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Since 1996 |
Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready.... |
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Black Book (Zwartboek) Stars: Clarice van Houten, Sebastian Koch, Halina Reijn, Waldemar Kobus, Derek de Lint, Dolf de Vries, Peter Blok and Thom Hoffman Director: Paul Verhoeven Scriptwriters: Paul Verhoeven and Gerard Soeteman Composer: Anne Dudley VIP Medienfonds 4 Production/Sony Classics Distributor Running Time: 145 minutes (subtitled) Rating: R (contains strong language, violence and frontal male and female nudity) Black Book won Best Film and Best Director at the 2006 Nederlands Film Festival. Black Book is a Paul Verhoeven film which means that within the framework of the story will be violence and sex. Be forewarned, Black Book contains scenes of male and female frontal nudity which do nothing to enhance the story. That said, Black Book is set in the final months of World War II and about a young Jewish woman Rachel (Clarice van Houten) who, with her family, is attempting to leave Holland, when their boat is attacked by Nazis. Rachel is the only one to escape, but she sees the Nazi officer in charge of the massacre. Later, Rachel, now named Ellis, joins the Resistance and infiltrates Nazi headquarters in that city. The officer in charge, Muntze (Sebastian Koch from The Lives of Others) is smitten with her and soon Clarice is a secretary at headquarters where there is plenty of chocolate. Guess what; Sebastian’s second-in- command, Franken (Waldemar Kobus) is the officer from the massacre. As the story unfolds, there are double crosses, much violence, unexpected friendships and narrow escapes. The Nazi’s are not kind. Ellis is not suspected because (a) she dyed her hair blonde and “looks” to be of Northern heritage, and (b) is multi-talented both in bed, as a secretary, and as a singer. Move over Mata Hari. Halina Reijn plays Clarice’s friend Ronnie, while Derek de Lint heads the Resistance there. Clarice van Houten portrays her character, Rachel/Ellis, as something of a wunderkind. She can do just about anything and is as quick-witted as they come. If every spy were like her, wars would be quickly won. When the plot runs thin (this films runs 145 minutes), the camera dwells on Ellis's face. Not only that, but the character is akin to The Perils of Pauline. If you can imagine it, it happens to Ellis. On the other hand, her happy-go-lucky friend, Ronnie, seems too thick-headed to be anything more than a Nazi consort, but then all may be not as it seems and many people have secrets. Waldermar Kobus is so evil he practically drools while the good guys all look hesitant about doing anything wrong. The atrocities and betrayals that Jewish people faced are aptly told, with the story both beginning and ending in Israel. Paul Verhoeven directs his cast well. Photography is fine and we know the film was shot in The Netherlands because the streets are clean. People get serious injuries and heal rapidly and Ellis's hair always looks curly, no matter what happens. Anne Dudley provides a beautifully done music score. The love affair between Ellis and Muntz is effectively told and this is a poignant part of the film. Here, are two lonely people who found each other under unexpected circumstances. She doesn’t want to do anything to harm him, while he figures her out but doesn’t care. War does that sometimes. Just when you think you have things figured out, the plot goes in a different direction. I didn’t mind. Copyright 2007 Marie Asner Submitted 4/23/07
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