The Draughtsman's Contract

1982
R
1h 48m

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

11K

YOUR RATING

A young artist is commissioned by the wife of a wealthy landowner to make a series of drawings of the estate while her husband is away.

Play trailer1:40

3 Videos

52 Photos

Period Drama Satire Comedy Drama Mystery

A young artist is commissioned by the wife of a wealthy landowner to make a series of drawings of the estate while her husband is away.A young artist is commissioned by the wife of a wealthy landowner to make a series of drawings of the estate while her husband is away.A young artist is commissioned by the wife of a wealthy landowner to make a series of drawings of the estate while her husband is away.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

11K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win & 4 nominations

Mrs. Talmann
(as Anne Louise Lambert)
…

Hugh Fraser

Mr. Talmann…

Neil Cunningham

Thomas Noyes…

Dave Hill

Mr. Herbert…

David Gant

Mr. Seymour

David Meyer

The Poulencs

Tony Meyer

The Poulencs

Nicholas Amer

Mr. Parkes
(as Nicolas Amer)

Suzan Crowley

Mrs. Pierpont

Lynda La Plante

Mrs. Clement
(as Lynda Marchal)

Michael Feast

The Statue

Alastair G. Cumming

Philip
(as Alastair Cumming)
…

Steve Ubels

Mr. van Hoyten

Ben Kirby

Augustus

Sylvia Rotter

Governess

Kate Doherty

Maid

Director
- Peter Greenaway
Writer
- Peter Greenaway
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Director Peter Greenaway, a former art student, created the sketches that feature in the film. In fact the close-up shots of the draughtsman drawing are of his hands.

Goofs
The cooing of a collared dove is not a sound that would have fallen on Jacobean ears, as the species was unknown in Britain until 1955.

Quotes
Mr. Neville: You must forgive my curiosity, madam, and open your knees.

Alternate versions
When Peter Greenaway screened the movie at festivals in 1982, it ran a full three hours. Included in this footage is a full and further explained rationale for the moving statue.

Connections
Featured in Visions: Cinema, Cinemas/Q & A with Paul Schrader/A Film Comment by Angela Carter (1982)

Soundtracks
Chasing Sheep Is Best Left To Shepherds
(uncredited)
Written by Michael Nyman
Performed by Nyman Band

User reviews54

Review

Featured review

8/10

So much misunderstanding

There is no need to hate this movie. It's quite enjoyable by itself. It doesn't require any heavy intellectual digging or background instruction manual to appreciate. Plus, it's quirky comedy is being taken as mysterious and dark. Please! Just enjoy it and laugh. The humor is irksome but funny. It's like a bit of Shakespeare. It has meaningful plot and fun dialogs. The guy who wrote the review centering on the Draughtsman's "arrogance and innocence "(a dangerous combo!) had it spot on, and this personality flaw is key to the plot. Thoroughly enjoyable and funny and clever. Architects everywhere, TAKE COVER! LOL.