan in who had directed Bettany in Gangster Number One. Other Mc Guigan films include The Acid House, Wicker Park, Lucky Number Slevin and several of the Sherlock series with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.
1. The audience interest in mediaeval stories? English? Communities? Law and justice? Travelling theatre?
2. Location photography, wintry landscapes, the roads, the mountains, the village and its detail, the squares, the homes, the castle? Atmosphere? The musical score?
3. Nicholas as the centre of the film? Cutting his hair, memories, earnest, preaching, the status of priests in 1380, the girl, standards, lust, the sexual encounter, the husband? Nicholas fleeeing? The later murder?
4. On the road, desperate, seen in the landscapes? His seeing the players? The corpse and the murder? Fear? The chase?
5. The players, the background of travelling players, the mystery plays, the miracle plays, the shift to realism, morality plays? Playing to the poor? The family, the head, death and transition, the wagon, breaking down? The spirit in the group? Bonds?
6. Performances, the backdrops, the stilts, costumes? Gold, Adam and Eve, the devil? The makeup and impact? The realistic plays, the narration, the dialogue, mime, the effect? The drama for a reckoning?
7. Martin, his son, sister, the family? Stephen? His character, differences, arguments? Drink? Humor? The vote? Going to town, performance, collecting the money? The players’ reactions? The audience reaction?
8. The murder case, mother and the accusation? The judge and his role? Simon and his testimony? The boy and the victim? His mother?
9. The administration of justice, people watching?
10. The Duke de Guise, the Frenchman, living in isolation, watching, his character, influence, intentions?
11. The burial, the greedy monk? The revelation? Using the grave?
12. The decision to stay, performance, the sheriff and the orders to leave? Martin lying about the play?
13. The digging the grave, the group, the Justice, the body? The truth?
14. The questions of the townspeople, the characters, the crowd, the rejection?
15. Nicholas, the nature of the play, his own personal conscience, his integrity, wanting the truth?
16. Martin, the return, with the others? Sarah and her place in the group?
17. The performance of the play, the revelation of the truth?
18. Nicholas, the monk, death, the autopsy?
19. The Duke, with the group, the embrace, Nicholas and the killing?
20. The atmosphere of death? The end and the experience of a film of theatre, the overtones of Hamlet and guilt coming from a performance of the play?
