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 [United States] 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

Rutger Hauer's first role in a Dutch full-length motion picture after 28 years.

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Goofs

The KLM plane is shown landing in Karachi with mountains in the background. There are no mountains in Karachi. Also at Karachi airport Arabic is written on the walls. Urdu is the written and spoken language there.

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Quotes

Frank: Ada van Holland. Make sure you'll be happy.

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Connections

Featured in De wereld draait door: Episode #4.110 (2009)

User Reviews

Great Film

Although it took me two nights to view this film, I must say I was very satisfied with it at the end. The arc of the story, spanning over 50 years or so really was truly grand. The film touches on the many personal issues and emotions of its central characters, yet maintains a certain distance, careful not to have us rooting for or against certain characters, while showing sweeping historical changes take place in the background.

The cast is top-notch, especially Karina Smulders, who plays Ada Van Holland, a young, unwordly bride-to-be traveling, for the first time, from Holland to New Zealand. There is a natural, non self-consciousness about her performance that is very appealing. The other members of the cast are also very wonderful. Many flawed characters occupy the screen, but no one beyond redemption and forgiveness. The cumulative affect of the storytelling, between flashback and modern day, was, in the end, deeply personal, and awe-inspiring.