The Pale Blue Eye
Warning ! This Article arrest Spoilers for The Pale Blue Eye
Trigger Warning : This Article Mentions Sexual Assault and Suicide
The Pale Blue Eyehas a twist regarding the cause of death ’s identity at the United States Military Academy . In the film , retired police detective Augustus Landor ( Christian Bale ) is called to look into the execution of Cadet Leroy Fry ( Steven Maier ) , with later a 2d dupe in Cadet Randolph Ballinger ( Fred Hechinger ) . The bodies of both dupe are found hung with their hearts remove .
After learn a vital clue from Jean - Pepe ( Robert Duvall ) , Augustus discovers that the house of Dr. Daniel Marquis ( Toby Jones ) and his wife Julia ( Gillian Anderson ) have a chronicle of devil adoration and witchcraft . The couple has allowed their children Artemus ( Harry Lawtey ) and Lea ( Lucy Boynton ) to perform fiendish ritual in a dire attempt to cure Lea of her seizures . Augustus savesEdgar Allan Poe(Harry Melling ) from being the Marquis ' latest sacrifice , with Artemus and Lea dying in a fire .
relate : The Pale Blue Eye Cast & Character Guide
Every Clue Augustus Landor Was The Pale Blue Eye’s Killer
After go back from the ritual , Edgar Allan Poe confront Augustus in his cabin . Edgar has figure out that it was trulyAugustus who committed the murders , as vengeance for the plebe raping his girl Mattie ( Hadley Robinson ) , who later commit self-annihilation . The only law-breaking really committed by Artemus and Lea was desecrating the body of Leroy Fry in the dead room , removing his heart .
The cock-a-hoop clew towards Augustus Landor ’s identity as the killer was a scrap of paper dispatch from Leroy ’s paw during the autopsy . Edgar Allan Poe later realized it was part of a letter of the alphabet compose in Augustus ' hand . Edgar fill in the blanks when he speak to Augustus ' intimate and sometimes lover Patsy ( Charlotte Gainsbourg ) and learns the true narrative about Mattie , who Augustus always say the great unwashed just ran off with someone . By giving Edgar the writing sample distribution , Augustus always intended for the plebe to compute out that he was the slayer . However , Edgar burns the sample , allowing the authorisation to bear on believe Artemus and Lea are the material manslayer .
The Pale Blue Eye’s Murders Were Totally Different (But Looked The Same)
A flashback reveal that Augustus only club and hung Leroy Fry before flee as Edgar , making his nightly rounds , approaches the scene . As such , when Augustus was address to inquire the murder , he was surprised to ascertain that Leroy had his heart removed . However , this did grant Augustus to pin the murder on Artemus and Lea .
Augustus made his second vengeful murder when he killed Randolph Ballinger , which ironically occurred immediately after Augustus save Edgar from being jealously beaten by Randolph . This clip , Augustus removed Randolph ’s heart himself to make it look like a ritualistic serial kill . Edgar Allen Poe opt not to turn Augustus in for these murders , andThe Pale Blue Eyeends with Augustus stand at the same cliffside Mattie derail off two year earlier , saying " Rest My honey " as he releases her ribbon .
More : Harry Melling Interview : The Pale Blue Eye
