The Proposition (2005)

Directed by: John Hillcoat | 104 minutes | action, drama, western, crime | Actors: Guy Pearce, John Hurt, Emily Watson, Ray Winstone, Noah Taylor, Jeremy Madrona, Jae Mamuyac, Mick Roughan, Shane Watt, Richard Wilson, Robert Morgan, David Gulpilil, Bryan Probets, Oliver Ackland, Danny Huston, David Vallon, Daniel ParkerCarl RushGarry WaddellIain GardinerBogdan KocaSue DwyerLance Medlin

Australian Nick Cave is best known as a writer and singer of many songs, but it is less known that he also writes film scripts. The first film he worked on was ‘Ghosts…of the Civil Dead’, a 1988 horror. ‘The Proposition’, an Australian western, is his second film as a writer. The proposal to which the title refers is about a true moral dilemma. Charlie Burns can save his younger brother Mikey from the noose if he tracks down their oldest brother Arthur and hands them over to the sheriff within nine days. Arthur is suspected of murdering a family and of raping and murdering a pregnant woman. The sheriff is Morris Stanley, an immigrant from England, and he makes the moral mistake of releasing Charlie and letting him search for his brother. The film therefore focuses not only on Charlie’s search, but also on Sheriff Stanley and his wife Martha.

Especially in the first part of the film we get more insight into the character of Stanley. He is essentially a good man, with a good heart, but he is in bad circumstances and in a time of moral decay. Every person can make certain choices in such a time that can be regarded as incorrect in retrospect. The only problem is that once choices have been made, they cannot be reversed. That is what the film is mainly about; the moral dilemmas of human nature. What can people encourage other people to do and how do we see our fellow man? In ‘The Proposition’ the characters are not necessarily good or bad, but all characters have shades of gray with both good and bad qualities. Sheriff Stanley is a good man, but by making the offer to Charlie, he has made a wicked choice and loses his sense of righteousness. Charlie has a strong sense of loyalty and sincerity, but his family ties have led him to commit heinous crimes.

‘The Proposition’ is a good film, but a disadvantage is the slowness of the film, especially in the beginning. The conscious proposal is made right at the beginning of the film and then as a viewer you expect to be shown how Charlie goes after Arthur. However, we sporadically get to see something of this, the emphasis is first on Sheriff Stanley and his wife Martha. This gives us more insight into the dynamics between the sheriff, his wife and the moral dilemmas they face. Their introduction and character development makes for a big impact during the apotheosis. However, these opening scenes are slow while the curiosity is with Charlie’s hunt for Arthur. Slowness aside, ‘The Proposition’ boasts a well-written script set in the beautiful, desolate Outback, an area ideally suited to this mythical tale. A rugged, inhospitable landscape where unconformist men live who are not afraid of violence. Violence, by the way, is portrayed very explicitly. Certain scenes can rightly be called shocking, especially because of the abruptness and intensity à la Peckinpah with which they are shown.

‘The Proposition’ is a beautiful, special film that may not seem very accessible, but which has to be appreciated because of the clearly present quality, actually a bit like Nick Cave’s music.