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Who said that they
don't make films like they used to?
I never would have guessed that Paul
Verhoeven (Yes, the Paul Verhoeven who
directed "Total Recall", "Basic Instinct" &
"Showgirls"!!!) would compete for the best
film of 2007 with a gripping,
edge-of-your-seat World War II yarn.
I use the old-fashioned term, yarn, because
"Black Book" is very much a film that feels
like it was made decades ago. The lush
visuals, orchestral music, European styling,
wartime romanticism and cliffhanging
chapters all add a certain 1950's charm to
the white-knuckle plot. One gets the feeling
that the ghosts of Gregory Peck, Hedy
Lamarr, Ava Gardner, Spencer Tracy & Jean
Harlow are embodying the cast of this
classic espionage drama.
The film begins in 1956 with Rachel Steinn,
a school teacher at an Israeli kibbutz,
being accidentally found by an old
acquaintance, who is on vacation with her
husband. The meeting brings back painful
wartime memories and Rachel heads to a quiet
place by the river to recollect our central
story.
So back we travel, to occupied Holland,
circa 1944, and we see a more youthful
Rachel, diligently practicing a bible
passage in order to earn a meal from the
family who is hiding her from the Germans.
She, like many Jews at that time, were
surviving by any means necessary in order to
outlast the Nazi tyranny. However, one day,
while flirting with a young man sailing on
the nearby lake, her safe zone is destroyed
in one fell swoop by a low flying bomber.
Rachel is immediately on the run, aided by
her new sailor friend.
So much of this film relies on surprises and
shocking twists that it would be unfair of
me to detail too many plot threads. And my
goodness, there are a tons of them. This is
truly a definitive epic, in every cinematic
sense of the word. Rachel is crossed and
doubled-crossed and triple-crossed,
eventually winding up as a member of the
famed Resistance. Via cunning and fortunate
circumstance, she manages to transform
herself into Ellis de Vries, a blond
bombshell who infiltrates the German command
in the area. She uses a quick wit, a
gorgeous voice, some feminine charms and a
collection of Queen Wilhelmina stamps to
crawl her way into the arms of Herr Müntze
(Sebastian Koch).
From deep within the Nazi camp, she is able
to strategically plant a microphone and to
use tidbits of acquired knowledge in order
to provide the Resistance with vital
information and plans. While evolving into a
brave spy, she must learn how to reconcile
her own personal vendettas and her
surprising romantic feelings for Müntze.
There are no more exciting themes for me in
movies than tragic romance, espionage and
escape. I have loved them all with a passion
ever since I was a small child. Throw in a
magnificent screenplay, marvelous
cinematography, a plot that churns along
with the efficiency of a Swiss watch, and
the added bonus of a gorgeous actress -- the
result is sure to be a huge winner for me.
"Black Book" satisfies everything that I
truly want from a film. It is the reason I
go to the movies. I was utterly swept away
by the intrigue, drama, romance and tragedy.
This emotionally weighty film even manages
to deliver a few wonderfully witty moments
to break the supreme tension of it all.
The cast is immense. Every one of them
exudes authenticity. It is one of the best
ensembles of the year. However, I struggle
to call it an ensemble because it would be
ignoring one of the singular performances in
recent memory. Carice Van Houten is not a
household name to most. She is a Dutch
beauty who, if this role is anything to go
by, is on the verge of a magnificent career.
Her grasp on the emotional turmoil of
Rachel/Ellis is of profound proportions. It
is a stunning turn that flatly demands award
consideration. The range on display in this
movie is astonishing. Rarely have I ever
been as moved by a character's heroism and
charm and guile and wits. She is able to
create a sympathetic creature... one that we
will root for until the end... one that we
trust and believe in.
I cannot leave this review without admitting
to my utter admiration for Paul Verhoeven, a
director whose films I have often enjoyed
and panned in equal measures. This is the
work of his lifetime. It is the film he
should list above all others on his résumé.
This is a thoughtful, poignant and
tremendously thrilling adventure. For
attentive viewers, the final scenes of the
film act as a provocative meditation on the
relationships between war and justice, peace
and insularity, the actions of the past and
the promises of the future. "Black Book
(Zwartboek)" is not only a riveting WWII
adventure, but a superb contrast of morality
-vs- reality.
©
Written by TC Candler |
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Director
Paul Verhoeven
Cast
Carice Van
Houten
Sebastian Koch
Halina Reijn
Waldemar Kobus
Derek de Lint
Thom Hoffman
Johnny de Mol
Michiel Huisman
Christian Berkel
Running Time
145m
Rated
PG13
Official
Website
www.sonyclassics.com/blackbook/
Carice
Van Houten as Ellis de Vries |
