The Beguiled (2017)

Jack and I thoroughly enjoyed this very fine movie about a Civil War Virginia girls' boarding school disrupted by a wounded Union soldier. Don't be fooled by its leisurely pace or the birds chirping and insects buzzing in the Spanish moss--stuff happens.

Director/writer Sofia Coppola (last blogged for The Bling Ring) has come full circle from her first feature The Virgin Suicides (1999) which was also about an isolated group of women and starring Kirsten Dunst, the first of four times so far they've worked together. Earlier this year Coppola won Best Director (the first time in 50 years a woman has won) and nominated for the Palme d'Or at Cannes.

As the 1971 movie of the same name, this is adapted from the 1966 novel by Thomas Cullinan, but Coppola wants us to know it's not a remake. She had Nicole Kidman (after Lion she was terrific in the miniseries Big Little Lies) in mind when writing the part of headmistress Miss Martha. Dunst (most recently in Hidden Figures) embodies the frustrated teacher Edwina and Colin Farrell (last in The Lobster) is enigmatic as the soldier. Elle Fanning (most recently in 3 Generations) is rightfully the top billed of the five students, the flirtatious Alicia. Also notable are Oona Laurence (just seen as the flirtatious tween in Little Boxes) as Amy and Angourie Rice (Ryan Gosling's daughter in The Nice Guys) as Jane.

I know we liked the music when we saw this four days ago but it can't be streamed or even bought online. It's credited to Laura Karpman (scored Paris Can Wait) and the French band Phoenix (headlined by Coppola's husband Thomas Mars) (Phoenix composed for her movie Somewhere, which co-starred Fanning).

Do not adjust your television sets, er, bother your theatre managers, because this movie was shot in 1.66:1 aspect ratio (to make it seem claustrophobic) instead of the usual wider 16:9 by cinematographer Philippe Le Sourd. Also, the exterior of the school's house was used in Beyoncé's Lemonade video.

The critics are cool, averaging 78%, and audiences colder at 54 from Rotten Tomatoes. We disagree and, though I had to shield my eyes a few times at 1860s-era first aid, we recommend it.