THE LAST DUEL

UK/US, 2021, 152 minutes, Colour.

Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jody Comer, Harriet Walter, Ben Affleck, Alex Lawther, Martin Cokas, Nathanial Parker, Zeljko Ivanek.

Directed by Ridley Scott.

The first film in Ridley Scott’s distinguished career (from Alien to Thelma and Louise to Gladiator and so many more films) was The Duelists. He began with a story of rivalries, honour, slights, vengeance, duels. And, almost 45 years later, he has gone back to these themes.

The film opens in 1386, 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 great Oscar success in 1997 with Good Will Hunting, and now working with Nicole Holfcener) goes into flashback, three chapters, the events seen from the point of 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, grim battle sequences, and the hero of this story, Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) being saved by the squire, Jacques Legris (Adam Driver). But, the audience is wary, because they have seen that Jean and Jacques part of the two protagonists of the duel. What has happened?

Jean is a strong and blunt man, financial difficulties, Jacques, now the tax collector for the local count, Pierre (and distracting Ben Affleck with blonde hair and goatee beard), a rather profligate man who welcomes Jacques into his household. In the meantime, Jean encounters the daughter of a Lord who had previously cited with the English but is now trying to reinstate himself. The daughter is Marguerite (Jodie Comer, Killing Eve, Free Guy). They marry – but, disappointingly, no children.

The central crisis is an attack by Jacques, presuming the affections of Marguerite, raping her.

This is told in the second chapter, the memories of Jacques. We see more of the background of his tax collecting, his being welcomed into the court of Pierre, discovering that he is a promiscuous man despite the initial dignified demeanour. And, the rape scene is brutal. He presumes that Marguerite has willingly participated and does not listen to her protests or felt her resistance. He does go to confession but the tendency is to give any benefits of doubt to the male, comment about the status of women as their husband’s property and so not a sexual issue. But, Jean, returning from battles in Scotland, listens to Marguerite, although he does tend to interpret the offence as challenging his own honour. There is a court case, Jean challenging Jacques to a duel.

Then it is time for the third chapter, Marguerite’s version of what happened, much the same except that we learn much about her strength of character and quality when her husband goes to war in Scotland and she successfully takes over the management of the farm. 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, the king (young, giddy, immature personality) deciding that the duel should go ahead.

As with the battle scenes, the long duel is visualised highlighting the brutality.

Many have noted that this is a mediaeval story but with 20^th 21^st-century themes, especially about the abuse of women, the automatic presumptions by the male offenders, more emerging court cases, exposes and punishment. (The scene where the body of Jacques is dragged along the ground and then strung up by the feet, naked, is a reminder of the dire consequences of a sort when the case comes to justice.)

1. The opening, the setting up of the duel, preparations, dressing, the two protagonists, Marguerite? The assembly, the king, the protocols of chivalry? The first attack on the breaking of the lances? Then the flashback and the resumption of the duel at the end, grim, many broken lances, the men falling from their horses, the ground battle, knives, brutality? The reaction of the crowd, the giddy behaviour of the king, sympathises for Marguerite?
2. The 1370s and 1380s? France, the hundred years war? Battles against the British? In Scotland? The variety of battle sequences, fierce, brutal, hand-to-hand?
3. The location photography, the variety of French chateaux, the Castle in Tipperary…? Costume and decor, the style of the 14^th century? Farm life and work? The aristocracy, wealth, taxes and demands, food, sexual license?
4. The three chapters, the different points of view? The audience seeing clearly what happened?
5. The issue of sexual assault, rape, the status of men, reasons and rationalisation, private confession, public denials? In the light of 21^st-century surfacing of 21^st-century consciousness of assaults on women? Men’s denials? Exposes, court cases?
6. Jean de Carrouges and his story, status as a warrior, eventually being knighted, the tradition of his ancestors, his father’s death and his not being put in charge of his estate and the Fort? His life saved by Jacques? Their friendship, the issue of taxes, Jacques and his seeming friendship? Pierre as the Lord of the region? Cousin of the king? Jean and the encounter with Marguerite, his decision, the courtship, marriage? The priests blessing before the marriage night? His blunt and direct manner? His decision to sue Jacques, to sue Pierre? The consequences? Loss of favour, going to Scotland to war? At home, his wife’s dowry, the discussions, her father fighting on the side of the English and so suspect? The parcel of land, Pierre and its gift to Jacques? Jean and his being litigious, going to Paris to collect the 300 gold coins, his return, Marguerite and her telling him of the rape, his initial hesitation, his taking it personally about his honour, the decision to sue, the appeal to the king, his challenging Jacques to a duel, the court hearing?
7. Jacques and his perspective, as a squire, in the wars, his saving Jean’s life? The bond? His friendship with Pierre, Pierre asking him to get accounts in order, collecting the taxes, the demands on Jean? His life at Pierre’s court, luxury, women? The years passing, the attraction to Marguerite, misinterpreting her, her looking at him from the window? His coming with the squire, gaining entry, the attack, his rationalisation, the brutality of the rape, his assumption about Marguerite’s response? The challenge, the hearing on the court, the prosecution of Marguerite, the king presiding, the decision about the duel?
8. Marguerite and her story, with her father, shy, the issue of the dowry, the marriage, the religious ceremony, the prayer before the wedding night? Five years? Becoming pregnant? Jean’s mother and her continued presence, bitterness, taunts? Her friendship with Marie, Marie and her pregnancy? Looking at Jacques from the window – her reason, later disbelief and testimony against Marguerite? Her love for Jean, his absence in Scotland, her taking over the running of the farm, the issue of the horses and Jean and his brusqueness, Marguerite using the horses for ploughing the fields, the cattle, organising the house, getting the finances in order? The day of the rape, her perceptions of Jacques, the experience, her resistance, the aftermath? Jean’s response? Her standing by her word? The risk that she would be burnt alive if Jean died in the duel? Her pregnancy? The court hearings, the vicious prosecution and his questions? The decision for the duel, her dressing, standing in the box, her feet chained? Watching Jean? His victory, her being freed? The couple riding through the cheering crowds? A comment about the love for the child? The final images with the little trial trying to walk? Her watching?
9. The presence of the clergy in the church, the wedding ceremony, the priests blessing the wedding night, Jacques and his going to confession and the priest giving him the benefit of the doubt, the church tribunal, the members, the issue of rape and women as property rather than sexual offence, the hearings, the interrogations?
10. The French nobility, Marguerite’s father and his changing sides, Pierre, his lifestyle, friendship with Jacques, dismissing Jean, promiscuous, encouraging Jacques, relying on him for his management of the estate? The trial, the duel, his supporting Jacques, his disappointment?
11. Jean’s mother, gaunt and witch-like, her dislike of Marguerite, her manner with her son? The day’s outing and taking the servants? The disapproval of Marguerite’s management? Marguerite challenging her, her own story of rape and living with it?
12. An excursion into the later Middle Ages, wars and conquest, royalty and nobility, lifestyles, peasants and taxes, and the dramatisation of the issue of rape, the duel?