A Question of Silence (1982)
"De stilte rond Christine M." (original title)

Three women, all strangers to each other, meet in a dress boutique. One of the three is approached by the male proprietor as she is shoplifting a garment. When he approaches her the other ... See full summary »

Director:

Marleen Gorris

Writer:

Marleen Gorris

Stars:

Edda Barends, Nelly Frijda, Henriëtte Tol

3 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Edda Barends	...	Christine M.
Nelly Frijda	...	Annie
Henriëtte Tol	...	Anna
Cox Habbema	...	Janine van den Bos
Eddie Brugman	...	Ruud van den Bos
Hans Croiset	...	Rechter
Erik Plooyer	...	Officier van Justitie
Anna van Beers
Noa Cohen
Kees Coolen	...	Inspecteur
Edgar Danz
Diana Dobbelman	...	Vrouw van Psychiater
Miranda Frijda
Frederik de Groot
Noortje Jansen

Storyline

Three women, all strangers to each other, meet in a dress boutique. One of the three is approached by the male proprietor as she is shoplifting a garment. When he approaches her the other two join her in beating the man to death. Other female shoppers ignore the whole situation and leave when the crime is complete. The court appoints a female psychriatrist to examine the women; contrary to public opinion the psychiatrist finds they are not insane but implies the rage expressed by the crime is a result of the male dominated society. An interesting study of extreme behavior. The prisoner's cells were a revelation.

---

Plot Keywords:

murder | title directed by female | character name in title

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Netherlands

Language:

Dutch English

Release Date:

18 February 1982 (Netherlands)

Also Known As:

A Question of Silence

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sigma Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in Allemaal film: Tussen kunst en kassa (2007)

User Reviews

The right question

Brilliantly posed, the Question of Silence found it's way into US theatres at a very appropriate moment.(1983) The lack of response in the US to this film revealed, to women who had worked through the agonies of trying to get men to "see" something other than their own vain point of view, the dense, monolithic proportion of hate and ignorance for women that most men men hold. The fact that the women characters consciously acknowledged the sense of humiliation that drove them to the rage that enabled them eviscerate the entrenched, historically priggish and stupid Man (the Shopkeeper) that they had endured through their own lives (and the lives of all women before them)made the POV in this film mind-boggling to most viewers. The arguments between the two lawyers (couple) and the disbelief of the Judges further proved the accuracy of the film's "take" on attitudes of men. Men who were in the Lumiere theatre when I saw it left mumbling to themselves. This film jolts people out of their ordinary positions on matters of conscience and action. In that respect alone, it is art of the best kind, the kind that stimulates the viewer to think anew. Not unlike Vagina Monologues in its power to shift awareness, this jewel should be kept in the public's eye by any means necessary.