The Last Duel has Ridley Scott directing, his next film is House of Gucci, and the return of the onscreen duo of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. Affleck’s last film was the sports drama, The Way Back (2020). Damon was in this year’s drama, Stillwater, and starred in Scott’s film, The Martian (2015). Still, the movie is about neither actor’s character nor the squire played by Adam Driver. The actor was also in this year’s musical drama, Annette, he is also in the House of Gucci. It is really about Jodie Comer’s character, the Lady Marguerite de Carroughes. Comer was also in the action movie Free Guy and is known for playing Villanelle in Killing Eve. The film is based on the book by Eric Jager, The Last Duel:A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France (2004). The screenplay is co-written by Affleck and Damon, their first collaboration since Good Will Hunting (1997).
They worked with Nicole Holofcener, who won an Academy Award for her screenplay, Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018). In Scott’s body of work, Kingdom of Heaven (2005) would be the closest in setting (two centuries before this story) and tone. It opens in Paris, December of 1386, a snowy jousting field, crowds of citizens circle the field. Marguerite (Comer) is also getting prepared with her attendants. The crier announces the duel. The cinematography by Dariusz Wolski has murky skies. He worked with Scott on several films including All The Money in the World. It pans across the nobles watching from the stands including Queen Isabeau (Serena Kennedy) and King Charles VI (Alex Lawther). Kennedy was in the 2019 movie, Remember Me and Lawther is in the Wes Anderson movie, The French Dispatch. The young king is amused by the duel, smiling, which last happened before his time.
We also see in the stands, Count Pierre Alençon (Affleck) almost unrecognizable with blond hair and beard. The two duelists, in their tents, are getting dressed and fitted with their armor; Jean de Carroughes (Damon) with a wicked scar on his right cheek and Jacques Le Gris (Driver). Note that the names are not introduced, only over some time, do you realize their names. Marguerite has her black dress slipped on. Her face is morose as she waits. Jean mounts his white horse and Jacques his black horse. The horses symbolically tie into a later scene. The duellists eye each other and then ride up to the king’s box. Jean gestures for his lance. Jacques lowers his helmet’s visor and gets his lance. Jean charges forward. I noticed that the crest on Jacques’ shield is a snake on a field of green. They both charge until striking their lances. The rest of the duel is very violent and bloody with no honor. This shifts to “Chapter 1: The Truth According to Jean de Carroughes.”
The narrative device of getting the perspectives of different characters on a single story is from the Akira Kurosawa film, Rashomon (1950). I find it interesting that Damon was in a movie with a simliar plot device, the wartime drama, Courage Under Fire (1996). Jean and Jacques are squires that ride to the Caroline War battlefield, the war between England and France, part of the Hundred Years’ War. Across a river, English soldiers have French citizens lined up and a woman is beheaded. Jean calls for a charge against the lord’s order to hold the bridge. Jacques joins the charge across the river. This battle that begins a film and then ends in a duel is similar to Scott’s other historical movie, Gladiator (2000). There are other battles that Jean fights in, but this one is just a part of the narrative so this shifts to Pierre having the squires and others swear loyalty to him.
Jean returns home to see his father, Jean de Carroughes III (Oliver Cotton) who was a knight and protector of a fortress. The last film for Cotton was Wonder Woman 1984 (2020). Also, his mother, Nicole de Buchard (Harriet Walter), a demanding, severe woman. Walter was in the drama, Rocketman (2019). Jacques visits Jean at his castle and says that Pierre is raising taxes, Jean is struggling with finances, and Jacques says that he will talk with Pierre. Later, he is at a gathering when Sir Robert de Thibouville (Nathaniel Parker) introduces his daughter, Marguerite. Sir Robert has defied the king so his reputation is in question. Jean wants a parcel of land that is hunting grounds for the dowry, Sir Robert is hesistant, but then agrees to the marriage. Jean tells Marguerite during a dance that he is a jealous man. We also find out later that he is demanding and stubborn.
He finds out that the hunting grounds promised to him is instead handed over to Jacques by Alençon. Jean tries to sue for the land since it was dear to Margueritte, but it is tossed out by the king. Then, Pierre hands the captaincy and the fort of de Carroughes to Jacques after the death of Jean’s father. This makes a personal rivalry for Jean. At a gathering and he has Margueritte kiss Jacques as sign of their friendship. The couple is childless and of course Jean wants a son. Later, he goes to fight in Scotland and is knighted. He returns home and then travels to Paris to get payment for his services. He has his mother to watch over the castle with Margueritte even though there is tension between them. Jean returns to find his wife saying that his mother left her alone and she was raped by Jacques. He screams at Margueritte to find if she is telling the truth. This ultimately leads to the king permitting the duel.
So we are brought into “Chapter 2: The Truth According to Jacques Le Gris.” There is the Caroline battle except it is Jacques who orders the attack. In places, we can see where he is lying. We find out that Pierre has his wife leave a dinner while he goes with Jacques to engage with other women. Jacques chases a woman and then throws over his shoulder, very Neanderthal-like, to take her to bed. This is about two flawed men who think they are righteous. Jean, husband and warrior, is shown as a complainer and also largely ignores his wife. Jacques thinks of himself as an educated, social climber, but anyone outside of his social circles especially woman are beneath him. He has no problems with this violence towards women, the no means yes mindset, and very topical for our current times and issues. Very topical. Of course these two characters are unreliable narrators and the real story is Margueritte’s perspective. Comer’s acting is impressive through the two biased stories and we can trust her story and her strength. We see this with her taking care of the finances and people of the castle. The Last Duel is a character study of three people, their world is very much like our own, fantastic acting, especially showcasing Jodie Comer!
Five Lances out of Five!
#TheLastDuel, #RidleyScott, #JodieComer, #MattDamon, #AdamDriver, #BenAffleck, #HarrietWalter, #OliverCotton
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