Bride Flight (2008)

A romantic drama that charts the lives of three women from different backgrounds, forever changed when they emigrate to New Zealand as war brides.

Director:

Ben Sombogaart

Writer:

Marieke van der Pol (screenplay)

Stars:

Karina Smulders, Pleuni Touw, Anna Drijver

3 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Karina Smulders	...	Ada van Holland
Pleuni Touw	...	Old Ada
Anna Drijver	...	Esther Cahn
Willeke van Ammelrooy	...	Old Esther
Elise Schaap	...	Marjorie Mullin
Petra Laseur	...	Old Marjorie
Waldemar Torenstra	...	Frank de Rooy
Rutger Hauer	...	Old Frank
Micha Hulshof	...	Derk Visser
Mattijn Hartemink	...	Hans Doorman
Walter Bart	...	Leon
Hans Man in 't Veld	...	Vicar
Rawiri Paratene	...	Old Mosie
Rob Mokaraka	...	Mosie
Mykola Allen	...	Bobby Doorman

Storyline

1953, a flood adding to the aftermath of World War II swells the numbers of Dutch emigrants. On a KLM flight to New Zealand, part of a race from London, Frank, who lost his family and colonial estate in the Japanese occupation and Indonesian civil war of Independence, meets some virtual mail order brides. Ada van Holland becomes his lover before confessing she's already married by proxy to gloomy Calvinist Derk. Jewish concentration camp survivor Esther dodges her engagement for a fashion career and discretely has her boy Bobby adopted by infertile Marjorie, who did everything else right with husband Hans. Over the years, some of their paths cross again, all survivors meet at Frank's funeral.

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Plot Keywords:

new zealand | bride | funeral | dutch | jewish | 

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Taglines:

A forbidden love. An impossible choice. A secret past.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for a strong sex scene and some graphic nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Music Box Films [us] Official Facebook

Country:

Netherlands Luxembourg

Language:

Dutch English

Release Date:

10 June 2011 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Luxembourg

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$54,044 (USA) (10 June 2011)

Gross:

$497,252 (USA) (21 October 2011)

Company Credits

Production Co:

IDTV Film, Samsa Film, Nederlandse Christelijke Radio Vereniging (NCRV)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

130 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Even though the movie was not shot in the 1:2,35 (scope) format, the bottom and top were cut off in the last stage of post-production.

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Goofs

At Frank's funeral (an hour ten minutes into the film), Marjorie smokes a cigarette in her right hand. When the scene changes to a second camera, the cigarette is in her left hand; then, when the shot jumps back to the first camera, the cigarette is not only back in her right hand but held up to her mouth.

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Quotes

Ada: What I did is a sin. A terrible sin.
Frank: It's not. It's lovely. Really sweet.

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Connections

Featured in De wereld draait door: Episode #5.9 (2009)

User Reviews

Amazing movie!

My wife lured me to this movie, she had the evening off and we wanted to do something together. In the theater I was the only male, the rest of the viewers were all women. But I did enjoy the movie. Great acting, the director took the time needed to build the atmosphere for each scene. I must say that sometimes the camera was too close. Very intimate. And also the twist at the end could have been somewhat more dramatic (although I cannot exactly say in which way). But it was enough to make me think about the story (stories!) the whole next day. I even decided to write this review. I agree fully with an other review, that the trailer does not reflect the movie: the latter is much more intense! and Ada, what a great actress Karina Smulders is, the stars came off the screen! The casting (two actresses for the young and old main characters) was also very good. I can recommend this movie to everyone!