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''The Reckoning'' is a 2003 British-Spanish murder mystery drama film directed by Paul McGuigan and starring Paul Bettany, Willem Dafoe, Tom Hardy, Gina McKee, Brian Cox and Vincent Cassel. It was written by Mark Mills and based on the 1995 novel ''Morality Play'' by Barry Unsworth. Filming was done on location in Spain, Wales, and England. The story, which is set during the medieval period in England, alludes to the evolution of the theatre arts from what was strictly Biblical morality plays in the period to dramas based on real or extra-Biblical fictional subjects. == Plot == In 1380 England, a priest, Nicholas (Bettany), flees his village when found in flagrante delicto with a married woman. During flight he witnesses a group that has euthanized a member to give relief from his long recurring internal pain. He becomes known to the group and is captured. The group is a travelling acting troupe who think he is a robber and they explain the killing. Reluctantly, they allow him to join their troupe to replace the member killed. On their journey to the next town they are forced to travel to a new district after a collapsed bridge stops them taking their normal route and to mend the cart that carries their goods although they have no money. The troupe reach a strange town with castle under reconstruction and find a woman being sentenced to death for killing a boy upon the testimony of a Benedictine Monk (Ewen Bremner). The troupe perform a biblical passion play, but, as told by the group's leader Martin (Willem Dafoe), so few attend they are unable to bury the dead troupe member and fix their cart. Martin makes the decision to perform a new play based on the events surrounding the child murder. He and Nicholas visit the condemned mute woman in the dungeons coming away with the strong belief she is innocent. The woman is portrayed a seductress which infuriates the crowd and the parents of the dead boy since he was virtuous and too physically strong to be overtaken by the woman. Norman Lord de Guise (Vincent Cassel) watches from the castle and sends the sheriff to clear the square by force. Crowds people on leaving the square tell the troupe about more details of the death or disappearance of boys. The troupe is told to leave town by first light, but Nicholas's convictions urge him to first hand determine what happened to the boy. So in the night the body is uncovered, and it is found subjected to sodomy before death and exposed to the plague. the King's Justice and his squire come upon Nicholas and they share some of their suspicions. Nicholas is then forced to leave town but before long returns under disguise as a monk. The troupe remains on their journey to Durham but Martin relinquishes his role as troupe leader and returns. Nicholas is aware of the transitions in death from limber to rigor and return. He visits the monk who testified at trial to say all that he is aware. The monk reveals he had nothing to do with the death, intimating he is protecting someone else. Nicholas leaves and is found by Martin. The two of them then learn from the King's Justice that the monk has been found dead, and with it, any chance evidence concerning de Guise proclivity and also is planning a revolt to seize the English throne. The sheriff reveals that it seems that wherever de Guise goes, boys disappear. Nicholas then obtains more evidence to prove that the woman is not the real killer (the body was found with rigor mortis, which meant the killing was more recent). The execution is set but before it can be carried out the troupe has returned and seized the scaffold as stage for their new play based on the most recent information. The crowd is incensed toward de Guise and the guards are called out again to clear the town square forcing the actors to the church and unknown to them, de Guise is there performing an act of penitence. Nicholas presents the evidence to de Guise who admits everything with an air of invulnerability knowing that he is untouchable under the feudal system. Then when he learns he has been exposed to the plague he stabs Nicholas who stumbles outside the church. De Guise walks back to his castle through the throng of townsfolk unaware of the plot of the new play. He reaches the gate to find the portcullis down, is trapped and the crowd ready to lynch him before they set fire to the castle. It is hoped by the authorities in town the reason for the deaths will be forgotten and work of Nicholas will be told to the king but Martin advises the sheriff that Nicholas will live on in their new play when they reach Durham. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Reckoning (2003 film)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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