De vierde man (1983)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

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 | Writer | Catholic | Nightmare

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:

Continuity: When Gerard and Herman go back to the convertible after a rainstorm, the car's interior is dry.

Movie Connections:

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

Verhoeven's Answer to the Critics

Verhoeven's Fourth Man was apparently his answer to those carping Dutch critics who had been so offended by the casual working class realism and frankness he familiarised in Turkish Delight, Business is Business & etc. Gone is the simple story line, the concern with contemporary issues, 'offensive' humour and the prominence of working girls as characters. Instead Verhoeven and his scriptwriter have substituted a hot house of religious imagery, 'literary' associations, obscure motivations and a deliberately overwrought atmosphere, guaranteed to please those who value an 'art house' ideal over the rougher product the director had been making. Perhaps surprisingly, it is a largely successful concoction, and pleased both audiences and the critics. The joke is still a joke, but it is all so well done, and carried off with such dark glee and verve, that Verhoeven's private fun in his task becomes public.

Having dished out his private joke to the conservative arbiters of Dutch film taste, it wasn't long before the frustrated director was lured off to Hollywood. Here he achieved a more perfect - and sincere - synthesis of vision, style, and message in the more familiar films that have confirmed his reputation.