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The Proposition (2005)

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clip The proposition

Original classification rating: MA. This clip chosen to be PG

Clip description

The outlaw Charlie Wilson (Guy Pearce) has been arrested by Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone). Stanley offers to pardon Charlie and his brother Mike (Richard Wilson), provided Charlie kills his older brother Arthur (Danny Huston), who remains at large.

Curator’s notes

by Richard Kuipers

Stanley presents Charlie Wilson with an impossible bargain, but Charlie has no option but to accept. The scene says much about Stanley, an Englishman of lower social status who has come to Australia to better his position. Stanley wants to prove he can tame 'this godforsaken place’ and claim Arthur Wilson as a personal trophy. Arthur is described as an almost mythical figure hiding in a region so forbidding even black trackers will not enter. Stanley is not only waging a war against lawlessness, he is locked in a battle with the land itself. The editing anticipates Charlie’s decision – what other choice does he have? – with shots of him riding out of town long before Stanley has finished his speech.

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australianscreen is produced by the National Film and Sound Archive. By using the website you agree to comply with the terms and conditions described elsewhere on this site. The NFSA may amend the 'Conditions of Use’ from time to time without notice.

All materials on the site, including but not limited to text, video clips, audio clips, designs, logos, illustrations and still images, are protected by the Copyright Laws of Australia and international conventions.

When you access australianscreen you agree that:

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  • You may download materials for your personal use or for non-commercial educational purposes, but you must not publish them elsewhere or redistribute clips in any way.
  • You may embed the clip for non-commercial educational purposes including for use on a school intranet site or a school resource catalogue.
  • The National Film and Sound Archive’s permission must be sought to amend any information in the materials, unless otherwise stated in notices throughout the Site.

All other rights reserved.

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