R. Neville, a brash young draftsman, is hired to make a dozen landscape illustrations at the estate of Mr Herbert and his wife Virginia. Aside from monetary compensation, the arrangement includes a sexual liaison offered to Neville by Virginia while her estranged husband is away. But when the murdered body of Mr Herbert is discovered at the estate, mysterious clues found in Neville's drawings point to the identity of the killer.
Cinematography
Every shot's a framed painting you could hang in the Tate.
Costume
Michael Nyman's angular wigs deserve their own billing.
Direction
Greenaway's compositional obsession borders on sadism—in a good way.
Director
Peter Greenaway
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Greenaway shot in order of the twelve drawings, so the cast experienced the mystery unfolding in real time.
The film launched Michael Nyman's career—his minimalist baroque score became the unofficial sound of 1980s British art cinema.
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