The Golden Egg
Encyclopedia
The Golden Egg published as The Vanishing in English
-speaking countries, is a psychological thriller
novella
written by Dutch
author Tim Krabbé
, first published in 1984. The plot centers on a man whose obsession over the fate of his missing lover from years ago drives him to confront her abductor and pay the ultimate sacrifice in order to know the truth. The book was adapted into a 1988 film
which was later remade in an English-language version
by the same director.
for a bicycling vacation. One night they have a minor argument but quickly make up, and Rex pulls over at a convenience store to refuel. He and Saskia bury coins to mark the spot, then she goes into the station to buy drinks and is never seen again.
Eight years later he is still haunted by her disappearance. He is now in a relationship with another woman named Lieneke, who is both sympathetic to, and frustrated by, the hold that Saskia's disappearance has over him. Despite her misgivings, however, they become engaged.
It is at this point that the reader is introduced to Raymond Lemorne, the man responsible for whatever happened to Saskia. The novella reveals that Lemorne once saved a young girl from drowning; having proven to himself that he is capable of great goodness, Raymond then begins to wonder if he is capable of an act of pure evil. He then comes up with an idea to murder someone in the most horrible fashion he can imagine. The book follows his meticulous preparations, and his long months of trying to find a suitable victim. This section of the novella ends with him abducting Saskia, but we are still not told what happens to her, though the book does provide clues.
At this point the narrative switches back to Rex. His obsession with discovering what happened to Saskia has grown to such an extreme that he has taken out a large loan
to post advertisements in papers throughout France, hoping that someone might be able to provide him with information. His quest has also driven a wedge into his relationship with Lieneke. One night he is approached by Lemorne, who reveals that he is the one who abducted Saskia, and in a bizarre show of sympathy he offers to satisfy Rex's determination to discover her ultimate fate, but only if Rex agrees to undergo the same ordeal that Saskia suffered.
After a long discussion between the two men, Rex agrees to Lemorne's proposal, and proceeds to drink a cup of coffee laced with a sedative
. He awakens sometime later to find himself buried alive, and suffocates while imagining himself to be with Saskia.
In the epilogue it is revealed that several newspapers commented upon Rex's mysterious disappearance and its eerie resemblance to Saskia's. Their fates are never discovered; it is as if they vanished from the face of the earth.
translation by Claire Nicolas White was released under the title The Vanishing (Random House
, ISBN 0-679-41973-X). A new English translation of the novel, by Sam Garrett, was published in October 2003 (Bloomsbury
, ISBN 0-747-56533-3 ).
(from a script by Krabbé) into the award-winning 1988 film Spoorloos (international title:The Vanishing
), which starred Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu
as Raymond Lemorne, Gene Bervoets as Rex Hofman, Johanna ter Steege
in an European Film Award winning performance as Saskia (whose surnamae was changed to Wagter), and Gwen Eckhaus as Lieneke.
An English-language remake
was released in 1993, again directed by Sluizer. This version, which starred Jeff Bridges
, Kiefer Sutherland
, Nancy Travis
, and Sandra Bullock
, failed to match the acclaim of the original film, due to an altered ending where Jeff (Rex's counterpart) is rescued and the abductor is killed.
BBC Radio 4
presented an adaptation directed by Kirsty Williams
starring Samuel West
as part of their Saturday Play
series in 2010 – see The Vanishing (radio play).
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
-speaking countries, is a psychological thriller
Psychological thriller
Psychological thriller is a specific sub-genre of the broad ranged thriller with heavy focus on characters. However, it often incorporates elements from the mystery and drama genre, along with the typical traits of the thriller genre...
novella
Novella
A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
written by Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
author Tim Krabbé
Tim Krabbé
Tim Krabbé is a Dutch journalist and novelist.Krabbé was born in Amsterdam. His writing has appeared in most major periodicals in the Netherlands. He is known to Dutch readers for his novel De Renner , first published in 1978...
, first published in 1984. The plot centers on a man whose obsession over the fate of his missing lover from years ago drives him to confront her abductor and pay the ultimate sacrifice in order to know the truth. The book was adapted into a 1988 film
The Vanishing (1988 film)
The Vanishing is a French/Dutch film adaptation of the novella The Golden Egg by Tim Krabbé, released October 27, 1988. Directed by George Sluizer and starring Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu, the film is about the disappearance of a young Dutch woman and her lover's obsessive search...
which was later remade in an English-language version
The Vanishing (1993 film)
The Vanishing is a 1993 thriller starring Jeff Bridges, Kiefer Sutherland and Nancy Travis. It is an American remake of a 1988 Franco-Dutch film, also directed by George Sluizer.-Plot:...
by the same director.
Synopsis
Two lovers, Rex Hofman and Saskia Ehlvest, have traveled to FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
for a bicycling vacation. One night they have a minor argument but quickly make up, and Rex pulls over at a convenience store to refuel. He and Saskia bury coins to mark the spot, then she goes into the station to buy drinks and is never seen again.
Eight years later he is still haunted by her disappearance. He is now in a relationship with another woman named Lieneke, who is both sympathetic to, and frustrated by, the hold that Saskia's disappearance has over him. Despite her misgivings, however, they become engaged.
It is at this point that the reader is introduced to Raymond Lemorne, the man responsible for whatever happened to Saskia. The novella reveals that Lemorne once saved a young girl from drowning; having proven to himself that he is capable of great goodness, Raymond then begins to wonder if he is capable of an act of pure evil. He then comes up with an idea to murder someone in the most horrible fashion he can imagine. The book follows his meticulous preparations, and his long months of trying to find a suitable victim. This section of the novella ends with him abducting Saskia, but we are still not told what happens to her, though the book does provide clues.
At this point the narrative switches back to Rex. His obsession with discovering what happened to Saskia has grown to such an extreme that he has taken out a large loan
Loan
A loan is a type of debt. Like all debt instruments, a loan entails the redistribution of financial assets over time, between the lender and the borrower....
to post advertisements in papers throughout France, hoping that someone might be able to provide him with information. His quest has also driven a wedge into his relationship with Lieneke. One night he is approached by Lemorne, who reveals that he is the one who abducted Saskia, and in a bizarre show of sympathy he offers to satisfy Rex's determination to discover her ultimate fate, but only if Rex agrees to undergo the same ordeal that Saskia suffered.
After a long discussion between the two men, Rex agrees to Lemorne's proposal, and proceeds to drink a cup of coffee laced with a sedative
Sedative
A sedative or tranquilizer is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement....
. He awakens sometime later to find himself buried alive, and suffocates while imagining himself to be with Saskia.
In the epilogue it is revealed that several newspapers commented upon Rex's mysterious disappearance and its eerie resemblance to Saskia's. Their fates are never discovered; it is as if they vanished from the face of the earth.
Publishing history
In 1993, an EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
translation by Claire Nicolas White was released under the title The Vanishing (Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
, ISBN 0-679-41973-X). A new English translation of the novel, by Sam Garrett, was published in October 2003 (Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Bloomsbury Publishing plc is an independent, London-based publishing house known for literary novels. It is a constituent of the FTSE SmallCap Index. The company's growth over the past decade is primarily attributable to the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. Bloomsbury was named Publisher of...
, ISBN 0-747-56533-3 ).
Dramatisations
The novella was adapted by George SluizerGeorge Sluizer
George Sluizer , is a Dutch filmmaker whose credits include features as well as documentary films....
(from a script by Krabbé) into the award-winning 1988 film Spoorloos (international title:The Vanishing
The Vanishing (1988 film)
The Vanishing is a French/Dutch film adaptation of the novella The Golden Egg by Tim Krabbé, released October 27, 1988. Directed by George Sluizer and starring Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu, the film is about the disappearance of a young Dutch woman and her lover's obsessive search...
), which starred Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu
Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu
Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu was a French actor.-Biography:Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu studied theater and film at the Sorbonne Paris III and began his career in film at the age of 25 by making appearances with acclaimed directors...
as Raymond Lemorne, Gene Bervoets as Rex Hofman, Johanna ter Steege
Johanna ter Steege
Johanna ter Steege is a Dutch actress.She won the European Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her movie debut in The Vanishing...
in an European Film Award winning performance as Saskia (whose surnamae was changed to Wagter), and Gwen Eckhaus as Lieneke.
An English-language remake
The Vanishing (1993 film)
The Vanishing is a 1993 thriller starring Jeff Bridges, Kiefer Sutherland and Nancy Travis. It is an American remake of a 1988 Franco-Dutch film, also directed by George Sluizer.-Plot:...
was released in 1993, again directed by Sluizer. This version, which starred Jeff Bridges
Jeff Bridges
Jeffrey Leon "Jeff" Bridges is an American actor and musician. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Otis "Bad" Blake in the 2009 film Crazy Heart....
, Kiefer Sutherland
Kiefer Sutherland
Kiefer Sutherland is an English-born Canadian actor, producer and director, best known for his portrayal of Jack Bauer on the Fox thriller drama series 24 for which he has won an Emmy Award , a Golden Globe award , two Screen Actors Guild Awards and two Satellite...
, Nancy Travis
Nancy Travis
Nancy Ann Travis is an American actress. She is known for her roles in films Three Men and a Baby and its sequel, Three Men and a Little Lady , Married to the Mob , Air America , Internal Affairs , So I Married an Axe Murderer , Greedy , and Fluke...
, and Sandra Bullock
Sandra Bullock
Sandra Annette Bullock is an Academy Award winning American actress and producer who rose to fame in the 1990s after roles in successful films such as Demolition Man, Speed, The Net, A Time to Kill, and While You Were Sleeping. She continued with films such as Miss Congeniality, The Lake House,...
, failed to match the acclaim of the original film, due to an altered ending where Jeff (Rex's counterpart) is rescued and the abductor is killed.
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
presented an adaptation directed by Kirsty Williams
Kirsty Williams (drama)
Kirsty Williams is a radio drama director and producer for BBC Radio Drama at Pacific Quay, Glasgow.Her play Daniel and Mary received a Bronze Sony Radio Academy Award for Best Drama in 2010.-Radio Plays:Notes:-References:...
starring Samuel West
Samuel West
Samuel Alexander Joseph West is an English actor and theatre director. He is perhaps best known for his role in Howards End and his work on stage. He also starred in the award-winning play ENRON...
as part of their Saturday Play
Saturday Play
The Saturday Play is a regular feature on BBC Radio 4 and is described as "Thrillers, mysteries, love stories and detective fiction, as well as an occasional special series."The Saturday Play is part of the BBC's series...
series in 2010 – see The Vanishing (radio play).