The Draughtsman's Contract

Janet Suzman stars as Mrs. Herbert, a British gentlewoman during the Restoration era. Hoping to solidify her tottering marriage to philandering Dave Hill, Mrs. Herbert arranges for 12 elaborate sketches to be made of their estate. The sketches are to be a surprise gift for her husband, thus Mrs. Herbert secretly contracts with draughtsman Neville. Neville agrees to undertake the job, provided that Mrs. Herbert sleeps with him every day. Before long, Neville has seduced everything in petticoats within a radius of five miles - and has also made himself number one suspect when husband Hill is found murdered. This elegant comedy of bad manners was produced by the British Film Institute. (Hal Erickson)