THE LAST THING MARY SAW: The Cost Of Correction

There is something innately terrifying within the history of religious persecution in the late 1800s, the various branches of worship each having their own takes on the power of Satan, and his spreading influence. As freedom is stripped away in the name of the Lord, actions deemed solely acceptable or demonic, a void in the history of humankind formed, taking with it the voices, feelings, and lives of many. Edoardo Vitaletti’s The Last Thing Mary Saw draws strength from this ominous nature of this time period, plunging viewers into the gray-scaled desolate world of restriction and consequence. Where the chain of responsibility extends farther than the mind can initially understand, and those at fault find they are part of a larger endgame.

The truth will set you free

Set in Southhold, NY in 1893, viewers find themselves plunged into a darkened world, the night casting shadows on the heartbreak and shock of the evening. As we watch men make a preemptive decision regarding the fate of Mary before even having the chance to speak with her, mystery surrounds her circumstance. As the interrogation begins, guns at the ready should the devil appear or Mary exhibit witchcraft, The Last Thing Mary Saw effectively grasps the attention of the viewer. As we see a blindfolded Mary (Stefanie Scott) speaking to the Constable, blood drips from her eyes behind the cloth, giving the shadows of the night a deepening sense of foreboding.

We do not stay with Mary for long, the film taking us back to the beginning of her story, The Last Thing Mary Saw breaking the narrative down into three fairly digestible chapters. But it is not Mary viewers are immediately brought back to, but rather her parents, grandmother and locals within the area. As they discuss Mary’s deafness to the Lord’s preaching, each allude to the decreed inappropriate relationship between Mary and the housemaid Eleanor (Isabelle Fuhrman). As they speak of necessary correction and displacement, there is the feeling that The Last Thing Mary Saw is not only pointing fingers early on, but establishing a catalyst that is sure to spiral out of control. It is not the actions of Mary and Eleanor, but rather the family that drives what is to follow.

As the girls are shown kneeling on boards while reciting the Lord’s Prayer and scripture, there is a strong feeling of the Handmaiden’s Tale that resonates through the scene, and the subsequent corrections that follow, each time vilifying the forces around Mary and Eleanor. It is a strong sense of structure that wields the intensity within the story. As the girl’s attempt to carry on with their relationship undetected, we as viewers know they will be caught. We also know they will do all that they can to prevent their separation. Their behaviors are predictable. It is the family that remains less so, heightening the intensity and driving our engagement.

Yet, our engagement is challenged at times, especially in the film’s beginning as it is attempting to gain its footing. There are harsh transitions between the present to the past, many times leaving viewers scrabbling to figure out the action we are seeing. While it suffers from this mostly in the first half of the film, its transitions of fading out to end a moment linger throughout, leaving a cut-off feeling and losing a bit of its fluidity. Beyond its editing and transitions, the film also tries too hard to feel and be elevated, at times succeeding, while others too in your face in the attempt. Yet, with these bumps in the road aside, The Last Thing Mary Saw effectively crescendos into an intense and anxious reveal. And while viewers are likely to understand where the film is going, they are less likely to know the film’s true intentions.

The weight of those deemed unworthy

The Last Thing Mary Saw carries with it the weight of the past, and puts a harsh light on the conversion practices still allowed throughout the country – and parts of the world. With the knowledge that conversion therapy is still an acceptable path, many families sending their children to be purged and converted of their “unholy” feelings, The Last Thing Mary Saw has a deepening layer of sadness, compounded by its awareness that theology and ideology is seemingly the hardest to kill. As many stand in silence, following the doctrine presented to them, others fall victim to its words and actions. And those wishing to state what should and should not be, their words ring the loudest over those who stay or have been silenced.

It also speaks to the classes. to a believed superiority to those around us. Many times throughout the film, whether by dialogue or action, there is a social class crafted in the “corrections” delivered. As thought the presumed sin is direr depending on who has dared to break the rule of the Lord, Further compounding is the idea of corruptibility and its belief on who is at fault for the corruption. Men vs. woman, servant vs. master – there is always one that outweighs their other, even if the same “sin” has been committed. It delivers its own contradiction to the film, effectively layering the idea of responsibility, corruption, and justice.

Conclusion

There is much to take in when watching The Last Thing That Mary Saw, its final reveal an unsuspecting twist, yet seemingly not as powerful in retrospect as one would have hoped. The film builds to its climax, yet pushes its ideas to the edge. While mostly enthralling and engaging, it just barely misses the mark. There is a void, almost a shadow, that hangs over it that prevents it from truly reaching a home run.

And while it does struggle to gain its footing in the beginning, The Last Thing Mary Saw still presents an intriguing and twisted look at the judgments of others against the need and want of one’s true self.

Have you see The Last Thing Mary Saw? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!

The Last Thing Mary Saw was release on Shudder on January 20, 2022!

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