The definitive dutch war movie?

Rating: 9/10 (28 October 2006)

Apparently you either admire or hate this movie. For me, it was better than i dared to expect. The fact that the cinema remained completely silent for several minutes when it was finished told me that I was not the only one deeply touched by it -especially during the second part.
The movie tells you the story of a young Jewish woman (excellent role Carice van Houten) during the final months of World War II in occupied Holland. She loses everything again and again and gets rescued but also betrayed again and again - many times by her savior at first sight. Rest assured, she survives, but only to witness a new war. ("houdt het dan nooit op" - will it never end) But it also shows you unscrupulous people surrounding her making good money and/or having a good life during (and after) the war by exploiting other peoples misery.
I disagree with those who state that it displays the Dutch as courageous heroes - in fact the opposite is true. The members of the resistance don't hide their dislike en distrust of the Jews. And they are betrayed by their fellow countrymen. Our heroin has to quote flawless citations from the Bible and accept their opinion (Jews being the cause of all their misery) - or she won't get any food from the people where she's hiding. It also shows Dutch people -after the war- acting in the same brutal and humiliating way as the Nazi's. (some VERY explicit, but sadly enough true, scenery) And it also shows you former collaborators becoming heroes after the war - and vice versa. Our heroin makes a very narrow escape from being remembered as a traitor and "moffenhoer" (= "whore for the Krauts")- many people weren't that lucky after the war. And many former Nazi and collaborators became wealthy and respected community-members after that war.... The movie indeed shows many black pages(!) from the Dutch WWII history - some pages having been taboo for many years.
But most of all it is a very human story, making it understandable why people act as thy do - sometimes absolutely selfless and heroic, sometimes totally illogical like falling in love with your enemy, sometimes utterly disgusting. The latter sometimes being quite profitable, the first turning out rather deadly.
It's no "Schindlers List" (but who can ever match that one?!) but if you want an impression of the Dutch WWII story, go and see Zwartboek. Most likely it will catch you and leave you speechless. However, be aware that you may the one who will be very disappointed.