CHARACTER (KARAKTER)
A Film Review by James Berardinelli
RATING: *** OUT OF ****
Netherlands, 1997 U.S. Release Date: 5/98 (limited) Running Length: 2:00 MPAA Classification: R (Violence, sexuality) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Fedja Van Huet, Jan Decleir, Betty Schuurman, Victor Low, Tamar van den Dop, Hans Kesting Director: Mike van Diem Producer: Laurens Geels Screenplay: Mike van Diem, Laurens Geels, Ruud van Megen based on the novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk Cinematography: Rogier Stoffers Music: Paleis van Boem U.S. Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics In Duch with subtitles
CHARACTER, the winner of the 1998 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, is a fine motion picture about the relationships within a dysfunctional family in the Netherlands during the 1930s. Even though the movie is set three-quarters of a century after Charles Dickens penned his final novel, CHARACTER has the feel of something written by the beloved Victorian author, with perhaps a little Franz Kafka mixed in for good measure.
The film tells the story of Katadreuffe (Fedja Van Huet), a young man who has made his mark in the world despite the conspiracy of numerous, diverse forces to keep him suppressed. As a child, he wasn't an orphan, but he might as well have been. His unmarried mother, Joba (Betty Schuurman), is a harsh, unloving woman who rarely speaks to her son. His father, Dreverhaven (Jan Decleir), is the city's most detested bailiff, whose motto is "the law without compassion." After being rejected by Joba, Dreverhaven wants nothing to do with his son, and works actively to place obstacles in his path. The struggle between Katadreuffe and Dreverhaven turns into a personal war of attrition. This fuels Katadreuffe's single-minded goal to rise through the legal system, but costs him a chance at true happiness.
Through his entire life, Katadreuffe is impelled by a need to escape from the shame of his birth and upbringing. He uses Dreverhaven's contempt as a catalyst to push himself harder. Dr. De Gankelaar (Victor Low), a lawyer who represents Katadreuffe in a bankruptcy hearing, sees great potential in the young man, and takes him on as an assistant. From there, using money borrowed from Dreverhaven's bank, Katadreuffe applies himself exclusively to his studies in law. Unfortunately, his lack of social experience causes him to miss the subtle signs of attraction being exhibited by a co-worker (Tamar van den Dop), thereby ruining his lone opportunity at a happy marriage.
Although Katadreuffe is CHARACTER's protagonist, the most fascinating individual in the film is Dreverhaven, who is played with a combination of malice and world-weariness by veteran actor Jan Decleir (ANTONIA'S LINE). Dreverhaven's motives are far more complex than those of a typical villain. Underneath his cold, harsh exterior, he is tortured by inner demons and permanently scarred by the sting of his rejected marriage proposal. His feelings towards his son are unclear -- a mixture of shame, anger, bitterness, and, curiously, perhaps even pride. He claims that his financial assault is designed to strengthen Katadreuffe's character ("I'll strangle him for nine-tenths, and the last tenth will make him strong," he states at one point), but it's really an attempt to assert control and prove his superiority. Despite all of his money and his respected position in society, Dreverhaven is filled with self-loathing and a disgust with the odious process of living. He risks his life frequently, causing many to wonder whether he's brave or seeking his own death.
Dickensian elements abound, from the travails of the poverty- stricken masses to the struggles of an (almost) orphan. Director Mike van Diem has crafted the look of Rotterdam in the 1930s to resemble London of a century earlier (just replace the motor cars with horses- and-buggies). Politics play a small-but-important role in the film as Katadreuffe enjoys a brief flirtation with the communist movement, which stands in direct opposition to Dreverhaven and all that he stands for. Ultimately, everything comes down to the relationship between Katadreuffe and Dreverhaven, and the manner in which their constant power struggle shapes their futures.
Actually, as it turns out, Dreverhaven doesn't have a future. The film, which is structured as a series of flashbacks, starts with Katadreuffe being brought in for questioning by the police after Dreverhaven has been found murdered. Unfortunately, this approach allows director Mike van Diem to employ one of my least-liked narrative techniques -- the voice-over. And, as is almost always the case with this device, it is overused.
While CHARACTER tells an interesting story with well-developed characters, its Academy Awards victory is somewhat irksome, since I found it to be inferior to fellow nominee, BEYOND SILENCE. Since both films are destined to receive some sort of distribution, viewers will be able to decide for themselves which is the better movie. However, regardless of which one you prefer, one thing is certainly clear: CHARACTER and BEYOND SILENCE offer the kind of emotional depth and resonance that has become rare in Hollywood productions.
Copyright 1998 James Berardinelli
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@mail.cybernex.net
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