The Last Duel (Exclusive Series) (HBO Max)

Initial release date: October 15, 2021

Studios: 20th Century Studios/Scott Free Productions/Pearl Street Films/TSG Entertainment

Tagline: The truth has different versions

The true story of a woman who defied a nation and made history

Plot: The Last Duel is a cinematic and thought-provoking drama set in the midst of the Hundred Years War that explores the ubiquitous power of men, the frailty of justice and the strength and courage of one woman willing to stand alone in the service of truth. Based on actual events, the film unravels long-held assumptions about France's last sanctioned duel between Jean de Carrouges and Jacques Le Gris, two friends turned bitter rivals. Carrouges is a respected knight known for his bravery and skill on the battlefield. Le Gris is a Norman squire whose intelligence and eloquence make him one of the most admired nobles in court. When Carrouges' wife, Marguerite, is viciously assaulted by Le Gris, a charge he denies, she refuses to stay silent, stepping forward to accuse her attacker, an act of bravery and defiance that puts her life in jeopardy. The ensuing trial is combat, a grueling duel to the death, places the fate of all three in God's hand.

Cast

Matt Damon - Sir Jean de Carrouges

Adam Driver - Jacques Le Gris

Jodie Comer - Marguerite de Carrouges

Harriet Walker - Nicole de Carrouges

Ben Affleck - Pierre d'Alencom

Alex Lawther - King Charles VI

Marton Csokas - Crespin

William Houston - Herald at the Duel

Oliver Cotton - Jean de Carrouges III

Nathaniel Parker - Sir Robert de Thibouville

Tallulah Haddon - Marie

Bryony Hannah - Alice

Michael McElhatton - Bernard de Latour

Sam Hazeldine - Thomin Dubois

Writer(s): Nicole Holofeener (Can You Ever Forgive Me?; Enough Said)

Ben Affleck (Live by Night; The Town; Gone Baby Gone; Good Will Hunting)

Matt Damon (Promised Land; Good Will Hunting)

Eric Jager (based upon the book by)

Director: Ridley Scott (House of Gucci; All the Money in the World; Alien: Covenant)

Rated R for strong violence including sexual assault, sexual content, some graphic nudity and language (152 minutes)

This 2021 Ridley Scott film was released this past October and didn't perform well during its initial theatrical run. And, despite the fact that 'The Last Duel' was a financial dud, it's actually pretty decent.

The Ridley Scott film features some really great 14th century and the joust sequence at the end is incredible to watch. There's also other moments scattered throughout that also has some amazing action. The film is split in three segments, giving the perspective of the film's events from the three main leads (which is intriguing).

it also has quite a few dramatic moments and there's even a few that gives quite an emotional punch. It's a great film to check out that will leave you entertained and interested until the very end.

You can stream 'The Last Duel' on the HBO Max streaming platform.

Here are some interesting tidbits for 'The Last Duel':

• Matt Damon said that he and Affleck brought on Nicole Holofcener to help them write the female perspectives of the screenplay.

• In real life spectators of judicial duels were forbidden to interfere by making any noise, and that included shouting, cheering and even coughing, under the penalty of death.

• The film gets its title from the fact that the duel between Le Gris and Carrouges was one of the last trials by combat in France. The actual last duel occurred in 1547 opposing Guy Chabot de Jarnac against Francois de Vivonne.

• Many felt that another reason for the film's lack of box office success was because Disney put minimal effort into advertising the movie. This seems to hold true for a lot of the films that they inherited from the Fox merger and were contractually obliged to release.

• In reality, during the duel, both of the opponents faces wouldn't be seen as they would have been fully helmeted. Instead, they opted to have the actor's faces visible as Matt Damon and Adam Driver wanted to do as many stunts as possible themselves.

• One of 2021s most notorious flops, this only earned $9 million on its opening weekend against a budget in excess of $100 million. Ridley Scott took issue with this in later interviews, citing modern audiences' lack of interest in intellectual films over comic book movies. The fact that the film was developed largely for older audiences - the type who typically stayed away from cinemas during the height of the pandemic - was probably a mitigating factor in the film's under-performance.

• The project was initially announced in July 2015 with Francis Lawrence (Hunger Games sequels; Red Sparrow) planning to direct the film. No further development was announced, and the film rights lapsed.

• With Disney holding the rights to the film as a result of the Disney-Fox merger, it was known at the time if the company would produce the film owing to its subject matter; however, Deadline Hollywood added that "every studio in town was waiting in the wings" should Disney sell the rights.

• 'The Last Duel' became available for streaming on HBO Max on January 14, 2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgygUwPJvYk