The Draughtsman's Contract

6/22/19831h 48m

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:

adultery
drawing and painting
witshire
southhampton
17th century

Cast

Anthony Higgins

~ as ~

Mr. Neville

Janet Suzman

~ as ~

Virginia Herbert

Dave Hill

~ as ~

Herbert

Anne-Louise Lambert

~ as ~

Sarah Talmann

Hugh Fraser

~ as ~

Mr. Talmann

Neil Cunningham

~ as ~

Thomas Noyes

David Meyer

~ as ~

Poulenc Brother

Tony Meyer

~ as ~

Poulenc Brother

Nicholas Amer

~ as ~

Mr Parkes

Suzan Crowley

~ as ~

Mrs Pierpont

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

CinemaSerf
Written 3 year(s) ago
7
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.