The Proposition

The Proposition is a 1998 American drama film directed by Lesli Linka Glatter and starring Madeleine Stowe, Kenneth Branagh, William Hurt and Robert Loggia. Plot A young man, Roger Martin, is propositioned by the lawyer of a wealthy businessman, Arthur Barret, to sleep with his wife Eleanor for a large sum, as the couple wish to have a child but Arthur is sterile. At the first attempt Eleanor does not fall pregnant, but subsequent efforts yield success. However by then Roger is obsessed by Eleanor, believing he is madly in love, even though she makes it clear it is only a business arrangement and that she loves her husband. Arthur bans Roger from seeing Eleanor again, but Roger then threatens to expose the scheme, bringing disgrace to the family. Arthur then phones his lawyer to tell him of the problems Roger is causing. A young priest, Father Michael McKinnon, arrives in the parish and is introduced by the Senior priest to the Barrets as “his favourite family in the whole world” as they make large donations to the church. He is told to “befriend” them, but keeps declining their dinner invitations. Eventually he accepts, but ends up in an argument with Arthur about his brother’s financial investment with Nazi Germany. The furious Arthur throws him from his house, but Michael reveals that he is the son of his brother, ie Arthur’s nephew. Eleanor seems drawn to Michael, and goes to assist him with a pauper’s burial. Michael says that he always looks at the dead faces, and remembers them always. He opens the coffin, and Eleanor recognizes the face of Roger! In her shock she staggers backwards and falls into the empty grave. She is very traumatized and loses the baby. In the following days she shuns her husband, believing that he had Roger killed out of jealous hatred. Eventually she relents and they are reconciled.