Black Book (2006)

In the Nazi-occupied Netherlands during World War II, a Jewish singer infiltrates the regional Gestapo headquarters for the Dutch resistance.

Director:

Paul Verhoeven

Writers:

Gerard Soeteman, Paul Verhoeven

Stars:

Carice van Houten, Sebastian Koch, Thom Hoffman

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 13 wins & 21 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Carice van Houten	...	Rachel Stein / Ellis de Vries
Sebastian Koch	...	Ludwig Müntze
Thom Hoffman	...	Hans Akkermans
Halina Reijn	...	Ronnie
Waldemar Kobus	...	Günther Franken
Derek de Lint	...	Gerben Kuipers
Christian Berkel	...	Gen. Käutner
Dolf de Vries	...	Wim Smaal - Notary
Peter Blok	...	Van Gein
Michiel Huisman	...	Rob
Ronald Armbrust	...	Tim Kuipers
Frank Lammers	...	Kees
Matthias Schoenaerts	...	Joop
Johnny de Mol	...	Theo
Xander Straat	...	Maarten

Storyline

Israel 1956. Rachel, a Jew, rather unexpectedly meets an old friend at the kibbutz where she is working as a teacher. It brings back memories of her experiences in The Netherlands during the war, memories of betrayal. September 1944. Rachel is in trouble when her hiding place is bombed by allied troops. She gets in contact with a man from the resistance and joins a group of Jews who are to be smuggled across the Biesbosch by boat to the freed South Netherlands. Germans from a patrol boat murder them all however. Only Rachel is able to escape. She is rescued by a resistance group under the leadership of Gerben Kuipers. When Kuipers' son is captured after trying to smuggle weapons, he asks Rachel to seduce SS-hauptsturmführer Ludwig Müntze. Soon she will find out the attack in the Biesbosch wasn't a coincidence.

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Plot Keywords:

gestapo | dying pubic hair | seduction | dutch resistance | hiding in a coffin | 

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Taglines:

To fight the enemy, she must become one of them.

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some strong violence, graphic nudity, sexuality and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Netherlands] Official site [United States]

Country:

Netherlands Germany UK Belgium

Language:

Dutch German English Hebrew

Release Date:

18 May 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Black Book

Filming Locations:

Giethoorn, Steenwijkerland, Overijssel, Netherlands

Box Office

Budget:

$21,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

€682,184 (Netherlands), 17 September 2006, Limited Release

Opening Weekend USA:

$112,521, 8 April 2007, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$4,398,392, 19 August 2007

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fu Works, Egoli Tossell Film, Clockwork Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

145 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie was almost canceled in 2004 when many of the foreign companies that had promised to fund the movie had not yet paid up. Production was abruptly green-lit again in the autumn of 2005, when the 16-million-Euro budget was finally secured. This allowed the production team only a couple of months for principal photography.

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Goofs

You can hear the sound of common swifts while they try to kidnap Van Gein. These birds migrate in august and are not present in the Netherlands during winter.

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Quotes

Gerben Kuipers: You met that Muntze on the train, right? And he liked you?
Hans Akkermans: Liked her...? He fell for her!
Rachel Stein aka Ellis de Vries: He just showed me his stamp collection.
Gerben Kuipers: How far would you go with him? For Tim and the others...?
Rachel Stein aka Ellis de Vries: How far...? You mean sleep with him...? I want things to be clear, is that what you mean?
Gerben Kuipers: How far would you go...?
Rachel Stein aka Ellis de Vries: As far as that Muntze wants to go... Okay?

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Connections

References Notorious (1946)

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Soundtracks

Red Sails in the Sunset
Written by Will Grosz (as Wilhelm Grosz), Jimmy Kennedy
Performed by Al Bowlly
Publisher: Peter Maurice Music Co. Ltd.
EMI Music Publishing (Holland) BV
(P) 1935 His Masters Voice

User Reviews

Excellent WWII thriller

Saw it at Toronto Int. Film Festival with Paul Verhoeven and Carice van Houten on stage. This movie has Verhoeven's trademark stamp all over it. It's evident this film was a more personal project for him. Non stop action and good acting, especially from the lead actress, Carice van Houten. I've seen other films (American and French) about Resistance fighters during WWII, but non of them gripped me by the throat like this one. I admit Verhoeven is at times a bit heavy-handed, especially the sound effects of German machine guns, but the story never sags. It's a "By the seat of your pants" type of movie. After you leave the theater, the impact of the story stays with you for days. Go and see it when it comes to your local cinema in North America. I highly recommend it.