Film Facts:

Cast: Russell Crowe, Hugo Weaving, Genevieve Picot

Director: Jocelyn Moorehouse

Shooting Schedule: Sept 22, 1990 – Nov 2, 1990

Filming Locations: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Awards -(source IMdb): 1991 Australian Film Institute: Won Best Achievement in Editing: Ken Sallows
Won Best Actor in a Lead Role: Hugo Weaving
Won Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Russell Crowe
Won Best Director: Jocelyn Moorehouse
Won Best Film: Lynda House
Won Best Screenplay, Original or Adapted: Jocelyn Moorehouse
1991 Cannes Film Festival Won Golden Camera - Special Mention Jocelyn Moorhouse
1992 Sao Paulo International Film Festival: Won Critics Award Jocelyn Moorehouse
1991 Tokyo International Film Festival: Won Bronze Award Jocelyn Moorehouse

Release Dates (source IMdb): Australia August 15 1991
United Stated March 20 1992
France November 20 1991
Sweden February 7 1992
Germany June 4 1992

Plot Summary:

Martin (Hugo Weaving) has been blind from birth and trusts no-one except the camera that has replaced his eyes. By taking photos, Martin has proof that the world he senses in the same one other people see. Unfortunately Martin has never known anyone he trusts enough to describe his photos to him. Until he meets Andy (Russell Crowe), a young kitchen hand whose honesty and kindness touches him. But Martin's jealous housekeeper Celia (Genevieve Picot), uses seduction as a weapon, setting out to destroy this trusting relationship with a cold act of revenge. (Urban Cinefile)

Thanks to babzee, Deleted Scene that appeared in the original shooting script

Trivia:

Jocelyn Moorhouse is married to fellow Australian writer-director P.J. Hogan (Muriel's Wedding, Peter Pan)

Hugo Weaving would later become well-known for his role as Agent Smith in The Matrix

Frankie J. Holden, who played the sympathetic policeman Brian, also played "Dad" in Hammers Over the Anvil. (thanks Max Crowe)Frank Gallacher, the veterinarian in Proof, was Mr. Thomas (the preacher) in Hammers. (thanks Max Crowe)

Daniel Pollack, who appears in the fight scene at the drive in, also co-starred with Russell in Romper Stomper.

Russell was nominated for the Australian Film Institute Lead actor award for The Crossing.  The awards were held on the same night that the scene in the vet's office was shot.  As this was the only night they were able to secure the office, Russell had to miss the award ceremony (source: Jocelyn Moorehouse on the Proof DVD commentary)

 

Favorite Scenes:

Martin driving the car after the fight at the drive-in.

The amazing way Russell conveys Andy's reaction to the realization that Celia is obsessed with Martin

Comments by Russell:

"It's all about a search for truth and honesty," says Crowe. "Love is also a theme, although it's a very strange sort of love. Jocelyn Moorhouse is not your average director. She's got a very intense imagination and an extremely oblique level of observation. She seems to be able to find something new in old themes. She sees another dimension. "My character, Andy, has rebelled from his middle-class background. He's a bit rootless and directionless. But he has made himself that way. I enjoyed playing Andy." Crowe stops to consider this, gazing at me intently. "But Andy gets stuck in a lot of things, you know? I hate people like that. He gets caught and can't work his way out, the son of a bitch." (Rolling Stone Australia, September 1991)

"It was a fantastic script," he says unhesitatingly. "it was the best script I've ever read as far as its completeness is concerned, because it's quite a complicated concept and Jocelyn takes it through and explains everything to the audience just when they need to know exactly what the hell is going on. The simple fact is, as soon as I read it, I knew I wanted to do it." "When you read a lot of scripts, you know the difference between a good one and a bad one. When you're talking about the situation where the writer is actually going to direct you, one can be very confident that the subtleties contained in that script will come out, because they come out of her head. Jocelyn and I are pretty similar in some ways. She's really committed and passionate with a unique creativity. All of those things tend to add up to possibly fiery moments, but we had one of those relationships where every single small point we discussed we went through. Of course we were bound to disagree on a number of things, but all that happened is that, through those conversations we hit upon the best idea, not just one idea or an option and that's the way I like to work." (Preview Australia, September 1991)

Comments about Russell:

"When I worked with Russell on Proof I was amazed by his powers as an actor." (Jocelyn Moorehouse,  source: Eucalyptus Official Press Release from Fox Searchlight)

"I'm so amazed that I got the cast that I considered to be perfect for those roles..." - Jocelyn Moorehouse (Preview, September 1991)

"...I would happily work with any of the actors in "Proof" again. In fact, I would love to." - Jocelyn Moorehouse (Cinema Papers, November 1991)

"So Russell, working with Russell was, um, I'd been warned about working with Russell because he, I'd talk to an actor that worked with him on stage and had a bit of a run in with him.  He said 'Oh, you have to watch out for him mate."  But we got on very well.  He was immensely charming I thought and it's an immensely charming performance too.  He was very positive, energetic, he's intelligent, he's good fun.  We had a good time working together and also off set.  And he was determined to read to me everyday because he thought that was something Andy would do for Martin.  So Russell used to read me , I think it was something-I don't know why-but he used to read me from this book on the French Revolution. So I used to sit and listen to Russell telling  me all about the French Revolution everyday, during rehearsals and sometimes on set as well.  Pretty bizarre, really.  I think he only had done one film prior to this, perhaps two, but certainly one, called The Crossing.  He's lovely, easy performance, it's nice." (Hugo Weaving, source: Proof DVD commentary).

Reviews:

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times May 15 1992

If there is a kind of movie I like better than any other, it is this kind, the close observation of particular lives, perhaps because it exploits so completely the cinema's potential for voyeurism. There are not good or bad people here, simply characters driven by their needs and insecurities into a situation where something has to give. What could be more interesting?

James Berardinelli's Reel Views-1998

Russell Crowe, whose international career exploded shortly after Proof (his most recent high-profile role was as one of the leads in L.A. Confidential), plays Andy as a relatively straightforward and innocent young man who finds himself way over his head in the midst of Martin and Celia's twisted relationship. Yet his affection for both of them won't allow him to walk away.

Desson Howe Washington Post June 5 1992

It's just one moment in the movie but it encapsulates the essence of "Proof," a thoroughly enjoyable Australian psychodrama. Sitting in a restaurant, Martin, a blind man with sunglasses and a petulant expression, stares rigidly ahead. The waitress is ignoring him. He waits motionlessly. She seems to be waiting on every table but his. He picks up his wine bottle and pours deliberately wide of the glass. He keeps pouring. The horrified waitress comes running

DVD Review from DVD Verdict

Proof was released long before Hugo Weaving was a Matrix baddie or an elf king. It was released in 1991, when Russell Crowe was Russell Who? It was a gem of a movie then without the benefit of their current star power, and remains one now that it has finally been given star DVD treatment by New Line. It also has the added attraction of seeing two of today's most visible actors in fine early roles.

Web Related Links:

Proof Film Information

http://wwwmcc.murdoch.edu.au/ReadingRoom/film/dbase/2002/proof.htm