The Proposition (2005) - Stars and images stand out in Hillcoat's outback western

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A man on a high-point pointing a gun towards something unseen - along with cast pictures - make up this poster for John Hillcoat's The Proposition

1880s Australia, British colonization of the enormous land still in process: The Burns brothers are by nature it seems merciless killers. A small town has a captain that wants to expand civilization. He has a proposal to one of the brothers.

The Proposition is written by Nick Cave (Ghosts ... of the Civil Dead (1988)), who also co-composed the film's score, and directed by Australian master filmmaker John Hillcoat (To Have & to Hold (1996)), whose 2nd feature it is. 

The ending is a bit provocative, but also rather predictable, - especially for those with a bit of existing knowledge of screenwriter Cave's lyrical universe as a dark rock musician, the man's main calling. The film is centered around very visual violence and somewhat pretentious poetry, (again courtesy of Cave's pen.)

But The Proposition impresses with is ensemble cast of Emily Watson (On Chesil Beach (2017)), Guy Pearce (The Seventh Day (2021)), Ray Winstone (Jawbone (2017)) and John Hurt (Jackie (2016)) as a Darwin-skeptical racist, among others. Benoît Delhomme's (Minimata (2020)) cinematography is another beautiful feature to the film, which is carefully tinted in post production. Watson's milky-white skin has rarely been more beautiful than in The Proposition.

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 2 mil. $

Box office: 5 mil. $

= Even (returned 2.5 times its cost)

[The Proposition premiered 12 September (Toronto International Film Festival) and runs 104 minutes. Shooting took place in Australia. The film opened #46 to a 32k $ first weekend in 3 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #19 and in 200 theaters, grossing 1.9 mil. $ (38 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Australia with 1.5 mil. $ (30 %) and the UK with 1.1 mil. $ (22 %). Roger Ebert gave the film a 4/4 star review, translating to 2 notches over this one. Hillcoat returned with 3 music videos prior to his theatrical return The Road (2009). Pearce returned in First Snow (2006); Winstone with a voice performance and in 2 TV movies prior to his theatrical return in Breaking and Entering (2006); and Danny Huston (Marlowe (2022)) in Covert One: The Hades Factor (2006, miniseries) and theatrically in Marie Antoinette (2006). The Proposition is certified fresh at 85 % with a 7.30/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Proposition?