Do you like historical films, made with attention to detail and impeccable storytelling? We suggest you take a look at “The Last Duel”, a film directed by the famous Ridley Scott.
Although based on a story set in France in the 14th century, the film was shot in some of the most beautiful parts of Ireland! So it’s impossible not to return with you to the mythical filming locations!
We’re in 14th-century France.
The Last Duel
The Last Duel tells the story of the last known judicial duel in France. A historic duel between Jean de Carrouges and Jacques Le Gris, two former friends who eventually became bitter enemies.
Carrouges (played by Matt Damon) is a renowned knight, famous for his exploits on the battlefield. Le Gris (played by Adam Driver) is a Norman squire close to the king, appreciated for his intelligence and wit.
After years of latent rivalry, Le Gris rapes Carrouges’ wife. The young woman and her husband Carrouges demand justice from the king…
Ready to do anything to clear his and his wife’s name, Carrouges demands a duel to the death to exact his revenge…
When the project was launched, the whole of Hollywood was enthusiastic. Ridley Scott promised a new kind of historical film, with a brilliant cast including Matt Damon, Adam Driver and Ben Affleck.
On its release in 2021, the film was hailed by critics, but unfairly shunned by audiences and struggled to find its audience.
This is due to an overly “historical” style, of great accuracy, to which the public is not very accustomed. Ridley Scott has pushed the envelope. It depicts 14th-century France at its harshest, with its damp, dark castles, the precariousness of life at the time, and the prevailing misogyny toward women.
Let’s make no mistake: beyond playing the historical fresco card, Ridley Scott tackles a sensitive and major theme in the age of #MeToo: that of rape… and men’s relationship with women.
As a result, the film has a knack for telling the story with a style all its own. We relive the assault scene from 3 different points of view: that of Carrouges, LeGris, and of course, Carrouges’ wife. It’s this last point of view that makes the film so powerful!
It’s an opportunity to discover all the characters’ biases and subjectivity when it comes to the truth… It’s also a way of questioning the notion of consent. Extremely sensitive subjects that echo our times, despite the centuries.
What’s more, the film plays the slow card… It’s a choice Ridley Scott has taken on board, avoiding easy shortcuts and building his narrative in the present moment… The result is a particularly captivating atmospheric film… but one whose (albeit necessary) length can sometimes discourage an uninformed audience.
Special mention must be made of the film’s exceptional cast: we discover a Matt Damon of great accuracy, scarred and gruff, far removed from the Hollywood codes to which he had accustomed us.
Adam Driver’s performance is equally perfect, playing with ambiguity and gratuitous violence…
Finally, Ben Affleck, a little more in the background, shocks a little with his blond hair dye… but lends credibility to the story.
Finally, Jodie Comer, who plays Carrouges’ wife, is the film’s centerpiece. She plays a woman who silently endures the regular outrages of a husband who is insensitive to the condition of women. She agrees to sacrifice everything to clear her name and demand recognition for the rape she suffered at the hands of Le Gris. A portrait of great courage, which celebrates feminism despite the medieval context of the time.
Although the story is officially set in France, Ridley Scott didn’t hesitate to juggle France and Ireland for his filming locations for The Last Duel.
So the film uses the mythical Irish wilderness to present a rugged, precarious rural France, 100% unspoilt, with its castles and abbeys. Places that literally transport you to 14th-century France, and let you admire all the beauty of Ireland!
The Last Duel passed through a number of tourist sites, including :
It has to be said that Wicklow is often dubbed the Hollywood of Ireland by the United States. Its unspoilt landscapes make it a prime location for big-budget films. Great shows like the Vikings series were filmed there.
