The Pale Blue Eye
word of advice ! This Article Contains Spoilers for The Pale Blue Eye
Trigger Warning : This article discuss intimate ravishment and suicide
Scott Cooper’sThe Pale Blue Eyeis a mystery story thriller adapted from the 2003 novel by Louis Bayard . Set in 1830 , the film ’s plot involves the murder of cadet from the United States Military Academy . Christian Bale stars as retired oldtimer detective Augustus Landor , who is called upon to investigate the murder . Augustus receives help in this investigation from a immature Edgar Allan Poe , who at this point of his life is a plebe at the honorary society , though he has already published some of the poem he would become known for .
As the victims ' body have been line up with their sum absent , Augustus begins to distrust that witchcraft and devil adoration is at play . However , the superiors at theUnited States Military Academyinsist that Augustus should consider Edgar , who had a connexion with both the victims , should be see as a suspect . Next , however , Augustus begins to suspect the local Marquis family , consisting of Dr. Daniel Marquis ( Toby Jones ) , who direct the initial autopsy , Daniel ’s married woman Julia ( Gillian Anderson ) , and children Artemus ( Harry Lawtey ) and Lea ( Lucy Boynton ) . This sets the stage forThe Pale Blue Eye’sfinal act .
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Who Was Performing The Satanic Rituals?
The Satanic rituals were perform by Lucy Boynton ’s character of Lea Marquis with the help of her comrade Artemus . The observance were performed with the full knowledge and support of their parents , Daniel and Julia , the latter in attending during the one seen in the motion-picture show . Lea ’s need is to perform sacrifice to cure her of the affliction she has been suffer since puerility .
As Lea ’s romanticist interest throughout thefilm , Edgar Allan Poeis lure off - screen to the lakeside ice menage where the ritual is performed . Augustus Landor is tell where they are after question Daniel Marquis , and he arrives while Lea is in the middle of the ceremonial . The construction is set on fervency during the rescue attempt , and a man of falling debris kills Lea . Artemus refuses to leave Lea ’s side , and a holler Julia must be pulled out from her children before the roof break up .
In the aftermath of the ritual , Augustus is watch over Edgar in the infirmary . Augustus is approached by Captain Hitchcock ( Simon McBurney ) , who states that even though the magistrate has opted not to engage the grieving Julia , Daniel Marquis has handed in his surrender as the United States Military Academy ’s doctor . Augustus is then give thanks by Superintendent Thayer ( Timothy Spall ) for a problem well done and released from his contract .
How Does Augustus Learn The Truth About The Marquis Family?
Early in his investigation , Augustus discover evidence that demonic rituals were being performed in the ice house . This effect in Augustus seeking interview from Jean - Pepe ( Robert Duvall ) , a local expert in the Occult . Jean - Pepe mentions a book namedDiscours du Diableby witch - hunting watch turned devil worshiper Henri Le Clerc , which gave instructions for immortality . While the original copy is conceive destroyed , it is thought that Le Clerc made at least two indistinguishable copy .
Throughout the cinema , Augustus develops a intuition towardsthe Marquis family , which is made potent after he goes to their house for dinner party . After it is describe that a third cadet , Cadet Stoddard ( Joey Brooks ) , has run low missing , Augustus desperately returns to Jean - Pepe for more data on Henri Le Clerc . After being shown an image in a book , Augustus realise that he is the same as Fr . Henri Le Clerc , Daniel Marquis ’s great - grandfather .
Augustus face up Daniel in his sketch and finds that he indeed has one of the missing copies ofDiscours du Diableon his bookshelf . Daniel says that Lea ’s condition was worsen , and she was only given three year to live . It was only after beginning the ritual that Lea seemed to improve , which is why Daniel allowed them to continue .
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What Condition Did Lea Marquis Have?
While not explicitly observe by name , it is most probable Lea had a shape of epilepsy . The first sign of Lea ’s affliction comes when she is with Edgar Allan Poe , and she ends up falling and having a seizure . While at the Marquis ' planetary house one nighttime , Augustus Landor questions Daniel Marquis about his daughter ’s precondition , and Daniel replies that it has been an illness Lea had since childhood .
Edgar Allan Poe ends up feeling great empathy for Lea and her condition . During the night at the Marquis ' menage , Edgar recitesThe Tell - Tale Heartto Lea , featuring a line that givesThe Pale Blue Eyeits title , which he tells her is inhale by her horrible affliction . Lea practice this empathy to entice Edgar to the ritual by postulate him , " Remember when you said you ’d do anything for me ? "
How Does Edgar Allan Poe Figure Out Augustus Landor is The Killer?
With the slaying investigation on the face of it solve , Augustus Landor returns to his stranded cabin . However , Augustus is chitchat by Edgar Allan Poe , who has recovered from most becoming a Satanic sacrifice . Edgar tells Augustus that he knows the truth about his girl and how it ties in with the case .
Early in the investigation , Edgar was confide with a scrap of paper Augustus removed from the hand of the first victim Leroy Fry ( Steven Maier ) . When compare the writing on the fight to a banknote Augustus afterwards left for Edgar , he earn that they are both written in the same handwriting . As such , Edgar realizes thatAugustus is the real killer , fulfil in the blank by talking to the barmaid and Augustus ' sometimes lover , Patsy ( Charlotte Gainsbourg ) .
The motive for Augustus ’s murdering the cadets was vengeance for them rape his daughter Mattie ( Hadley Robinson ) . Augustus tells Edgar that he always take on he would figure out Augustus was responsible for for the murders . Instead of turning Augustus in for the criminal offense , Edgar burns the incriminating evidence on a taper and leaves Augustus to his isolated life in the cabin .
What Really Happened To Augustus' Daughter
The story Augustus Landor recount everyone , including Edgar Allan Poe , for the past two twelvemonth is that his daughter Mattie ran off with some cat . However , Mattie was raped by three cadets while return home one nighttime from the Academy Ball . She was never able to retrieve from the sexual rape , and she ended up committing self-destruction after jumping off a drop .
Augustus Landor figured out Leroy Fry was one of the rapist , thanks to the initial on the medal Mattie was holding when she render home following the assault . Leroy ’s fellow rapists , including the second dupe Randolph Ballinger ( Fred Hechinger ) , were deciphered from Augustus read Leroy ’s diary . The third raper Cadet Stoddard terminate up fleeing from the United States Military Academy to avoid becoming the third victim .
After Edgar Allan Poe leaves Augustus , the latter returns to the drop-off where Mattie took her life . At first , it appears that Augustus will also commit self-destruction as punishment for his crimes . But instead , he take for out Mattie ’s hair ribbon and says , " Rest , My Love , " while letting the thread go into the malarky .
The Real Meaning Of The Pale Blue Eye’s Ending
The connective tissue paper between the Marquis kin ’s hellish rituals and Augustus Landor ’s vengeful murders are parents willing to do anything for their daughters . Dr. Daniel Marquis had tried everything medically possible to bring around Lea of her affliction . However , as Lea performing devil adoration seemed to be working , Daniel reserve the Satanic rituals to proceed since he require his daughter to exist .
On the snotty-nosed side , Augustus Landor had already lose his girl two years before the events ofThe Pale Blue Eye , and Augustus was go through by a thirstiness for vengeance for his daughter Mattie ’s rape and subsequent self-destruction . While Augustus seems to reach a stratum of abreaction in the moving-picture show ’s final moments , it fare at the cost of his bloom friendship with Edgar Allan Poe . The soon - to - be - famed military plebe - turn - poet is last envision leave Augustus ' cabin , muse what their friendly relationship could have been like .
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