06/05 (2004)

Director:

Theo van Gogh

Writers:

Theo van Gogh (dialogue)
Tomas Ross (dialogue & scenario)

Release Date:

23 February 2005 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Plot:

A fictional version of the events that led to the assassination of the Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn on May 6, 2002. The movie is based upon the book "The sixth of May" by Tomas Ross.

Plot Keywords:

Archive Footage | Beach | Cell Phone | Colleague | Daughter

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Thijs Römer	...	Jim de Booy
Tara Elders	...	Ayse Him
Cahit Ölmez	...	Erdogan Demir
Jack Wouterse	...	Van Dam
Johnny de Mol	...	Redacteur NRC, John
Caro Lenssen	...	Marije de Booy
Marcel Hensema	...	Wester
Gijs Naber	...	Wouter Heemskerk
Marlies Heuer	...	Thera
Georgina Verbaan	...	Birgit Maas
Ariane Schluter	...	Ex Jim
Tooske Breugem	...	Grondstewardess
Peer Mascini	...	Buurman
Marijke Veugelers	...	Buurvrouw
Reinout Bussemaker	...	Volkert van der G

Also Known As:

06/05: The Sixth of May (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

Netherlands:117 min

Country:

Netherlands

Language:

Dutch | English

Colour:

Colour

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

's-Gravenhage, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands

Company:

Column Productions

Trivia:

Marcel van Dam, a well-known Dutch TV personality, made an unsuccessful attempt to have his presence removed from the movie before the premiere. The movie uses an excerpt from a discussion program in which he calls Pim Fortuyn "an inferior human being" in his face.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Jim is Googling for "reclassering", it shows the Google site with one the Athens summer-Olympics doodles, which was online in August 2004, while the movie is set in the days after 6 May 2002.

Movie Connections:

Remade as 1-900 (2009)

Soundtrack:

Let me down easy

The Triumph Of The Politically Correct Is Anarchy

First off, let's all admit that this film would probably never had a chance to see a production budget of any kind before September 11th, 2001. Secondly, two of the main characters are westernized Muslims and in the film they drink alcohol, have a sexual affair, and wear regular clothes ( no hijab for the female character ). What all of that means, exactly, is something of a mystery to me.

Third, the story-telling in this film is far better than some of the other comments might indicate. Given that the fine DVD presentation requires the viewer to read subtitles for the parts given in other languages, which is about 98 per cent of the film, it all works real well. In my less-than-humble opinion, of course.

Apparently the Dutch secret service or spy agency does not believe in or perhaps does not need warrants to break into the homes of private citizens, and is not averse to random acts of vandalism, as well.

So, yes, the story is convoluted and to see this film without some basic back-grounding on the politics involved makes it a daunting task. On the other side, the principal actors mostly do a very fine job in their characterizations of real persons. The fact that the film ends without giving the viewer any kind of "in the face" explanation of who really killed the Dutch politician, Pym, does not make the story in any way irrelevant. Nor can any sensible person find anything racist in this intriguing drama. On the contrary, the Netherlands is presented as being a most tolerant place where natives and second-generation immigrants live next to each other and work together quite well.

It's a spy story and a murder story, after all, and it does provoke the viewer to ask ... who really wanted that fellow Pym to be killed ? The colorful, controversial life of Theo van Gogh, who was in life so very central to the creation of this film, is NOT the subject here.

The pacing and the direction were really rather good, and it is not a "slow-paced" film, but it is telling a rather convoluted story. Leading lady Tara Elders does a remarkable turn in a tough role, too, as the Muslim immigrant with a checkered past.

For my dollar two ninety-five, it was worth renting and worth viewing twice. The second time around the intrigue was much easier to grasp.

It is necessary to know something about the recent history of the Netherlands to get the full value of this production.