The Draughtsman's Contract

– Peter Greenaway's first fiction feature (after the mock-documentary The Falls) made him immediately ..

Type:
Movie
Rating:
7.30 / 10
Duration:
One Hour and 48 Minutes
Release Year:
1982
The Draughtsman's Contract (1982)

Peter Greenaway's first fiction feature (after the mock-documentary The Falls) made him immediately famous and was named one of the most original films of the 1980s by British critics. The action is set in the director's beloved 17th century. Ambitious young artist Mr. Neville (Anthony Higgins) is invited by Mrs. Herbert (Janet Suzman) to make 12 elaborate sketches of her estate. Besides money, the contract includes sexual favors that Mrs. Herbert will offer to the draughtsman in the absence of Mr. Herbert. Entirely confident in his ability to weave a web of intrigues, Mr. Neville eventually becomes a victim of someone else's elaborate scheme. The film is structured as a sophisticated intellectual puzzle like the ones popular in the 17th century.

Story Timeline:
Producing Country:
UK
Filming Locations:

The Draughtsman's Contract (1982) - Trailer

Release Date:

30 Jun 1983

Language:

English, German, Dutch

MPAA Content-Rating:
R – Restricted

Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. Contains some adult material. Parents are urged to learn more about the film before taking their young children with them.

Director:

Peter Greenaway

Writer:

Peter Greenaway

Main Actors:

Anthony Higgins, Janet Suzman, Anne-Louise Lambert, Hugh Fraser

Plot:

Mr. Neville, a cocksure young artist, is contracted by Mrs. Herbert, the wife of a wealthy landowner, to produce a set of twelve drawings of her husband's estate, a contract which extends much further than either the purse or the sketchpad. The sketches themselves prove of an even greater significance than supposed upon the discovery of the body of Mr. Herbert.

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations.

Production:

Channel 4

Ratings:
Internet Movie Database:
7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes:
100%