Project Detail

The Proposition

Synopsis

Set in Australia in the 1880s, the film opens in the middle of a frenzied gunfight between the police and a gang of outlaws. Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce) and his brother Mikey are captured by Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone). Together with their psychopathic brother Arthur (Danny Huston), they are wanted for a brutal crime. Stanley makes Charlie a seemingly impossible proposition in an attempt to bring an end to the cycle of bloody violence.

Emily Watson plays Stanley’s wife Martha Stanley; John Hurt plays the bounty hunter Jellon Lamb and David Wenham plays Eden Fletcher, the powerful local landowner.

Details

Year: 2005
Type of project: Features
Format: 35mm
Director: John Hillcoat
Producer: Cat Villiers, Chiara Menage, Chris Brown, Jackie O' Sullivan
Editor: Jon Gregory
Screenwriter: Nick Cave
Director of Photography: Benoit Delhomme
Composer: Nick Cave and Warren Ellis
Principal cast: Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, John Hurt, David Wenham and Emily Watson
Sound Recordist: Craig Walmsley
Sound Supervisor: Paul Davies

Genre

Action Drama

Production Status

Complete

Production Company

Co-produced by Autonomous (UK) and Jackie O Productions (Australia) for SureFire Films

Sales Company

The Works

4 Great Portland Street
Portland House
London W1W 8QJ
UK

T+44 (0)20 7612 1080

joy@theworksltd.com

Visit Website

www.theworkslimited.com

Page updates

This page was last updated on 12th May 2025. Please let us know if we need to make any amendments or request edit access by clicking below.

Suggest amendments

Frank, serving a life sentence, takes a prison job caring for aging inmates with Alzheimer’s and dementia. What begins as a self-interested bid for parole becomes a profound, transformative bond with fellow inmate Louis, offering Frank a glimpse of redemption in an unforgiving place. Official Selection Sundance Film Festival 2026 - World premiere

Drama

Bait

Director: Tom George, Bassam Tariq

Year: 2026

Struggling actor Shah Latif auditions for the role of a lifetime, only to see his life spiral out of control over four frenetic days. Official Selection Sundance Film Festival 2026 - World premiere

Comedy Drama Sci-Fi

Fing!

Director: Jeffrey Walker