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Black Book (2006)
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Synopsis
At the end
of WWII, a beautiful Jewish woman joins the Resistance and infiltrates German
high command.
Movie review
From Time Out New York
Pop quiz: Who’s the real star of Basic Instinct? Sharon Stone? A certain part of Sharon Stone? Sharon Stone’s agent? Answer: Dutch dynamo Paul Verhoeven. Throughout his career, the director has split his viewers into two warring camps. On one side are those who see his Hollywood spectacles—which include RoboCop, Starship Troopers and Showgirls—as stealth satires: hugely budgeted art films loaded with savage irony and tits. On the other side are, presumably, blind people.Black Book is Verhoeven’s first new movie in six years, the studios apparently having grown tired of him. It’s a good thing they have. He’s taken a generally holy subject—Jewish resistance to the Nazis—and returned to Holland to make what is undeniably, perversely, lovably a Verhoeven movie. It stars the comely Carice van Houten, who would never be cast as Anne Frank in any decent production. She plays Rachel, initially shepherded from attic to farmhouse in the standard cinematic tradition. Soon enough, though, she’s dyeing her hair Aryan blond (yes, all of it) and shtupping for her supper, not unhappily. Nazis love her.
A filmmaker hamstrung by conventional morality would make Rachel suffer, and quick. While Verhoeven does eventually plunge his heroine into a world of shit—literally—he’s having too much fun sending her into harm’s way, always with a resourceful out. Let’s not ruin it and say he’s ended up with a survival film as “important” as Schindler’s List. Black Book is wittier, more romantic, more fun and perhaps even more useful.
Author: Joshua Rothkopf
Time Out New York Issue 601: April 5–11, 2007
User reviews of this film
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- caroline said...
- Posted on Mar 15 2008 18:26 Ciaran I have not laughed so much in ages. I had trouble reading your post out loud as my eyes were screwed up with laughter. A real 'back at school laughter' experience, thank you so much! Now, I am going to watch the film!
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- Kathy said...
- Posted on Feb 22 2008 20:31 I found this film sad but riveting and did at times have me on the edge of my seat. Brilliant film in my estimation.
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- Ciaran said...
- Posted on Jan 25 2008 11:08 Forgot to add my review quote all reviewers should have one............"Black Book is this generations Breakfast at Tiffany's"
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- Peter Cox said...
- Posted on Jan 19 2008 21:22 Hard to watch, even harder to comprehend. Not your average war film or thriller. Engrossing, challenging and - yes - entertaining in large measure. Highly recommended.
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- A Morris said...
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Posted on Oct 06 2007 16:26
I believe this film is an outstanding acknowledgement of the horror that millions of innocent people were subjected to in World War II. The heroine is a wonderful role model to all women (and men) for her courage and strength in overcoming unbelievable threats to her survival. This film both educates and inspires. The director is outstanding as is the acting of all the lead actors. This film is a must-see on both an educational and spiritual level. A real thank you to the director and lead actress for the emotional commitment they made to conveying the truth.
A. Morris - Report as inappropriate
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- roy said...
- Posted on Jul 15 2007 01:58 A moving thriller based I am told on true facts. It shows what lengths were required to survive and fight the Nazis. The heroine is a brave stoic personality whose only crime was to be Jewish. She used her looks, personality and talents not only ro survive but to be proactive in the struggle againts the nazis. It is incomprehensible how human beings can treat other human beings and this is shown in this war time drama. We were very moved and educated by the movie highly recommend it to those who have an interest in wartime drama thrillers especially if they have family who were dirctly affected.
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- Joan Newman said...
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Posted on Jul 09 2007 02:09
Although it is quite possible to make a witty, even humorous film about the Nazis, ( Europa, Europa for instance) this film strives to do so, but falls short.
Endless car crashes and shoot-ups to a frenetic music score are reminiscent of the Keystone Cops. The film is crammed with incident but ultimately is very shallow. The tone is all wrong, from a very early scene in which the 'heroine' on witnessing a direct bomb hit on the farmhouse where a family with numerous children has sheltered her, remarks simply, 'I've lost my hiding place". We may not need a heroine with a fixed moral centre, but at least give us one we can like. Sure, she's a survivor and does what is necessary, but ultimately who cares ? - Report as inappropriate
Cast & crew
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Cast: Carice van Houten, Sebastian Koch, Halina Reijn, Thom Hoffman, Christian Berkel, Waldermar Kobus, Michiel Huisman, Derek De Lint, Dolf De Vries, Diana Dobbelman full cast
Duration: 146 mins
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