In an apparently idyllic 17th century Wiltshire, an ambitious draughtsman is commissioned by the wife of an aristocrat to produce twelve drawings of her husband's estate and negotiates terms to include sexual favors from his employer. But when a corpse is dragged from the moat, the draughtsman's drawings may reveal more than he realized.
This witty, stylized and erotic country-house murder mystery established Peter Greenaway as a director of international status. Extravagant costumes, a twisting plot, elegantly barbed dialogue and a mesmerizing score by Michael Nyman make the film a treat for ear, eye and mind.
Filmography: Nightwatching (2007), The Tulse Luper Suitcases (2002-4), 8 1/2 Women (1999), The Pillow Book (1996), Prospero's Books (1991), The Cook, the Thief, his Wife and her Lover (1989).