The Last Duel
20th CENTURYTHIS REVIEW MENTIONS AND DISCUSSES TOPICS SUCH AS SEXUAL ASSAULT
The Last Duel is the latest historical epic from acclaimed director Ridley Scott. The film is based on the 2004 book of the same name by Eric Jager, and written for the screen by Nicole Holofcener, Matt Damon, and Ben Affleck. The Last Duel takes place in Medieval France – specifically in Normandy – and follows Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon), a knight who challenges his former friend Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver) to a judicial duel after Carrouge’s wife, Marguerite (Jodie Comer), accuses Le Gris of raping her.
The story of The Last Duel is split into three different acts as the film is told three separate times from the perspective of each main character. Despite the repeated scenes, The Last Duel manages to not feel monotonous due to how differently each character tells the story and portrays themselves. Damon and Affleck were charged with writing the acts of the two male characters, while Holofcener wrote Marguerite’s testimony. The differences are stark, especially within the characterisations of Carrouges and Le Gris. In Carrogue’s story, he portrays himself as being a loving husband who will do anything for his wife, he believes himself to be fighting for his wife’s honour. While in contrast, Marguerite shows her husband as stubborn and brash, the duel is not about avenging her but saving his pride. Le Gris is also shown differently throughout the acts. In his version he believes Marguerite to be flirting with him, thinking that she wants to leave her husband for him. While Marguerite portrays him as much more predatory and how she is only being nice to him for the sake of keeping the peace within the king’s court.
Having the male writers take the stories of the male leads and Holofcener write Marguerite’s story is what makes The Last Duel work so beautifully. Despite taking place in fourteenth century Normandy, the story of The Last Duel is timeless. Men are constantly the unreliable narrators while women are to be believed when they come forward with stories like this. By solely focusing on Marguerite’s story being the truth, the film is kept respectful. Within Eric Jager’s book on the event, there are strong debates amongst historians of the true guilty parties involved. The question of whether the rape of Marguerite ever happened is strong, as there is speculation that Carrouges may have coerced her to come forward with the story to spite Le Gris, especially since it is reported that Carrouges neglected to tell his wife about the consequences should she be found guilty. While the inclusion of this narrative would have added an interesting layer to The Last Duel as a film, it is better left out to due to climate the film is being released in.
Another aspect of The Last Duel that works so incredibly well is the acting from the three lead actors, as well as Ben Affleck’s side character of Count Pierre D’Alençon. Each of the leads implements subtle differences in their characterisations throughout The Last Duel’s three acts, adding to the idea of the men being the unreliable narrators and Marguerite being the truth teller. At times, Damon is loving and caring, and later his character shifts to being as menacing as Driver’s Le Gris. Le Gris is exceptionally charming during his telling of the story, planting seeds of doubt into those watching the preliminary trial at Paris’ Palace of Justice. Affleck’s Pierre also works amazingly, as his character becomes fast friends with Le Gris, constantly inviting him to drunken parties with willing women. The inclusion of Pierre adds to the rape culture and entitlement towards women prevalent throughout The Last Duel, while also fueling doubts of Marguerite’s testimony as Le Gris becomes known as a handsome man that beds many women. It makes Marguerite seem more like a harlot than a victim.
Technically The Last Duel is on a masterful level. The scale of Normandy and Paris is felt through the drone footage over the Norman forts, while in Paris there is the building of Notre Dame de Paris. The production design sucks the audience straight into Medieval France and is supplementing by historically accurate costume design and hair and makeup. But it is the battle scenes and especially the duel between Carrouges and Le Gris that stand out. It is in these scenes where Scott’s directing style shines. The sound utilised here is so jarring and terrifying, almost as if one is in the middle of the clash itself. While the action is so brutal and violent, the audience cannot be helped but be shocked and afraid that all of the violence signals that Carrouges will lose and Marguerite will be burned at the stake.
Despite all the brilliance throughout each aspect of The Last Duel, there is one element that is bothersome and can be downright awful for others. While the inclusion of rape scenes makes sense due to the context of The Last Duel’s central conflict, it’s extremely difficult to justify how violent and prolonged the scenes are. While necessary, the two rape scenes are vile to sit through, and there are so many points where they could have cut to black. In Le Gris’ telling of the rape, it is still clear that Marguerite is being raped, though he justifies it later at the Palace of Justice by claiming Marguerite made the customary protests. He cannot portray Marguerite to be a harlot because she is a noblewoman and he loves her. He believes that he did not act in a violent way because of the cultural climate of Medieval France. In Marguerite’s story, the rape is significantly more brutal, as illustrated with her agonising wails. Who are these scenes for? It can be made obvious that Marguerite was raped without showing how graphic it is. The violence would not make anyone that is doubtful of Marguerite’s testimony change their minds, and borders on being voyeuristic and a spectacle. It is harrowing enough to watch a rape scene, let alone twice and that violent.
The Last Duel is an incredible film in every way imaginable. It is Scott’s most historically accurate epic and captures the semblance of Medieval Normandy while the writing from Holofcener, Damon, and Affleck make the story timeless. It is tortuous and distressing, some may feel more comfortable waiting to watch the film at home when they are able to fast forward certain scenes. But with its brilliant narrative, acting, and production design, The Last Duel is more than worth the watch.