The Proposition **** (2005, Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone, Emily Watson, John Hurt, Danny Huston, David Wenham) – Classic Movie Review 2398

This chillingly tough and highly distinguished 2005 Australian Western is directed by John Hillcoat and written by screenwriter and musician Nick Cave. It stars Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone, Emily Watson, John Hurt, Danny Huston, Noah Taylor, David Gulpilil, David Wenham and Richard Wilson. Pearce is outstanding and Winstone and Huston are on good form.

The Proposition is this: in the Australian Outback in the 1880s, lawman Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone) and his men capture two of the four notorious outlaw Burns brothers, Charlie (Guy Pearce) and Mikey (Richard Wilson). Stanley gives Charlie nine days to find and kill his psychotic older brother Arthur (Danny Huston), or else they’ll hang feeble-minded Mikey from the gallows on Christmas Day.

The Burns gang is held responsible for a horrific attack on the Hopkins farm, raping pregnant Mrs Hopkins and murdering the whole family. Gang mastermind Arthur remains on the loose and has retreated to a mountain hideout. The film opens in a remote wood building with a gunfight between the police and the Burns gang.

This is strong meat with some grisly violence.

With excellent reviews, it did quite well at the box office to take $5million on a budget of $2million.

The soundtrack was released shortly after the film in October 2005, with the music composed and performed by Nick Cave and violinist Warren Ellis.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2398

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