Dorp aan de rivier (1958)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Fons Rademakers

Writers:

Hugo Claus (writer & dialogue)
Antoon Coolen (novel)

Release Date:

19 August 1958 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

An independent-thinking doctor in a rural community with his own ideas of how medicine should be practiced begins to find himself ostracized from the community after one of his patients commits suicide. |

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Max Croiset	...	Dr. Van Taeke
Mary Dresselhuys	...	Mrs. Van Taeke
Bernard Droog	...	Cis den Dove
Jan Retèl	...	Thijs van Erpen
Jan Teulings	...	Burgemeester
Jan Lemaire Sr.	...	Willem
Hans Kaart	...	Sjef
Dick Swidde	...	Nooteboom
Herman Bouber	...	Nardje
Tamara Garcia	...	Zigeunerin
Huib Orizand	...	Pie
Frits Butzelaar
Louis van Gasteren Sr.	...	Oom Jan
Lou Geels
Frans 't Hoen	...	Dirk Jan

Also Known As:

Doctor in the Village
Village by the River (International: English title)
Village on the River

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

Netherlands

Language:

Dutch

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Netherlands:6 | Finland:K-12

Company:

Nationale Film Productie Maatschappij

Trivia:

Art director Friso Wiegersma is the son of the real doctor on which Anton Coolen based his novels.

Bromsnor as the constable

Being a Dutchman I can say in generate that we're not very fond of our own movies. As Dorp aan de rivier is one of our history gems, with an Oscar nomination for best foreign film as well,(lost with three other nominees from Black Orhpeus), the year in which Bert Haanstra won the Oscar for the best documentary Glas, you could have expected more response on this IMDb-page, but alas, I'm the first one. The movie is released by Quality films in a Fons Rademakers-box, together with the likes as Max Havelaar and Oscar winner De Aanslag (The Assault). What to say about Dorp? The Anton Coolen books about this peculiar village doctor were very famous in the last century. The more recent "Help de dokter verzuipt/ Help, the doctor is drowning") picks of the same tales. If this movie had been Swedish, Turkish or from Poland, I think I would have watched less critical, and just liked the kind stories, black and white colors, the patience, the lightning. As a Dutchman you think, hey Mary Dresselhuys in her forties, look, it's 'Bromsnor' (Lou Geels) as the constable)!. You grin about the strange mix of (forced) local accents or think well at least, you can hear what they say, which is not very common in Dutch films ("onverstaanbaar goed"). The spectacular dull 1959 trailer, put as an extra on the DVD, gives a good expression how Holland rocked in these ages. Maybe extra special how Rademakers made this movie.

Yes, now that I'm writing this, there are still a few beautiful scenes on my mind, like the scene how the son peeps through the window how his father secretly buries his wife in their own garden. At least Dorp aan de rivier make me want to see some more movies from our past.