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One sheet The Draughtsman's Contract
is a 1982 British period drama and murder mystery film written and directed by Peter Greenaway. Set in 1694 rural England, it follows a cocky artist whose contract to produce 12 drawings for an aristocratic wife in exchange for sexual favors leads him into a complex plot of lust, jealousy, and suspected murder.
Key Information
Plot: An ambitious artist, Mr. Neville (Anthony Higgins), is commissioned by Mrs. Herbert (Janet Suzman) to create twelve drawings of her estate while her husband is away. The contract stipulates sexual favors as part of his payment. As he works, subtle, strange objects appear in the landscapes he is drawing, which seem to be clues relating to a potential murder of the absent Mr. Herbert.
Style: The film is noted for its visually stunning cinematography, intricate wordplay, and extravagant costumes. The distinctive, repetitive score by Michael Nyman, which borrows from Henry Purcell, was Nyman's first international success in film music.
Cast:
Anthony Higgins as Mr. Neville, the draughtsman.
Janet Suzman as Virginia Herbert, the aristocratic wife.
Anne-Louise Lambert as Sarah Talmann, the daughter.
Neil Cunningham as Thomas Noyes, the agent. |
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