Character Movie Review 1997

Based on the 1938 novel by F. Bordewijk, which follows the troubled relationship of young lawyer Jacob Willem Katadreuffe (van Huet) and his overbearing father in 1920s Rotterdam. Dreverhaven (Decleir) is a powerful baliff who has an illegitimate son with his servant, Joba (Schuurman), who turns down his marriage proposal. Still, Dreverhaven is determined to control his son's life, even if it means ruining him first. No wonder the old man gets murdered. Dark and unsentimental. Dutch with subtitles.

Distribution

Sony Pictures Home Video, Sony Pictures Plz., 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232, Phone: (310)244-7306, Fax: (310)280-2485, URL: http://www.spe.sony.com, Remarks: Formerly Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment

Available on VHS
Running time 114 minutes.
Originally from Dutch.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Flashback, Bad Dads, Law & Lawyers, Period Piece: 1920s

Screenplay

Mike van Diem

Cast

Fredja Van Huet, Jan Decleir, Betty Schuurman, Victor Low, Tamar van den Dop, Hans Kestig

Cinematography

Rogier Stoffers

Director

Mike van Diem

Music

Paleis Van Boem

Producer

Laurens Geels, Sony Pictures Classics

Awards

Oscars 1997: Foreign Film.