Tags

, ,

The availability of the movie The Last Duel as a DVD rental could not have found better timing for me. Although I’m not yet there in my book, it overlaps well with my reading of A Distant Mirror. Yes its the same time period but it also illustrates a point I brought up in my most recent post about Tuchman’s book.

Tuchman talks about the 14th Century ideal of “courtly love,” which seemed to be just a polite way to refer to adultery. The thinking was that, with marriage tied up so closely with wealth, politics, and inheritance, it was not conducive to romance. Extra-marital affairs, then, must be driven by pure emotion, true love, “the greatest of gifts*.” Of course, adultery was also a mortal sin and against the law. That notwithstanding, getting it on with another lord’s wife was certainly better than despoiling maidens. Maybe?

Whatever the case, this complicated tapestry of morality was reflected in art, in law, and in practice.

The Last Duel is a dramatization of a “true crime” incident from the late 14th Century. The screenplay, co-written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck (with help from professional screenwriter Nicole Holofcener, both for her talent and her “woman’s perspective”), is based on a 2004 book called The Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France by author Eric Jager. The crime, the trial, and the duel captured the attention of all of France when it happened, leaving a better-than-would-be-expected historical record to draw from. The actual truth what really occurred, Jager explained, continues to occupy the thoughts of historians and jurists.

Spoiler Alert – In discussing the movie, I will be giving away the ending (quite literally). Given that this is, basically, a true story, the ending can never really be a surprise – except that most of us had never heard of the likes of Sir Jean de Carrouges or Jacques Le Gris before this film was released. If you don’t know how it all turned out, are going to watch the movie, and would relish the measure of suspense that not knowing brings – just stop here and enjoy the show. It’s worth seeing. I particularly worry in this instance because the movie is pretty new and therefore much more likely to be on people’s to-watch list.

The Last Duel is a period drama and, as such, it is a period drama taken very seriously by Ridley Scott. Furthermore, it is a period drama emphasizing that martial life of the male nobility. It is not a period of drama of courtly dances, weddings, and silk dresses (although there is that too). Its focus is, and ought to be, said “duel.”

Given that focus, one might wonder how a single criminal offense and its resolution might consume nearly two-and-half hours of screen time. The answer is that the story is told three times from three different perspectives. With this in mind, The Last Duel can be seen as an exploration of the concept of “truth.” It has been said that each of us is the hero of our own story. Even when we have done wrong, we have our reasons, our justifications, our excuses. The three chapters take us through the same events, the same situations, but from three different perspectives. Like the people of the time and all those historians who have come since, we are left to try to extract the truth from, not necessarily lies, but from these differing “realities.”

Particularly in the first two “chapters,” the film explores the differences between how one perceives one’s self and one’s own actions versus how others see us. Damon’s Carrouges considers himself an exemplary husband and excellent provider; but the other chapters call that into question. Adam Driver’s Le Gris considers himself a loyal friend, accused of transgressions which were beyond his control (up to and including being swept away by courtly love). We don’t necessarily find that plausible but I might just concede that I believe that he believes it. Then what of Marguerite, Carrouges wife as played by English-TV** actress Jodie Comer?

We have an additional problem when revisiting this tale from 2022. We live in a time where (some say) women must always be believed. Contrast that with 1547, where women were generally NOT believed and, in any case, had few-to-no rights. Historically, Marguerite was simply a bystander in this confrontation between two men, despite the fact that she was the actual victim. It was she that was physically and emotionally harmed. She is the one that was wronged.

Thus the film is compelled to treat this third chapter differently. Marguerite’s story is without conceit, or so it would seem. We must, therefore, accept this third version – her version – as the truth.

Let us set aside the fact that some details portrayed in the movie are decidedly untrue; details that have been changed between the book and the screen. The fact is, the actual interactions that transpired more than six centuries ago are not and cannot be known for sure. Even as a dramatization (i.e. a self-consistent, albeit fictional, story) one might question “her story.” She is both*** angry with her husband for not being sufficiently supportive of her in public and also angry at him for risking her life through forcing a trial-by-combat. Is she being self consistent? If not, what imperfect parts of her perception have been shored up by the time we see it?

Just as obviously, the film could do no other that back hers as the Truth (with a capital t). To have The Last Duel question whether or not the rape actually took place would be a slap in the face for all the rape victims in the audience. Not to mention how far such an approach would run afoul of popular sensibilities. No – in the end I believe Marguerite and I can be happy with this narrative.

The one feature that marred my enjoyment were the pedestrian American accents of Damon and Affleck, but only a little. How much can I fault their accents when the film, taking place in France, runs entirely in English. Other actors speak in British accents and, with some, I detect French-accented English. Are any of these really any better than the other? I don’t know. I might have helped to keep accents consistently-associated with particular dialects but, then again, would I even have known the difference?

The film closes just after the completion of said duel with the end title reading as such: “Sir Jean de Carrouges fought and died in the Crusades a few years later. Marguerite de Carrouges spent thirty years living in prosperity and happiness as the lady of the estate at Carrouges. She never remarried.” While apparently true enough, it misses out on something of the reality.

The duel between Carrouges and Le Gris was, as I said above, the focus of French society. King Charles VI enthusiastically promoted the event, perhaps (in part) to distract from weaknesses in his own governance. Thousands came from Paris to witness the fight and thousands more watched Carrouges return, victorious, to Notre-Dame cathedral so as to thank God for His judgement.

Upon victory, the King immediately awarded Carrouges thousands of francs in prize money plus a royal income of 200 francs per year. In the years that followed, Jean and Marguerite parleyed their célébrité into financial success and while also having two more children. Sir Jean was made a chevalier d’honneur (bodyguard to the King), which was a financially lucrative post with commensurate social standing. On an expedition to Hungary to survey the Ottoman threat to Christendom, Carrouges was second in command for the French forces. It was something like a dozen years before, having returned to the East to crusade against the Ottomans (Nicopolis, in modern Bulgaria), he died in battle, mostly likely fighting at the side of his commander. In the mentality of the time, this would have been a glorious and worthy death for an important and successful soldier of his king – an end that was considered fit and proper for a man of his station. The movie implies that Marguerite was glad to be rid of him. I’m not so sure.

Unfortunately, the post script for the film itself is considerably more dire. The Last Duel was a massive failure in terms of ticket sales. The movie made back less than a third of its $100 million production budget during its run at the box office.

Ridley Scott blamed his audience. This is never a great idea but, in his defense, when a man crosses the 80-year line, we expect that he’ll speak his own mind with little consideration of social niceties. Scott’s specific criticism was directed at millennials and their cell-phone addiction, implying that today’s technology robs the user of the critical thinking skills necessary to learn new information. The trade rags blamed the lingering pandemic. Specifically, it was written, the 45-year-old-plus audience that would be the prime target of such a film were still staying home. They also cite a long running time (see above), difficult marketing, and stiff competition. Suggestions are afloat the Disney, having acquired the project in their purchase of 21st Century Fox, were less than enthusiastic in their promotion of it.

For Director Scott, a man not used to failure, it was the most disappointing performance of his career. Reviews leaned positive but tended to be tinged with criticism – and generally valid criticism at that. This is not a film for everyone, surely, but it is still a film that was worthy of being made. I say that as a member of that target 45+ demographic but, surely, even millennials could use a little less A Knight’s Tale and little more of The Last Duel?

*1 Corinthians 13 not only tells us of the primacy of love but it is the also the passage one which Tuchman’s title was derived. “Through a glass, darkly” is typically translated in more modern versions as “a reflection as in a mirror.” The verse is a quotidian quodophile’s treasure chest. It talks of “moving mountains” and “talking like a child.” It was referenced by U2 while singing of longing while speaking “with the tongues […] of angels;” a reference that, properly understood, lends considerable depth to that lyric.

**Ms. Comer is hardly an unknown actress, particularly in England. In America, the best we might be able to conjure up is that she played Rey’s mother in The Rise of Skywalker.

***This is particularly obvious if you watch the version of the tale cobbled together for the trailer.