This is probably the worst film I have seen, narrowly beating George Of The Jungle. The design is beautiful, with the sets and costumes serving a dull dull story, bereft of plot, characters, and interesting dialogue. Why Greenaway tried to write this himself, instead of employing a writer is beyond me. Michael Nyman makes a good stab at the music, but it is too dominant in the sound mix, and not subtle enough to complement the occasionally good photography. Add to the mix unnecessary music, actors who barely move when speaking their lines, many characters who look alike due to identical make-up or masks, and a pretentious pseudo-restoration English, and the result is an unintelligible mess.
Review of The Draughtsman's Contract
