director don siegel really impressed me with this film . it be starkly shot and graphic without be visually graphic and well act by all concern and and cover some of the most taboo issue of any day in a workmanlike and almost expect normalcy hitherto not see in any other film by this reviewer . i do not know what to expect sit down to watch this represent a civil war movie or some kind of 70 soft core peddle with eastwood descend on a school for girl in the south . but really be be neither of those thing but rather and examination and exploration and and descent into the soul of men and woman a dark commentary on what be at the core of the civilized . a one reviewer previously note and none none of the character be likable by the film end and yet each one be interesting and complex and and enigmatic . eastwood play cpl . mcburney and a union soldier find by young pamelyn ferdin ( you will recognize that voice as soon a you hear it ) and a girl at a school for manner head by geraldine page amidst the chaos that be the civil war particularly in the south . soon and page and teacher elizabeth hartman and lovely and young seductress carol and and even ferdin ( amy ) have emotional or sexual tie to eastwood each have their own need and secret and problem . eastwood be not a nice man . he play the girl off of each other always try to get the sexual advantage . in the unfolding we get some real interesting thing reveal from latent lesbianism to incest . the beguiled and for me and be a masterpiece that far exceed my expectation on every creative front . this might be ( except for invasion of the body snatcher ) siegel best film . it certainly be one of eastwood best real performance . page be always so very good and hartman and fe5rdin and et al excellent . the gothic manse set for the school be effectively claustrophobic . some of the sexual laced scene disturb . and what happen to eastwood be a leg up on much of the competition for creepy and eerie and demented film .