There are many eye-popping moments in Black Book (2006), aka Zwartboek, though probably the most PG friendly is when Carice van Houten transforms into a Resistance beauty of Jean Harlow-esque proportions wearing an unmissable red halterneck dress.
Black Book is a World War II set action thriller directed Paul Verhoeven. Based on true events it charts the story of Ellis de Vries (formally Rachel Stein) played by Carice van Houten, a Jewish singer who joins the Dutch Resistance and then infiltrates the German Gestapo. Ultimately, however, the tide turns as she finds herself branded a traitor by her comrades and forced to go into hiding. It is unquestionably Verhoeven’s best film in years; quite simply a rollicking good yarn.
The noteworthy period costume design is by Yan Tax. Van Houten’s outfits vary considerably at different junctures in the story. At the start of her journey Ellis wears mainly...
Black Book is a World War II set action thriller directed Paul Verhoeven. Based on true events it charts the story of Ellis de Vries (formally Rachel Stein) played by Carice van Houten, a Jewish singer who joins the Dutch Resistance and then infiltrates the German Gestapo. Ultimately, however, the tide turns as she finds herself branded a traitor by her comrades and forced to go into hiding. It is unquestionably Verhoeven’s best film in years; quite simply a rollicking good yarn.
The noteworthy period costume design is by Yan Tax. Van Houten’s outfits vary considerably at different junctures in the story. At the start of her journey Ellis wears mainly...
- 9/21/2010
- by Chris Laverty
- Clothes on Film
"Left Luggage" is clumsily made, but that doesn't hurt its potential for good boxoffice results in specialty markets in the United States and Europe. Female audiences especially should easily identify with the charming main character, a modern teenage girl who grows up while baby-sitting a troubled Chasidic child.
First the bad news: This English-language directorial debut of Dutch actor Jeroen Krabbe ("Immortal Beloved") is badly timed and jerkily cut. Too many scenes should have been truncated just before the actors could speak one melodramatic line too many, and either director Krabbe or the poorly motivated script by Edwin de Vries seem to have encouraged the actors to ham it up instead of concentrating on creating credible characters. The technical credits are good, though unpolished.
Here's the good news: Women should like this film. In her first leading role, young Briton Laura Fraser plays Chaja, a "modern" Jewish teenager in 1970s Amsterdam. She's sexually emancipated, has no awareness of any racial discrimination and no patience with her air-headed, cake-baking mother (Marianne Saegebrecht) or with her father (Maximilian Schell), who is obsessed with the past. (He spends the film looking for two suitcases he buried somewhere while fleeing the Nazis.)
Needing money, Chaja gets a job as a nanny for a Chasidic family with their repressive rules, funny clothes and general backwardness. But before she can quit, she falls for the 5-year-old son Simcha (Adam Monty) who, frightened by his overbearing father, refuses to speak. Chaja's relationship with Simcha is warm and funny, and young Monty is even cuter than Fraser, if that's possible.
While Simcha learns to speak, Chaja learns to respect both this unusual family and her Jewish heritage. In the end, Chaja also learns about loss, which brings her full circle -- to an understanding of the Jewish past that formed her family and herself.
Fraser's performance is unfortunately anything but subtle -- she loves rolling those big eyes, grinning, goofing, hamming and generally looking cute.
But what she lacks in accomplishment she makes up for with sheer energy and an impressive big-screen charisma.
Women should be able to put themselves in Chaja's shoes easily, and because the movie is well-meaning, if flawed, the audience will not feel embarrassed about pulling out the handkerchiefs.
LEFT LUGGAGE
A Flying Dutchman/Shooting Star production
in association with Favourite Films and Greystone Films
Credits: Director: Jeroen Krabbe; Producers: Ate de Jong, Hans Pos, Dave Schram; Executive producers: Craig Haffner, Brad Wilson; Co-producers: Dirk Impens, Rudy Verzyck; Associate producers: Maria Peters, Edwin de Vries, Jeroen Krabbe; Screenplay: Edwin de Vries; Based on the novel "The Shovel and the Loom" by: Carl Friedman; Director of photography: Walther van den Ende; Art director: Hemmo Sportel; Editor: Edgar Burcksen; Music: Henny Vrienten; Costume designer: Yan Tax, Bernadette Corstens; Casting: Susie Figgis. Cast: Mrs. Kalman: Isabella Rossellini; Chaja's Father: Maximilian Schell; Chaja's Mother: Marianne Saegebrecht; Mr. Kalman: Jeroen Krabbe; Chaja: Laura Fraser; Simcha: Adam Monty; Concierge: David Bradley; Herr Apfelschnitt: Chaim Topol; Sofie: Heather Weeks. No MPAA rating. Running time -- 96 minutes. Color/stereo.
First the bad news: This English-language directorial debut of Dutch actor Jeroen Krabbe ("Immortal Beloved") is badly timed and jerkily cut. Too many scenes should have been truncated just before the actors could speak one melodramatic line too many, and either director Krabbe or the poorly motivated script by Edwin de Vries seem to have encouraged the actors to ham it up instead of concentrating on creating credible characters. The technical credits are good, though unpolished.
Here's the good news: Women should like this film. In her first leading role, young Briton Laura Fraser plays Chaja, a "modern" Jewish teenager in 1970s Amsterdam. She's sexually emancipated, has no awareness of any racial discrimination and no patience with her air-headed, cake-baking mother (Marianne Saegebrecht) or with her father (Maximilian Schell), who is obsessed with the past. (He spends the film looking for two suitcases he buried somewhere while fleeing the Nazis.)
Needing money, Chaja gets a job as a nanny for a Chasidic family with their repressive rules, funny clothes and general backwardness. But before she can quit, she falls for the 5-year-old son Simcha (Adam Monty) who, frightened by his overbearing father, refuses to speak. Chaja's relationship with Simcha is warm and funny, and young Monty is even cuter than Fraser, if that's possible.
While Simcha learns to speak, Chaja learns to respect both this unusual family and her Jewish heritage. In the end, Chaja also learns about loss, which brings her full circle -- to an understanding of the Jewish past that formed her family and herself.
Fraser's performance is unfortunately anything but subtle -- she loves rolling those big eyes, grinning, goofing, hamming and generally looking cute.
But what she lacks in accomplishment she makes up for with sheer energy and an impressive big-screen charisma.
Women should be able to put themselves in Chaja's shoes easily, and because the movie is well-meaning, if flawed, the audience will not feel embarrassed about pulling out the handkerchiefs.
LEFT LUGGAGE
A Flying Dutchman/Shooting Star production
in association with Favourite Films and Greystone Films
Credits: Director: Jeroen Krabbe; Producers: Ate de Jong, Hans Pos, Dave Schram; Executive producers: Craig Haffner, Brad Wilson; Co-producers: Dirk Impens, Rudy Verzyck; Associate producers: Maria Peters, Edwin de Vries, Jeroen Krabbe; Screenplay: Edwin de Vries; Based on the novel "The Shovel and the Loom" by: Carl Friedman; Director of photography: Walther van den Ende; Art director: Hemmo Sportel; Editor: Edgar Burcksen; Music: Henny Vrienten; Costume designer: Yan Tax, Bernadette Corstens; Casting: Susie Figgis. Cast: Mrs. Kalman: Isabella Rossellini; Chaja's Father: Maximilian Schell; Chaja's Mother: Marianne Saegebrecht; Mr. Kalman: Jeroen Krabbe; Chaja: Laura Fraser; Simcha: Adam Monty; Concierge: David Bradley; Herr Apfelschnitt: Chaim Topol; Sofie: Heather Weeks. No MPAA rating. Running time -- 96 minutes. Color/stereo.
- 2/17/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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