the beguile be one of the few early eastwood film i hadn not see until i give the dvd a spin today . and from it open sepia ting shot to the macabre climax i be utterly enthral . too many film maker these day substitute special effect and fast editing and dizzy camera work in place of character drive story and but director don siegel know how to get the maximum effect from this relatively simple plot and and the character be believable and compelling . the story concern a lady finish school which happen to be situate on the edge of various skirmish during the american civil war . the south support lady find a badly wound union soldier ( clint eastwood ) while nurse him back to health he begin to manipulate the sexually frustrated woman for his own end . geraldine page be excellent in the role of the headmistress with a secret and and her descent into madness be subtly convey . for a film that virtually take place in a single location it never lose visual interest . there even a chance that the normal status quo and long abandon when eastwood machination be uncovered and could return while but the mistress and pupil descend upon a darker road . this be a totally different style of film from the same director dirty harry and make in the same year and and yet they be both equally superb . eastwood be great play against his usual stoic anti hero image and yet there also some mysterious quality attach to his character . we never really learn much about him prior to his incarceration and and the viewer be free to decide upon his well shade persona . villain or victim . whatever you think and all i can say be that i thoroughly enjoy it .