The Proposition (2005)

Director:

John Hillcoat

Writer:

Nick Cave (writer)

Release Date:

6 October 2005 (Australia)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Western

Tagline:

This land will be civilized.

Plot:

A lawman apprehends a notorious outlaw and gives him 9 days to kill his older brother, or else they'll execute his younger brother.

Plot Keywords:

Period Piece | Death | Colonial Protectorate | Shot In The Head | Pistol

Awards:

13 wins & 24 nominations

Cast

Richard Wilson	...	Mike Burns
Noah Taylor	...	Brian O'Leary
Jeremy Madrona	...	Asian Prostitute
Jae Mamuyac	...	Asian Prostitute
Guy Pearce	...	Charlie Burns
Mick Roughan	...	Mad Jack Bradshaw
Shane Watt	...	John Gordon
Ray Winstone	...	Captain Stanley
Robert Morgan	...	Sergeant Lawrence
David Gulpilil	...	Jacko
Bryan Probets	...	Officer Dunn
Oliver Ackland	...	Patrick Hopkins
Danny Huston	...	Arthur Burns
David Vallon	...	Tom Cox
Daniel Parker	...	Henry Clark

MPAA:

Rated R for strong grisly violence, and for language.

Runtime:

104 min | Canada:104 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

Australia | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Hong Kong:IIB | Portugal:M/16 | Argentina:13 | New Zealand:R16 | Singapore:M18 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | Germany:16 | Finland:K-15 | Australia:MA | Ireland:16 | USA:R | UK:18 | Netherlands:16 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Queensland, Australia

Company:

Autonomous

Trivia:

One of the gunmen in the Burns' fort at the beginning is named "Jack Bradshaw". Although the movie's plot was fictitious, there had been a real 19th century Australian "bushranger" (outlaw) by that name.

Goofs:

Continuity: The blood on Charlie's mouth/chin after getting hit by a spear.

Quotes:

Two Bob: Here's your knife back, you dog.

Soundtrack:

Peggy Gordon

Visceral, poetic study of blood-ties

This movie is a visceral, violent study of blood-ties exploring ethnic and family bonds, feuds, loyalty and betrayal. You can literally smell the reeking sweat, blood and dust of the colonial Outback coming off the screen.

Nick Cave's script is shot through with his signature dark poetry; it translates wonderfully onto the screen. Guy Pearce, Ray Winston and Danny Huston put in powerful performances. Emily Watson is also superb but somehow this film seems to be more about men than women and so her performance feels a little isolated from the rest of the movie.

The film is a strangely skewed morality tale crossed with a tale of the absurd. There is something so absurd about Captain Stanley's English breakfast and standard roses in the hot, fly-blown wastelands of the movie, and off course there is something so absurd about how violent humans beings are to each other. Despite all the violence though, some of which is stomach-turning, this movie has some moments of great tenderness and elegy.