De vierde man (1983)

Director:

Paul Verhoeven

Writers:

Gerard Reve (novel)
Gerard Soeteman (writer)

Release Date:

24 March 1983 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Christine is young, beautiful and rich. Her three husbands all died tragically. It's time for Christine to find her fourth man.

Plot:

In a man's bedroom, a large spider catches flies from her web affixed to a crucifix. The man is Reve...

Plot Keywords:

Vision | Spider | Catholic | Nightmare | Alcoholic

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Jeroen Krabbé	...	Gerard Reve
Renée Soutendijk	...	Christine Halsslag
Thom Hoffman	...	Herman
Dolf de Vries	...	Dr. de Vries
Geert de Jong	...	Ria
Hans Veerman	...	Begrafenisondernemer
Hero Muller	...	Josefs
Caroline de Beus	...	Adrienne
Reinout Bussemaker	...	Eerste echtgenoot
Erik J. Meijer	...	Tweede echtgenoot
Ursul de Geer	...	Derde echtgenoot
Filip Bolluyt	...	Surfer
Hedda Lornie	...	Verkoopster boekhandel
Paul Nygaard	...	Violist
Guus van der Made	...	Treinkelner

Also Known As:

The 4th Man (USA) (video box title)
The Fourth Man (USA)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

Netherlands

Language:

Dutch

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:R | South Korea:18 (1995) | Argentina:18 | Hong Kong:III | Netherlands:12 | UK:18 | West Germany:18 | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Central Station, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Company:

Rob Houwer Productions

Trivia:

Director Trademark: [Paul Verhoeven] [religious imagery]Gerard's visions include seeing the object of his lust being portrayed as a crucified Jesus, the loincloth replaced by a pair of speedos. The opening credits also feature the symbolic image of a spider crawling over a crucifix.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: At the beginning of the movie, as Gerard is getting out of bed, the boom mic is visible in a mirror behind him.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Schau mir in die Augen, Kleiner (2007)

One of Verhoeven's best

In Holland a gay writer Gerard (Jeroen Krabbe) gives a lecture. He stays overnight with a beautiful woman Christine (Renee Soutendijk) and has sex with her (by imagining she's a boy). He plans to leave the next day, but gets a look at a picture of Christine's hunky boyfriend Herman (Thom Hoffman) and decides to stay to have a try at him. Then things get strange.

A big X-rated art house hit in the US in 1983. Why was it X rated? Let's see...there's strangulation, full frontal male and female nudity, castration, mutilation, simulated sex, a scene in a church with a cross that will shock most people, a gay sex scene in a crypt...and it's all a comedy!!!!! Paul Verhoeven made this after "Spetters". "Spetters" was attacked by the critics for it's extreme sexual sequences and denounced as trash. So, Verhoeven filled this film with very obvious symbolism thinking the critics would think it was art and praise it. He was right! Critics loved the film not realizing that Verhoeven was playing a big joke on them. Still, it's a great film.

It's beautifully shot by Jan de Bont (now a director himself) and there's so much symbolism and obvious "hidden" layers in the dialogue that you're never bored. All the acting is great--Krabbe plays a thoroughly despicable character but (somehow) has you rooting for him; Soutendijk is just stunning to look at and plays her part to perfection--the little smile she gives when Gerard agrees to stay with her is chilling; Hoffman is extremely handsome with a great body--he deserves credit for doing the church sequence and going at with Krabbe in the crypt.

This is not for people easily offended or the weak of heart, but if you like extreme movies that playfully challenge you (like me) this is for you! A 10 all the way.