The Proposition (2005 film): Difference between revisions

In 1880s [[Australia]], Charlie Burns and his gang engage in a gunfight with the police. All of the gang members except for Charlie and his younger brother Mikey are killed. Captain Morris Stanley tells Charlie that he will have Mikey executed by Christmas, which is in 9 days. Stanley offers to free both Mikey and Charlie if Charlie agrees to kill his older brother Arthur Burns, who is wanted for rape and murder. Mikey remains in custody while Charlie sets out to kill their brother. During a raid, the police capture some Aboriginal people who call Arthur a "dog man", and report that no one goes near his cave.

Riding in search of Arthur, Charlie comes to the charred remains of the Hopkins home, awhere familythe thatBurns wasgang murderedraped andpregnant theEliza wifeHopkins rapedand bymurdered theher Burnsand gangher family. Along the way, he encounters an inebriated old man named Jellon Lamb in a cantina where the owner has been speared to death. Charlie realizes that Lamb is a [[bounty hunter]] in pursuit ofpursuing the Burns brothers and knocks him out. Later, Charlie awakes and is speared in the chest by a group of Aboriginal men standing over him. Before passing out, he sees the man who speared him get shot in the head.

Charlie wakes up in his brother Arthur's camp, located in caves among desolate mountains. Arthur's gang consists of Samuel Stoat, a woman named Queenie who tends to Charlie's wound, and an Aboriginal man called Two-Bob. As he recovers, Charlie has several opportunities to kill his brother, but does not. He lies to Arthur that Mikey is not with him because he has met a woman.

Captain Stanley attempts to defend Mikey at gunpoint from the bloodthirsty townspeople, but is overruled once Martha arrives, insistingand insists on revenge for her dead friends. Mikey is flogged and fatally wounded. The townspeople grow tired at the excessive display, Martha faints, and Stanley flings the bloody whip at Fletcher, who fires him. Back at the abandoned cantina, Sergeant Lawrence and his men have found and massacred a group of Aboriginal people. Arthur and Two-Bob find Lawrence's group while they sleep and kill Jacko and Sergeant Lawrence. Before Arthur [[Stomp (strike)|stomps]] Lawrence to death, Lawrence tells Arthur that Charlie has been sent to kill him.

Jellon Lamb enters Arthur's camp and ties up Samuel and Charlie, both of whom are sleeping. Lamb is shot in the stomach by the returning Two-Bob. Arthur stabs Lamb in the heart; Charlie points his revolver at Arthur, but instead shoots Lamb in the head, putting him out of his misery. He finally informs Arthur that Mikey is in custody and is set to hang. Charlie decides to break out Mikey; Arthur, Samuel and Charlie ride into town dressed in the clothes taken from the slain officers Arthur and Two-Bob had killed, while Two-Bob poses as an Aboriginal man they have captured. Once at the jail, the men free Mikey, and Charlie and Two-Bob ride off with him, but the injured Mikey dies in Charlie's arms. Arthur and Samuel remain to behead the two officers in the jail.

Stanley fears retribution and makes preparations, but he and Martha let their guard down to have a peaceful Christmas dinner. OnceShortly theyafter beginthe Stanleys say [[grace (prayer)|grace]], Arthur and Samuel shoot open the door and invade their home. Arthur pulls Stanley into another room and brutally beats him. Samuel drags Martha inside, and Arthur has Stanley watch as Samuel begins to rape Martha. Charlie walks in and informs Arthur of Mikey's death; Arthur ignores him and encourages Charlie to listen to Samuel's beautiful singing. Charlie shoots Samuel in the head, then shoots Arthur twice, disgusted by his conduct. Arthur staggers out of the house and Charlie follows to find him seated on the ground. Arthur asks Charlie what his next move is, and dies.

As noted in behind-the-scenes features included on ''The Proposition'' DVD, the film is regarded as uncommonly accurate in depicting indigenous Australian culture of the late 19th century, and when filming in the outback, the cast and crew took great pains to follow the advice of indigenous consultants. In an interview included on the DVD, Lewis even compares the depiction of indigenous cultures in ''The Proposition'' to the landmark film ''[[The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (film)|The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith]]'' (1978), in which Lewis starred in.