If you haven’t seenThe Proposition, then it should be next on your watchlist. Thisviolent Westernisn’t set in the United States; rather, it transports the audience to 1880s Australia, which was about as lawless and brutal as the traditional Old West.This Australian Westernis one-of-a-kind, written by musician and screenwriterNick Cave(yes, the guy who scoredHell or High WaterandThe Road) and starringGuy Pearceas Charlie Burns, an outlaw who is given an impossible choice: save his younger brother by killing his older brother. Directed byJohn Hillcoat,The Propositionis one of those uncomfortably profound Westerns that pushes a man to the brink, with an overemphasis on the meaninglessness of violence, and the moral bankruptcy it produces, that will shake you as it did the Australian Outback.
‘The Proposition’ Takes the Classic Western Story Down Under
On paper,The Propositionfeels like a traditional Western. Between the simple plot, desert landscapes, and the growing tensions between the colonial forces, restless townsfolk, and the Indigenous population, one might easily mistake thisfor aClint Eastwoodmovie. While there are some similarities, the film is more of a deconstruction of the classical Myth of the West.The Propositionmasterfully pulls audiences out of their usual American sensibilitiesand thrusts ushead-first into the Australian wastelands. Never are we confused by this, however. Although certain genre elements are different here, everything feels largely familiar. There’s a shared Western continuity thatThe Propositionstill pulls from, and it’s because of this that one can discern the greater meaning of this tale. As Charlie Burns (Pearce) scours the desert in search of his outlaw brother Arthur (Danny Huston), as violent and unstable a man as they come, we wonder if the best way to save one life is really by taking another. But as the biblical adage states, “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”
Like some of the best Westerns,The Propositionmeditates heavily on the notion that one can civilize the “uncivilized.” We see this particularly in the films' historically-accuratetreatment of the Aboriginal peoples, who have largely beenenslaved by the imperial forcesand used as translators, scouts, and servants. Those who aren’t domesticated are soon killed. Only those on the fringes of such respectable society, such as the deranged Arthur Burns, treat their Black neighbors with any dignity or respect. One Aborigine, known only as Two Bob (Tom E. Lewis), is shown to be a part of Arthur’s surrogate outlaw family. In fact, he’s one of the few to survive the ending onslaught due to his absence in the finale. Interestingly,The Propositionattempts to civilize Australia’s white population as well. Captain Stanley’s (Ray Winstone) entire goal is to see that Australia is conquered and made civil, no matter whom he has to kill to make that happen. This includes white outlaws like the Burns family. Ironically, Stanley maintains a strange moral code despite this, one that implores him to try and stop the settlers from brutally lashing the incarcerated young Mikey Burns (Richard Wilson) nearly to death. His brazen opposition costs him his job, and his goals nearly cost him everything else.
The Criticisms of Western Violence in ‘The Proposition’ Run Deep in This Bloody Drama
If there’s one thing thatThe Propositiondoes exceptionally,it’s in portraying the Western landscape— Australian or otherwise — as a hauntingly bleak waste built entirely on bloodshed. No doubt, there’s a type of honor in Stanley’s attempts to bring law and order to the Outback, just as there is something to be admired in Charlie’s attempts to save his younger brother. Yet, both deal mercilessly in the shedding of blood, which marks each of their respective souls. These men learn through intense trials that the West can’t be tamed. And, when left relatively unsupervised in a land untouched by the rest of the world, neither can men. While the Westerns ofClint EastwoodandSam Peckinpahhave certainly explored these notions in fine detail,The Propositionreminds us that, even beyond America, the West was as powerful an idea as ever.
Christopher Abbott Faced Off With Jon Bernthal in This Underrated Neo-Western That’s Streaming for Free
Not a horse in sight.
The Propositionwas praised by critics and audiences alike, and it’s no wonder. This film was even amajor inspiration for the originalRed Dead Redemptionvideo game. Guy Pearce is exceptional here, coming off the heels ofMemento, and the film features an impressive cast — which also includesEmily Watson,David Wenham, andJohn Hurt— who make this a must-watch Western. Of course, it’s the ruminations on the role of violence in greater society, or in building one from the ground up, that makeThe Propositionso profound. The ending hits hardest. For all their fighting,this life always ends in death. Charlie couldn’t prevent the grim reaper forever, no matter how many lives he offered, but in his final act of killing, he was at least able to save the life of another.
The Propositionis available to watch on Prime Video in the U.S.
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The Proposition
