Film Review: The Proposition (1998)
Even in the roughest of times there are people that might enjoy good life, like the protagonists of The Proposition, 1998 period drama directed by Lesli Linka Glatter. The plot is set in 1935 Boston, a city which, like the rest of America, is suffering from economic woes, unemployment and widespread poverty caused by Great Depression. This doesn’t seem to affect Arthur Barrett (played by William Hurt) and his wife Eleanor (played by Madeline Stowe), a couple that belongs to the upper strata of society. Arthur came from the prominent Catholic family and served as advisor to President Roosevelt, while Eleanor is writer promoting feminist ideas. Two of them deeply love each other, but the only impediment to their absolute happiness is lack of children on the account of Arthur’s apparent sterility. Barretts decide to remedy this by paying young student Roger Martin (played by Neil Patrick Harris) to spend night with Eleanor in order to make her pregnant. The arrangement, however, turns sour after Roger falls in love with Eleanor and begins to stalk and harass Barretts. Things get further complicated when Father Michael McKinnon (played by Kenneth Branagh), new Catholic priest, comes to take over the parish and begins to display hostility towards Arthur for unknown reason.
The Proposition, the last feature film in the career of Lesli Linka Glatter, director who would later switch to television and work on shows like Mad Men and Homeland, received bad reviews by most critics. The reasons for that can be found in the screenplay by Rick Ramage which, at least at first glance, appears to be inspired by Latin American telenovelas. However, Ramage skilfully embedded his tale with more meaningful content, apparently drawing inspiration from actual figures from the period like the members of Kennedy clan and famous feminist writer Virginia Woolf, while having 1930s economic and political issues in the background and addressing class divisions in American society. Director Glatter understood some of Ramage's ideas and managed to work effectively within a low budget, resulting in a production that, despite detailed period setting and costumes, more closely resembles a low-budget British television series rather than Merchant Ivory epics. The acting is generally strong, although Branagh didn’t excel in a role that doesn't align with egotistical tendencies. On the other hand, Hurt and Harris deliver outstanding performances, while Stowe, despite not being in her prime, still captures the essence of femme fatale in this drama. Additionally, Blythe Danner, though less well-known today, delivers a commendable performance as a maid who actually holds power over the Barretts. The Proposition could have been a great film, but unfortunately, the subplot involving McKinnon starts too late in the film, and the ending feels melodramatic and drawn out. Nonetheless, as one of the few American films that approaches melodramatic material without excessive sentimentality and encourages viewers to use their brains, The Proposition deserves recommendation.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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