Als twee druppels water (1963)

Director:

Fons Rademakers

Writers:

Willem Frederik Hermans (novel)
Fons Rademakers (writer)

Release Date:

21 February 1963 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot:

The fainthearted cigar trader Ducker keeps himself quiet during World War II. That changes when parachutist Dorbeck lands in his backyard...

Plot Keywords:

Resistance | WWII | Based On Novel

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Lex Schoorel	...	Ducker / Dorbeck
Nan Los	...	Marianne
Van Doude	...	Inspector Wierdeman
Guus Verstraete	...	Ebernuss
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ko Arnoldi	...	Doctor
Frits Butzelaar		(as Frits Butselaar)
Jos Gevers	...	Uncle Frans
Mia Goossen	...	Ria Ducker
Elise Hoomans	...	Duckers mother
Hans Polman	...	Turlings
Piet Römer
Jules Royaards	...	Hubach
André van den Heuvel	...	Tonino
Frans van der Lingen	...	Eckener
Ina van der Molen	...	Elly
Luc van Gent	...	Second inspector
Marianne van Waveren	...	Fake Jugendstorm leader
Siem Vroom	...	Priest

Also Known As:

De donkere Kamer van Damocles
Like Two Drops of Water (Europe: English title) (literal title)
The Dark Room of Damocles (USA)
The Spitting Image

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

Netherlands

Language:

Dutch | German

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Netherlands:12

Company:

Cineurope

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Zomergasten: (#9.5)" (1996)

Deserves International Recognition

Alfred Heineken (he of the beer) agreed to produce this Dutch film on the condition that his then-mistress Nan Los would get a part. When Los dumped him, Heineken withdrew all copies of the movie and it remained unseen for over thirty years. With Heineken dead, the movie is ready for rediscovery and with good reason: this is a great film! During WWII, schlemiel photographer Ducker has a chance encounter with heroic British agent Dorbeck who looks just like him. Dorbeck starts using Ducker, who idolizes him. Under his guidance, Ducker becomes involved in the resistance movement and the two grow more and more alike.

This premise then develops into a highly original story with plenty of twists and surprises, but director Fons Rademakers (Foreign Film Oscar 1987 for The Assault) also adds a top/bottom homo-erotic undercurrent to the relationship between the insecure and submissive Ducker and the übermensch Dorbeck in ways that would have made Hitchcock proud. At one point Ducker needs to go into hiding, Dorbeck puts him in a safe-house, orders him strip, disguises him as a woman and takes off with his other clothes, leaving Ducker to utter the immortal line: 'You should at least have left me my gun.' Talk about castration! It's time that BFI or Kino picks up Als Twee Druppels Water for international DVD distribution, because it belongs along with Soldier of Orange and The Vanishing among the best movies ever produced in Holland.

***1/2