ANTONIA'S LINE
A film review by Ben Hoffman
Copyright 1996 Ben Hoffman
Filled with almost a dozen of the most fascinating characters who comprise the story of this utterly intriguing film, Antonia's Line does not waste a moment as it moves from its beginning to its conclusion when Antonia (Willeke Van Ammelrooy) dies. The story, in parts, is narrated by Sarah, (Thyrza Ravesteijn ). Antonia's great-granddaughter who, with family and friends stand around 88-year- old Antonia's bed as the old woman says that today is her last day of life. Before she dies, she reflects in her mind's eye on her long and full life and, through one long flashback, we see that life and the people whom she encountered on the way to this fateful final day.
All of these people have experienced their own lives, most of them filled with excitement, passion, hard work. Here we have one beautiful fairy tale. There is Antonia's longtime friend known as "Crooked Finger " (Mil Seghers) . . . and Olga, the Russian (Fran Waller Zeper) whose three jobs consist of cafe-owner, undertaker and midwife. There is Farmer Daan, (Jakob Beks), the chauvinist landowner who believes women have no other purpose in life than to breed. He has a retarded daughter, DeeDee (Marina De Graaf). The town has other retarded inhabitants such as Loony Lips (Jan Steen). and poor Mad Madonna (Catherine Ten Bruggencate) who, because she cannot marry the love of her life (Paul Kooij) as he is a Protestant, howls at the moon at night. The Village Priest (Leo Hogenboom) is fire and brimstone but has his own fire burning within him And there is Bas (Jan Decleir), a farmer who despite having lived in the town for 20 years is still considered a "newcomer."
Marleen Gorris, who wrote and directed the film, maneuvers the film's characters like a virtuoso juggler, never for a moment missing a beat. Not to be missed.
In Dutch with English subtitles.
4 Bytes
4 bytes = Superb
3 bytes = Too good to be missed
2 bytes = So so
1 byte = Save your money
Ben Hoffman
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