The Draughtsman's Contract
History • Mystery • Comedy
Theatrical Release (US)
~ A landscape of lust and cunning. ~
Overview:
A young artist is commissioned by the wife of a wealthy landowner to make a series of drawings of the estate while her husband is away.
Director:
Peter Greenaway
Status:
Released
Language:
English
Buget:
$370,800.00
Revenue:
$2,256,246.00
Key words:
Cast
Anthony Higgins
~ as ~
Mr. Neville
Janet Suzman
Virginia Herbert
Dave Hill
Herbert
Anne-Louise Lambert
Sarah Talmann
Hugh Fraser
Mr. Talmann
Neil Cunningham
Thomas Noyes
David Meyer
Poulenc Brother
Tony Meyer
Nicholas Amer
Mr Parkes
Suzan Crowley
Mrs Pierpont
CinemaSerf
Written 3 year(s) ago
You Might Like
A Zed & Two Noughts
Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler
Drowning by Numbers
The Belly of an Architect
The Pillow Book
Prospero's Books
42nd Street
I Am the Abyss
The Best Man's Wedding
Ladies Should Listen
Anthony Higgins is artist "Neville" who attracts the eye of the unhappily married aristocrat "Mrs. Herbert" (Janet Suzman). She concocts a plan to have her wicked way with him by commissioning him to sketch twelve aspects of their modest stately home in return for £8 per drawing and unlimited "access" to her person. When "Mr. Herbert" has to go away, that proves convenient for all and their contract is agreed and applied. Midway through his task, her daughter "Mrs. Talmann" (Anne-Louise Lambert) approaches our virile artist with another proposal. She is saddled with the foppish "Talmann" (Hugh Fraser) who would appear to be no use whatsoever in begetting an heir. Her deal with "Neville" however is more on her terms - and he thinks he is in clover. Is he though, or is he being played buy one or both of these women - and where has "Mr. Herbert" got to through all these shenanigans? Peter Greenaway gives this a sort of Regency look to it, the costumes - especially the wigs - are exaggerated to fully illustrate the vacuousness of their petty but privileged existence and there is some humour that just about stays on the satirical side of bawdy! Suzman is great, as is Lambert and though I found Higgins just a bit weak to sustain the title role, this is still a great and entertaining ensemble effort well complimented by Michael Nyman's lively and Handel-esque score. Forty years on, it has lost little of it's power to ridicule and shame, is pithily written and is well worth a watch.