The Draughtsman's Contract
“A landscape of lust and cunning.”
Synopsis
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.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
2022 Re-Release TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2022-09-23
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Anthony Higgins
Mr. Neville
Janet Suzman
Virginia Herbert
Dave Hill
Herbert
Alastair G. Cumming
Philip - Mr. Neville's assistant (as Alastair Cummings)
Anne-Louise Lambert
Sarah Talmann
Hugh Fraser
Mr. Talmann
Neil Cunningham
Thomas Noyes
David Meyer
Poulenc Brother
Tony Meyer
Poulenc Brother
Nicholas Amer
Mr Parkes
Suzan Crowley
Mrs Pierpont
Lynda La Plante
Mrs Clement
Michael Feast
The Statue
David Gant
Seymour
Steve Ubels
Hoyten
Ben Kirby
Augustus
Sylvia Rotter
Governess
Kate Doherty
Maid
Release History & Theatrical Window
Venice Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
June 22, 1983
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$371K
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$2.3M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
6.08x
+$1.9M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Peter Greenaway
- Screenplay & Story
- Peter Greenaway
- Original Score
- Michael Nyman
- Original Title
- The Draughtsman's Contract
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- Dutch, English, German
- Runtime
- 1h 48m
- Production Budget
- $371K
- Worldwide Gross
- $2.3M
- Production Studios
- BFI, Channel Four Films
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Peter Greenaway
Peter Greenaway
Michael Nyman
Curtis Clark
John Wilson
David Payne
Department Leadership Roster
Peter Greenaway
Director
Peter Greenaway
Screenplay
David Payne
Producer
Curtis Clark
Director of Photography
John Wilson
Editor
Michael Nyman
Original Music Composer
Sue Blane
Costume Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Suitable only for 15 years and over.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Draughtsman's Contract.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Draughtsman's Contract.
My Movies
Master List In Progress
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:40:36 UTC+8)*
Movies
Mind Games
Auto-filled from Letterboxd lists
Abstrusest 2
ALLL MOVIESSS
Similar Titles to The Draughtsman's Contract
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
8.0
7.5
4.2
10.0
8.0
7.0
7.0
3.7
6.5
6.0
7.2
6.5
6.1
5.5
6.8
7.3
6.2
5.7
More Like The Draughtsman's Contract
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Draughtsman's Contract
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Draughtsman's Contract about?
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.
Who directed The Draughtsman's Contract?
The Draughtsman's Contract was directed by Peter Greenaway.
Who stars in The Draughtsman's Contract?
The principal cast of The Draughtsman's Contract includes Anthony Higgins, Janet Suzman, Dave Hill, Alastair G. Cumming, Anne-Louise Lambert.
When was The Draughtsman's Contract released and how long is it?
The Draughtsman's Contract was released in 1982 with a total runtime of 1h 48m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Draughtsman's Contract?
The Draughtsman's Contract had a reported production budget of $371K and grossed $2.3M at the worldwide box office (6.08 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for The Draughtsman's Contract?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Draughtsman's Contract was composed by Michael Nyman.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Draughtsman's Contract?
The Draughtsman's Contract holds official age classifications: DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).