Character (1997 film)
Encyclopedia
Character is a 1997 Dutch
/Belgian
film
, based on the best-selling novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk
and directed by Mike van Diem
. The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
at the 70th Academy Awards
. The film stars Fedja van Huêt
, Jan Decleir
, and Betty Schuurman.
The story begins when Katadreuffe's taciturn mother, Joba (played by Schuurman), worked as a housekeeper for Dreverhaven. During that time, they had sex only once (it is alluded that the encounter was forced upon Joba). She becomes pregnant and leaves her employer to make a living for herself and her son. Time and again she rejects Dreverhaven's offers by mail to marry.
Even as a child, Katadreuffe's path crosses with Dreverhaven, often with dire consequences. When he is arrested for a boyish prank and tells the police that Dreverhaven is his father, Dreverhaven refuses to recognize him as his son. When, as a young man, he unwittingly takes a loan from Dreverhaven's bank to purchase a failed cigar
store, Dreverhaven sues him to win the money back. Still, Katadreuffe manages to pay back the debt, finding a clerical position in a law firm. He does this even though most of his education is derived from reading an incomplete set of encyclopedia
s that he happens to find as a boy in his mother's apartment.
After paying back the debt, Katadreuffe implores Dreverhaven to give him a second loan so that he can pass the bar examination. Dreverhaven agrees, on the condition that he can call back the loan at any time. Despite his efforts to hinder his son, Katadreuffe manages to pass the examination. On the afternoon of the murder he storms into Dreverhaven's office to pay the final installment on the loan. A fight ensues, and Katadreuffe attacks Dreverhaven before leaving. All around people see him as he marches out of the office.
However, the police discover that Katadreuffe left Dreverhaven at 5:00 p.m., while Dreverhaven died at 11:00 p.m. It transpires that Dreverhaven actually committed suicide. His will is produced, leaving all of his considerable wealth to his son. The will is signed "Vader" (Father).
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
/Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, based on the best-selling novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk
Ferdinand Bordewijk
Ferdinand Bordewijk was a Dutch author. His style, which is terse and symbolic, is considered New Objectivity and magic realism. He was awarded the prestigious P.C. Hooftprijs in 1953 and the Constantijn Huygensprijs in 1957...
and directed by Mike van Diem
Mike van Diem
Mike van Diem is a Dutch film director.In 1990 his short film Alaska won a Golden Calf for best short film and the Student Academy Award for best foreign student film in the drama category...
. The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
at the 70th Academy Awards
70th Academy Awards
The 70th Academy Awards were noted for their high ratings and the 11 wins obtained by the Best Picture Titanic. Billy Crystal hosted the ceremony for the sixth time, and received an Emmy award for his performance....
. The film stars Fedja van Huêt
Fedja van Huêt
Fedja van Huêt is a Dutch stage and film actor. He studied a college of theatre en starred several plays and movies. He was connected to the theater companies RO-theatre and Theatre Company Hollandia...
, Jan Decleir
Jan Decleir
Jan Decleir is a prolific Belgian movie and stage actor born in Niel, Antwerp .He had his first big role in Fons Rademakers "Mira" and has since then appeared in countless Flemish and Dutch films and tv productions...
, and Betty Schuurman.
Plot
In the Netherlands of the 1920s, Dreverhaven (Decleir), a dreaded bailiff, is found dead, with a knife sticking out of his stomach. The obvious suspect is Jacob Willem Katadreuffe (van Huêt), an ambitious young lawyer who worked his way up from poverty, always managing to overcome Dreverhaven's personal attacks against him. Katadreuffe was seen leaving Dreverhaven's office on the afternoon of the murder. He is arrested and taken to police headquarters, where he reflects back on the story of his long relationship with Dreverhaven, who, police learn, is also Katadreuffe's father.The story begins when Katadreuffe's taciturn mother, Joba (played by Schuurman), worked as a housekeeper for Dreverhaven. During that time, they had sex only once (it is alluded that the encounter was forced upon Joba). She becomes pregnant and leaves her employer to make a living for herself and her son. Time and again she rejects Dreverhaven's offers by mail to marry.
Even as a child, Katadreuffe's path crosses with Dreverhaven, often with dire consequences. When he is arrested for a boyish prank and tells the police that Dreverhaven is his father, Dreverhaven refuses to recognize him as his son. When, as a young man, he unwittingly takes a loan from Dreverhaven's bank to purchase a failed cigar
Cigar
A cigar is a tightly-rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco that is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the mouth. Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Philippines, and the Eastern...
store, Dreverhaven sues him to win the money back. Still, Katadreuffe manages to pay back the debt, finding a clerical position in a law firm. He does this even though most of his education is derived from reading an incomplete set of encyclopedia
Encyclopedia
An encyclopedia is a type of reference work, a compendium holding a summary of information from either all branches of knowledge or a particular branch of knowledge....
s that he happens to find as a boy in his mother's apartment.
After paying back the debt, Katadreuffe implores Dreverhaven to give him a second loan so that he can pass the bar examination. Dreverhaven agrees, on the condition that he can call back the loan at any time. Despite his efforts to hinder his son, Katadreuffe manages to pass the examination. On the afternoon of the murder he storms into Dreverhaven's office to pay the final installment on the loan. A fight ensues, and Katadreuffe attacks Dreverhaven before leaving. All around people see him as he marches out of the office.
However, the police discover that Katadreuffe left Dreverhaven at 5:00 p.m., while Dreverhaven died at 11:00 p.m. It transpires that Dreverhaven actually committed suicide. His will is produced, leaving all of his considerable wealth to his son. The will is signed "Vader" (Father).
Themes
The complicated relationship between Katadreuffe and Dreverhaven lies at the center of this film. Unrequited love and blind ambition are among the other themes in this film, as is the difficulty of some characters to express emotions fully and the repercussions that ensue.External links
- broken review (albany.edu)
- broken`(13/10/2010) review (iofilm.co.uk)