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The Last Duel (2021 film)

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The Last Duel is a 2021 epic historical drama film directed by Ridley Scott from a screenplay by Nicole Holofcener, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon, based on the 2004 book The Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France by Eric Jager. Set in medieval France, the film stars Damon as Jean de Carrouges, a knight who challenges his friend and squire Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver) to a judicial duel after Carrouges's wife, Marguerite (Jodie Comer), accuses Le Gris of raping her; Affleck also stars in a supporting role as Count Pierre d'Alençon.

The Last Duel
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRidley Scott
Screenplay by
Based onThe Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France
by Eric Jager
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyDariusz Wolski
Edited byClaire Simpson
Music byHarry Gregson-Williams[1]
Production
companies
Distributed by20th Century Studios
Release dates
  • September 10, 2021 (2021-09-10) (Venice)
  • October 15, 2021 (2021-10-15) (United States and United Kingdom)
Running time
153 minutes[2]
Countries
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$100 million[3]
Box office$18.9 million[4][5]

An adaptation of Jager's book was first announced in 2015, though it was not officially greenlit until July 2019. Affleck and Damon were confirmed as stars and co-writers that month, with Comer and Driver joining the cast later that year. Filming took place in France and Ireland from February to October 2020, with a hiatus of several months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Last Duel had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 10, 2021, and was theatrically released in the United States on October 15, 2021, by 20th Century Studios. The film received positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances and production values. However, it bombed at the box office, grossing $19 million against a production budget of $100 million.

Plot

In 1386, Marguerite de Carrouges claims to have been raped by her husband's best friend and squire Jacques Le Gris. Her husband, Jean de Carrouges, challenges him to trial by combat, the last legally sanctioned duel in France's history. The events leading up to the duel are divided into three chapters, reflecting the perspectives of de Carrouges, Le Gris, and Marguerite, respectively.

Chapter One

After serving in the Caroline War, Jean de Carrouges, a soldier known for his fiery temper and combat prowess, and his squire Jacques Le Gris swear fealty to Count Pierre d'Alençon, who has been named de Carrouges' overlord by his cousin, King Charles VI. Le Gris later informs de Carrouges that d'Alençon has ordered his new vassals to pay their war levies; de Carrouges explains he lacks the funds to pay and Le Gris agrees to ask d'Alençon, who has come to trust him as a confidant and advisor, for leniency.

To restore his finances, de Carrouges marries Marguerite de Thibouville, receiving a large dowry from her father that includes valuable estates. He appears to be a kind and attentive husband, and perceives Marguerite to be devoted and happy in their marriage. However, he learns that one particularly desirable piece of land has already been seized by d'Alençon and given to Le Gris. When de Carrouges sues for the land to be given to him, the king tosses out the lawsuit. The count retaliates by appointing Le Gris to the captaincy of a fort that de Carrouges' family had held for generations; de Carrouges is furious and suspects Le Gris has turned d'Alençon against him. While campaigning in Scotland, he is knighted for bravery but returns home to be told by his wife that Le Gris raped her while she was alone in their home. Knowing that d'Alençon protects Le Gris, de Carrouges resolves to challenge him to a duel to the death, a request which Charles VI grants.

Chapter Two

Le Gris, a squire who rose from humble beginnings and briefly studied to become a monk, wins the trust of d'Alençon by using his knowledge of mathematics to fix the count's finances and by collecting the debts owed to him by his vassals, earning a place at his side. He attempts to use his new position to help de Carrouges, but when d'Alençon showers Le Gris with gifts, de Carrouges becomes envious and openly mocks Le Gris, becoming a laughingstock among d'Alençon's court for his childish outbursts. Upon seeing Marguerite for the first time, Le Gris is attracted to her and believes that she does not fully love her husband, who is illiterate and sees her only as a means for him to acquire an heir. Marguerite admits to her friends that Le Gris is good-looking but insists that her husband does not trust him. After a conversation in which they demonstrate their mutual interest in literature and languages, Le Gris falls in love with Marguerite.

While de Carrouges is away, his mother takes the servants to help her with errands that day, leaving Marguerite alone. Le Gris has his servant knock on the door, claiming his horse had thrown a shoe and pleads with her to let him come in to warm himself. She allows the man in, but he is followed quickly by Le Gris, who declares his love for Marguerite. She insists that she is married and orders them to leave. Instead, Le Gris tells the other man to leave, while he chases Marguerite up to her bedchamber. Le Gris then rapes her. In his mind, despite her protests, he believes that Marguerite must love him as well and only gave customary, mild objections because she is a noblewoman, so he had committed no crime. Before leaving, he advises her not to tell her husband.

Some time later D'Alencon summons Le Gris and informs him that Carrouges is spreading news that Le Gris has raped his wife. Le Gris, apparently shocked Marguerite perceived the incident as a rape, is advised by D'Alencon to deny the event. D'Alencon attempts to exert his authority to rule in favor of Le Gris, but Carrouges has already appealed his case directly to the King and requested a duel to the death against Le Gris. In Paris, a number of officials advise Le Gris that as a former religious student he falls under the jurisdiction of the religious courts, which will quietly settle the matter. Le Gris, determined to defend his honor and reputation, instead accepts Carrouges' challenge.

Chapter Three

Marguerite has entered into marriage with de Carrouges and quickly set about helping him restore his neglected estate. Unfortunately, their marriage is soon strained by her failure to become pregnant. From Marguerite's perspective, de Carrouges is shown to be gruff and far less affectionate than he perceives himself to be. When de Carrouges leaves for Scotland, he orders her not to leave the castle and not to let anyone inside.

Carrouges' mother takes all the servants with her on an errand despite de Carrouges' order Marguerite not be left alone. During this time, Le Gris shows up with a servant who tricks Marguerite into letting them enter. Le Gris chases Marguerite up to her bedchamber and rapes her. The incident is shown unambiguously as a sexual assault, with Marguerite screaming and crying for Le Gris to stop. When de Carrouges returns, Marguerite tells him what has happened. He is enraged and forces Marguerite to have sex with him so that her last intercourse was not Le Gris. Marguerite is confronted by de Carrouges' mother, who warns her against bringing Le Gris to trial, revealing that she was also raped when she was young and accepted it as the way of the world so she could move on with her life, arguing that what Le Gris did to Marguerite is no different than French soldiers raping peasants during wartime campaigns.

At Le Gris' trial, the judges harshly interrogate Marguerite, who is now six months pregnant—six months after the rape. She remains resolute that she is telling the truth, even after informed by the judges that should de Carrouges lose the duel she will be tortured and burned alive for bearing false witness. Charles VI grants de Carrouges' request for a duel to the death. After the hearing, Marguerite confronts de Carrouges for not informing her she would be killed if he fails, stating that their child could now grow up an orphan. When he defends himself by saying he is risking his life for her honor, she accuses him of prioritizing his pride over all else, including her life and their child's. Marguerite gives birth to her son days before the duel is set to take place.

The duel begins with de Carrouges and Le Gris jousting until both men lose their mounts and then fight hand-to-hand. de Carrouges is stabbed in the thigh but eventually manages to pin down Le Gris. He demands that Le Gris confess or face eternal damnation, but Le Gris refuses and once more claims his innocence; de Carrouges stabs him through the mouth, killing him. No longer a prisoner, Marguerite is unchained and allowed to go to her husband. As Le Gris' body is stripped naked and taken away to be strung up for public display, de Carrouges leaves on horseback and basks in the glory of his victory in front of the cheering crowds while Marguerite follows quietly behind.

A textual epilogue reveals that de Carrouges died fighting in the Crusades a few years later while Marguerite continued managing his estate, living in peace for the remaining thirty years of her life and never marrying again.

Cast

Production

The project was initially announced in July 2015, with Francis Lawrence planning to direct the film, and Shaun Grant writing the screenplay. No further development was announced, and the film rights lapsed.[6] In July 2019, Deadline Hollywood announced that Ridley Scott was planning to direct the film with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon set to star, as well as write the screenplay with Nicole Holofcener.[7] With Walt Disney Studios holding the rights to the film as a result of the Disney–Fox merger, it was unknown if the company would produce the film owing to its subject matter; however, Deadline Hollywood added that "every studio in town was waiting in the wings" should Disney sell the rights.[8] In September, Jodie Comer entered negotiations to join the cast[9] and was confirmed the following month, with Adam Driver entering negotiations to join the film after Affleck opted to play a different supporting role.[10] Driver was confirmed in November, with Disney stating it would distribute the film by setting a release date.[11] Harriet Walter was added to the cast in February 2020.[12]

Filming began on February 14, 2020 in Dordogne, France[13][14][15] and continued until March 12, 2020 in the medieval castle of Berzé-le-Châtel (near Mâcon), Burgundy, France (with a film crew of 300 people including 100 extras).[16][17] Filming was to have taken place in Ireland, using locations at Bective Abbey, County Meath and Cahir Castle, County Tipperary and various locations across Dublin and County Wicklow from March 23, 2020 to March 30, 2020.[18] On March 13, 2020, Disney announced that the studio had to delay the shoot indefinitely amid concerns for the cast and crew in light of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as travel restrictions in Europe.[19] Filming resumed in late September 2020[20][21][22] and production concluded in Ireland on October 14, 2020.[23]

Release

The Last Duel was originally scheduled to begin a limited theatrical release on December 25, 2020, before going wide on January 8, 2021.[11] As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the release date was delayed to October 15, 2021.[24][25] It had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September 10, 2021.[26] The film will play exclusively in theaters for 45 days before heading to digital platforms.[27]

Reception

Box office

As of October 29, 2021, The Last Duel has grossed $9.7 million in the United States and Canada and $9.2 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $18.9 million.[4][5]

In the United States and Canada, The Last Duel was initially projected to gross around $10 million from 3,065 theaters in its opening weekend.[28] After making $1.8 million on its first day, including $350,000 from Thursday night previews, estimates were lowered to $5 million. It ended up debuting to $4.8 million, finishing fifth at the box office and marking the worst opening of Scott's career.[3] Deadline Hollywood attributed the underperformance to the 2.5 hour runtime limiting the number of showtimes, the subject matter being hard to market, the 45+ age demo not fully returning to theaters yet, and competition from No Time to Die.[29] Several publications labeled the film a box-office bomb, and noted that 20th Century would likely lose millions on it.[3][30][31] It fell 55% in its second weekend to $2.1 million, falling to seventh.[32]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 86% of 238 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.40/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "The Last Duel's critique of systemic misogyny isn't as effective as it might have been, but it remains a well-acted and thought-provoking drama infused with epic grandeur."[33] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 67 out of 100 based on 50 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[34] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, while those at PostTrak gave it a 72% positive score.[29]

Owen Gleiberman of Variety wrote: "Despite a brief action interlude here or there, The Last Duel turns out to be a lavishly convoluted and, at times, rather interesting medieval soap opera."[35] Reviewing the film for TheWrap, Asher Luberto praised the performances and cinematography while criticizing the screenplay, writing: "Adapting Eric Jager's 2004 non-fiction book with screenwriters Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Nicole Holofcener, Scott spins a medieval yarn that is by turns gruesome, grotesque, gorgeous and inconsistent."[36] Ben Croll of IndieWire, who gave the film a "B+" grade, praised the film as "something all too rare on the current Hollywood field of battle: an intelligent and genuinely daring big budget melee that is — above all else — the product of recognizable artistic collaboration."[37] Kyle Smith of National Review wrote that the film was "absolutely soaked in fascinating strangeness", adding: "It works because it doesn’t try to retrofit the facts of the past to fit the assumptions of the present."[38] Linda Marric of The Jewish Chronicle gave the film a score of 5/5 stars, describing it as "a true return to form for Scott and a brilliant testament to Affleck and Damon's unparalleled screenwriting expertise."[39] Deborah Ross of The Spectator described the film as "bleak, brutal and bloody with little respite — aside from Affleck's Count Pierre, who is nicely bitchy."[40]

Mark Kermode of The Observer gave the film a score of 3/5 stars, saying that it "plays like an armour-clad reimagining of Rashomon crossed with a #MeToo-inflected remake of Straw Dogs." He added that the film "has a tendency to mirror its central battle’s attempts to address complex issues with the blunt tool of rabble-rousing spectacle."[41] Charlotte O'Sullivan of the Evening Standard also gave the film 3/5 stars, describing it as "a handsome, well-researched drama that’s by turns earnest, amusing and unintentionally funny."[42] Joe Morgenstern of The Wall Street Journal praised the film's production values, performances and primary theme, but wrote: "the narrative is cluttered with court intrigue against a background of repetitive battles, and the storytelling structure is exhausting."[43] Brian Lowry of CNN wrote that the film "is muddy, bloody and grim but too drawn out in filtering 14th-century feudal norms through a modern prism."[44] David Fear of Rolling Stone said that the film "ends up perching so close to parody at times that you'd swear the full title was Monty Python's The Last Duel."[45]

References

  1. ^ "Harry Gregson-Williams to Score Ridley Scott's 'The Last Duel' | Film Music Reporter". December 15, 2020.
  2. ^ "The Last Duel". British Board of Film Classification. Archived from the original on October 15, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Lang, Brent (October 17, 2021). "Box Office: 'Halloween Kills' Scores Bloody Great $50.4 Million Debut, 'The Last Duel' Bombs". Variety. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "The Last Duel (2021)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "The Last Duel (2021)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  6. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (July 10, 2015). "Studio 8 Sets Shaun Grant To Adapt 'The Last Duel' For 'Hunger Games' Helmer Francis Lawrence". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  7. ^ Kroll, Justin (July 22, 2019). "Ridley Scott, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Nicole Holofcener Team on 'The Last Duel'". Variety. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
  8. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (July 22, 2019). "Ridley Scott, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck & Nicole Holofcener Huddle On 14th Century Tale 'The Last Duel'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
  9. ^ Galuppo, Mia (September 26, 2019). "Jodie Comer in Talks to Join Matt Damon, Ben Affleck in 'The Last Duel'". The Hollywood Reporter.
  10. ^ Kroll, Justin (October 22, 2019). "Adam Driver in Talks to Join Matt Damon in Ridley Scott's 'Last Duel' (Exclusive)". Variety.
  11. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 15, 2019). "Disney Dates A Ton Of Pics Into 2023 & Juggles Fox Releases With Ridley Scott's 'The Last Duel' To Open Christmas 2020, 'The King's Man' Next Fall – Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  12. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (February 19, 2020). "Harriet Walter Joins Ridley Scott's 'The Last Duel' Opposite Matt Damon & Jodie Comer".
  13. ^ "Recherche doublures pour Matt Damon, Adam Driver et Jodie Comer pour un tournage en Dordogne". France Bleu (in French). January 14, 2020.
  14. ^ "#casting doublures Matt Damon, Adam Driver et Jodie Comer pour film de Ridley Scott Paris - castings figurants : Casting cinéma, Casting chant, casting télé". castings figurants : Casting cinéma, Casting chant, casting télé.
  15. ^ "Discrétion de mise à Sarlat autour du dernier Ridley Scott". France Bleu (in French). February 13, 2020.
  16. ^ "#Macon #casting femmes et hommes 16/80 ans pour tournage film avec Matt Damon et Adam Driver Macon - castings figurants : Casting cinéma, Casting chant, casting télé". Figurants.com (in French). January 21, 2020.
  17. ^ Valette, Damien (January 23, 2020). "The Last Duel : cinq à six jours de tournage au château de Berzé". www.lejsl.com (in French). Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  18. ^ Casey, Ann (February 11, 2020). "Hollywood legends coming to Meath for major movie shoot". Meath Chronicle. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  19. ^ Kroll, Justin (March 13, 2020). "Disney Halts Production on Most Live-Action Films Including 'The Last Duel'".
  20. ^ Kroll, Justin (August 20, 2020). "MGM's Ridley Scott-Lady Gaga Gucci Film Eyes Robert De Niro, Jared Leto, Al Pacino, Adam Driver, Jack Huston & Reeve Carney". Deadline.
  21. ^ Donohoe, John (September 12, 2020). "Work progressing on set of 'The Last Duel' at Bective". Meath Chronicle. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  22. ^ "Matt Damon, Jodie Comer and Adam Driver pictured on film set in Tipperary". The Journal. September 20, 2020. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  23. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (October 14, 2020). "Ridley Scott Eyes Another Epic: Joaquin Phoenix As Napoleon In 'Kitbag' As Director Today Wraps 'The Last Duel'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  24. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 23, 2020). "'Mulan' Off The Calendar; Disney Also Delays 'Avatar' & 'Star Wars' Movies By One Year As Studio Adjusts To Pandemic". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  25. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (July 23, 2020). "'Star Wars' Films, 'Avatar' Sequels Pushed Back a Year in Disney Release Calendar Shakeup". Variety. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  26. ^ Vivarelli, Nick (July 26, 2021). "Venice Film Festival Full Lineup Unveiled – Live Updates". Variety. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  27. ^ Vary, Adam B.; Saperstein, Pat (September 10, 2021). "Disney Releasing 'Eternals,' 'Encanto' Exclusively in Theaters". Variety. Archived from the original on September 10, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  28. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (October 13, 2021). "Box Office: 'Halloween Kills' Hunting Down $40 Million Debut as 'The Last Duel' Eyes Scary Start". Variety. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  29. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 17, 2021). "'Halloween Kills' Grabs Best Horror & R-Rated Opening Records During Pandemic With $50.4M, Even With Peacock Day & Date". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  30. ^ Poisuo, Pauli (October 18, 2021). "Why Ridley Scott's The Last Duel Bombed At The Box Office". Looper. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  31. ^ McClintock, Pamela (October 18, 2021). "'The Last Duel' Box Office Debacle: Hollywood's Battle for Older Moviegoers". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  32. ^ Anthony D'Alessandro (October 24, 2021). "'Dune' Domestic Opening Is Best For Warner Bros HBO Max Day/Date Title & Denis Villeneuve". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 24, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  33. ^ "The Last Duel (2021)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  34. ^ "The Last Duel Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  35. ^ "'The Last Duel' Review: Matt Damon and Adam Driver in Ridley Scott's Intriguing but Overcooked Medieval Soap Opera". Variety. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  36. ^ Asher Luberto (September 10, 2021). "'The Last Duel' Film Review: Matt Damon's Medieval Hero Outshines Ridley Scott's Muddled Mystery". TheWrap. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  37. ^ Ben Croll (September 10, 2021). "'The Last Duel' Review: Forget the Bad Hair, Ridley Scott's Epic Is Heir to a Tradition of Movies for Adults". IndieWire. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  38. ^ Smith, Kyle (October 13, 2021). "Medieval Madness". National Review. Retrieved October 18, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  39. ^ Marric, Linda (October 15, 2021). "Film review: The Last Duel". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved October 18, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  40. ^ Ross, Deborah. "Hang in there for the gripping final half an hour: The Last Duel reviewed". The Spectator. Retrieved October 20, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  41. ^ Kermode, Mark (October 17, 2021). "The Last Duel review – swordplay without subtlety". The Guardian. Retrieved October 18, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  42. ^ O'Sullivan, Charlotte (October 15, 2021). "The Last Duel takes aim at misogyny but never lands a killer blow". Evening Standard. Retrieved October 20, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  43. ^ Morgenstern, Joe (October 13, 2021). "'Last Duel': Big Talents, Blunt Swords". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  44. ^ Lowry, Brian (October 14, 2021). "'The Last Duel' doesn't disappoint, but the lengthy buildup to it does". CNN. Retrieved October 18, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  45. ^ Fear, David (October 13, 2021). "'The Last Duel': Damon and Affleck Reunite for a Medieval #MeToo-Drama Fail". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 18, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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