This is an excellent adaptation of a true story of university students reacting to World War II. The population of Holland lived a naive existence, believing that they were not involved. When the war came to them, they were horribly naive and unprepared. The only possibility was to work with the resistance. By wars end, only two of the original group (Erik and Jack) were still alive. The whole story is there: danger, how people were forced into collaborating, how others willingly collaborated, torture at the hands of the Gestapo, death the penalty for getting caught, how Erik survived.
The best Verhoeven movie readily available in the USA, what a contrast to the trash he turned out in the 1990s. Hauer is in top form as Erik. Krabbe is excellent as the fraternity president Guus, so in charge of the games at the beginning, so naive as to the reality of their situation at the end. Their friendship was at the core of this film. Their relationship with authority throughout was complex and compelling.
There are two subtitled versions, the original is far the best if you can find it. The other subtitled version available is a version of the dubbing script for the US version for those parochial people who have to have it in English because they can't be bothered to increase their cultural horizon and listen to a movie in its original language. Stay as far away from the dubbed in English version as you can.
The best Verhoeven movie readily available in the USA, what a contrast to the trash he turned out in the 1990s. Hauer is in top form as Erik. Krabbe is excellent as the fraternity president Guus, so in charge of the games at the beginning, so naive as to the reality of their situation at the end. Their friendship was at the core of this film. Their relationship with authority throughout was complex and compelling.
There are two subtitled versions, the original is far the best if you can find it. The other subtitled version available is a version of the dubbing script for the US version for those parochial people who have to have it in English because they can't be bothered to increase their cultural horizon and listen to a movie in its original language. Stay as far away from the dubbed in English version as you can.