'The Proposition' Is Still an Underrated Western Movie

2005 was a quiet year for Westerns, with only a few titles standing out. One often overlooked entry is The Proposition, an Australian Western directed by John Hillcoat and set in 1880s Australia. It opens with Charlie Burns and his gang in a gunfight with the police, leaving Charlie and his younger brother, Mikey, as the sole survivors.

Captain Morris Stanley offers Charlie a brutal choice: kill his elusive older brother Arthur Burns and secure the freedom of both siblings, while Mikey remains behind bars as Charlie sets out on the grim assignment. The film delivers a gut-wrenching portrait of criminal life, showing criminals who work harder at crime than they would at honest labor and who ultimately commit the greatest harm against themselves.

Alongside The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith and The Man from Snowy River, The Proposition helped bring legitimacy to the Australian Western.

Australia

the proposition, john hillcoat, australian western, charlie burns, arthur burns, mikey, morris stanley, jimmie blacksmith, snowy river, 2005