The Beguiled is a 2017 American period drama film directed by Sofia Coppola, based on the novel A Painted Devil by Thomas P. Cullinan. The movie is set during the Civil War in Virginia, and it tells the story of an injured Union Army soldier named John McBurney (played by Colin Farrell) who is discovered by a young girl named Amy (played by Oona Laurence) in the woods.
Amy takes John back to the girls' boarding school where she lives with six other girls and the school's headmistress, Martha Farnsworth (played by Nicole Kidman). Initially, the girls and Martha are hesitant to take in an enemy soldier, but they eventually decide to tend to his wounds and let him stay at the school until he recovers.
As John begins to recover under the care of the women, he flirts with each of them, stirring up sexual tension and jealousy among the girls. However, things take a dark turn when John's flirtations turn into manipulations, and the women realize they are in grave danger.
The Beguiled was well-received critically, with critics praising the performances of the cast and the film's atmosphere and direction. The movie was also nominated for several awards, including Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival and Best Supporting Actress for Kidman at the Academy Awards.