"The Draugtsman's Contract"

"The Draugtsman's Contract" is an interesting film directed by Peter Greenaway. Anthony Higgins played an artist who is contracted by a woman to draw her husband's estate. The story takes place in 17th Century England. She says that she wants the drawings to bring about a reconciliation between er and her husband. Her daughter and husband are trying to have a son to be heir to the property. The artist st Mr. Neville. The woman who contracts for the drawings is Mrs. Herbert. Her daughter is Mrs. Talmann. Mr. Herbert does not believe in women inheriting property, and the estate would go to a grandson. There are two contracts into which the artist enters, the one mentioned above and the other with Mrs. Talmann. The title involves a play on words. The word draughtsman as a few meanings. In addition to being someone who draws it can refer to a piece is a game of draughts (In the U.S. it is called checkers) or someone who writes legal documents. Unwittingly Mr. Neville is used by his wealthy patrons as a pawn. He sees himself as a talented artist. They see him as a servant. He does twelve drawings of the property. Drawing the landscape and buildings as they. Objects that could be seen as evidence of misadventure are placed in places where he would draw them. Mr. Herbert is thought to have gone on a trip. His body is found in the moat. There are numerous clues. There is a nephew of Mr. Talmann also living on the property. He is brought there as an orphan, because his father as died and his mother has become a Catholic. There is a man who is often seen posing as a statue in several places. His presence is noted but never explained. We never learn his identity. He is seen handling his penis several times, and in one scene he urinates appearing as a fountain. The music for the film is by Michael Nyman based n music by Purcell. It is one of my favorite films.