Ridley Scott's The Last Duel has been the subject of discussion and praise since its release into theaters. The film explores the systemic abuse of women and comments on their treatment in the present day through a 14th-century backdrop. As stars Ben Affleck and Matt Damon recently pointed out, The Last Duel also challenges history and its institution, which at times does not truly consider the nature of sources.
Speaking at a press conference CBR attended, star Damon explained how the film's very structure is meant to exemplify the treatment of women. "The construct was that the... world of women is totally ignored, and overlooked, and is invisible for two-the first two acts of the movie. And then it's revealed in the third act." He continued, "And that was... 'cause Ben and I were adapting a book. Nicole was really writing an original screenplay. Because the men of the time... took very fastidious notes about what they were all up to, but they didn't record what the women were doing." Damon praised The Last Duel screenwriter Nicole Holofcener for creating what the film's source material had failed to show.
Affleck, who plays Count Pierre d'Alençon, added, "Because she does that so perfectly, so that it’s seamless, you don’t get a sense that, oh, it’s an exaggerated version of a person. It feels like versions of women we’ve seen in movies before. And we wanted to exploit the fact that, historically, people are in many ways, largely accustomed to women being secondary and tertiary characters. So that it would seem out of the ordinary." He concluded, "And she was willing to play that and makes the reveal, I think, so much more powerful and elegant, to see the difference between a essentially two-dimensional person, and a fully-realized, three-dimensional human being."
The Last Duel is based on the novel of the same name by Eric Jager. It tells the story of one of the last judicial duels to take place in France. The real-life duel was fought in 1386 between Norman knight Jean de Carrouges dueled squire Jacques Le Gris. Carrouges had accused Gris of sexually assaulting his wife, Marguerite de Carrouges. The actual duel has been the subject of debate among academics and legal historians, but the duel has been well-documented.
Actor Jodie Comer, who plays Marguerite, previously spoke on playing the different versions of the historical figure and its challenges. She stated, "The beautiful thing about the script was that the intentions were very clear as to what was needed in each perspective," she said. "What was sometimes jarring, was that we shot each version simultaneously, so we were literally jumping from one to the next."
Originally scheduled to open in December 2020, The Last Duel was delayed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. It was finally released in theaters on Oct. 15.
Source: CBR