Max Havelaar of de koffieveilingen der Nederlandsche handelsmaatschappij (1976)

Director:

Fons Rademakers

Writers:

Multatuli (novel)
Gerard Soeteman (writer)

Release Date:

9 September 1976 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

An idealistic Dutch colonial officer posted to Indonesia in the 19th century is cohvinced that he can...

Plot Keywords:

Indonesia | Dinner | Abuse | Scolding | Sword

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Peter Faber	...	Max Havelaar
Sacha Bulthuis	...	Tine
Adendu Soesilaningrat	...	Regent (as E.M. Adenan Soesilaningrat)
Maruli Sitompul	...	Demang
Krijn ter Braak	...	Verbrugge
Carl van der Plas	...	Resident
Rima Melati	...	Mevrouw Slotering
Rutger Hauer	...	Duclari
Joop Admiraal	...	Slotering
Frans Vorstman	...	Gouverneur-generaal
Piet Burnama	...	Djaska (as Pitradjaja Burnama)
Herry Lantho	...	Saïdjah
Leo Beyers	...	Droogstoppel
Nenny Zulaini	...	Adinda
Minih bin Misan	...	Saïdjah's vader

Also Known As:

Max Havelaar (Netherlands) (short title) (USA)

Runtime:

Finland:163 min | Netherlands:170 min

Country:

Indonesia | Netherlands

Language:

Dutch | Malay

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Netherlands:12 (original rating) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Company:

Jakarta Film

Trivia:

Peter Faber got a new set of dentures during filming, but director Fons Rademakers insisted he put the old ones back in because the new pair made his face look different.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When the movie starts, a trumpeter plays the Dutch national anthem, the "Wilhelmus". But in 1850, that was not yet the Dutch anthem.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Allemaal film: De gouden jaren (#1.3)" (2007)

Powerful, beautiful, unforgettable

In my opinion, this is one of the most powerful, beautiful and magnificent movies ever made, on every possible level: the way the story has been adapted from the book, to its incredible cinematography, character depiction, and the sensitive awareness of the complexities in the situation it describes, i.e., the finally brutal Dutch colonizing of Indonesia.

The contrasts between the beauty of the islands and its people with the horror of the disastrous situations brought on by the Dutch, are enormously moving and emotionally wrenching. Be careful about seeing it: it may change your life, as the book it was based on started to change Holland's awareness of the price, to themselves and the people of the islands, of its exploitation of these defenseless peoples. Never seen anything better, really.