KARAKTER (CHARACTER)
Holland, 1997, 122 minutes, Colour.
Jan Decleir, Fedja van Huet, Betty Schuurman, Victor Low.
Directed by Mike van Diem.
Karakter won the Oscar for best foreign language film of 1997. It is certainly a striking film, a powerful drama.
The film is based on two books by Ferdinand Bordewijk, Dreverhaven en Katadreuffe and a short story, and the novel Karakter.
The film is set in Rotterdam during the 1920s. It focuses on a young boy who grows into an adult, played by Fedja van Huet, who discovers that his father is the dreaded Bailiff of Rotterdam. He is played with a powerful intensity by Jan Decleir, seemingly totally evil, a will to power, yet a regard for his son whom he won’t acknowledge publicly and challenging him to be a better person by opposing him at every moment. (Decleir had appeared to great advantage as the worker priest, Daens, and as the second Archbishop of Honolulu in Paul Cox’s Molokai.)
The film is dark, filmed in dark tones to keep its atmosphere. It begins with the young man running to defy his father after he has graduated in law, followed by the death of the father and the young man being investigated by the police. The film consists of flashbacks, going back to the boy’s childhood, his mother as the bailiff’s servant, the bailiff abusing her sexually, her walking out, remaining mute, reluctant to respond to her son, her son discovering his father, getting jobs, being thwarted and laid off, finally getting a job in a law company, befriended by one of the executives – a striking performance by Victor Low – and finally, with studies and support, graduating.
The film is interesting in its presentation of life in the 1920s, in the aftermath of World War One, in the anticipation of the occupation by the Nazis in World War Two.
The film is an interesting portrait of a young man, determined to make something of himself despite opposition. It is the story of a ruthless man, ousting people from their apartments in storms, who has a dream sequence where, naked, he defies everybody but they turn on him and devour him.
While the title of the film might refer to the young man, it is applicable to all the personalities within the film, the variety of personalities that make up the world.
1. The impact of the drama, its awards, Oscar?
2. The Dutch background, Rotterdam, the city, the harbour? The area of poverty, of wealth? The world of the police and interrogations? The 1920s, post-World War One, the look of the city, anticipating World War Two and occupation?
3. The title, Kadadreuffe, his character and its development? The contrast with Dreverhaven?
4. The effect of the voice-over, Jacob Willem and his perspective on himself, his history, his mother, on Dreverhaven? His self-evaluation?
5. The opening, Jacob Willem and his running, the graduation, confronting Dreverhaven, the visual effect of seeing Dreverhaven and his sinister appearance, cloak, hat? The bitterness? The turning of back by Dreverhaven? Jacob Willem returning, the attack? Audience presumption that he had killed his father? The end, the drama, Dreverhaven’s reaction to his son, what actually happened, the fight between father and son, Jacob Willem and his being battered, Dreverhaven and his reaction, the mirror, the knife and the son threatening his father, Dreverhaven taking the knife, his death and fall? The will, the details of the bequests, the signature of ‘Dad’?
6. Dreverhaven and his life, with Joba, the sexual proposition, her pregnancy? Her leaving? Dreverhaven as a character, his hat and coat, being visualised as a monster, his monstrous behaviour, his severity with people, ousting them from their homes? The respectable bailiff? His office, the people assisting him, the lending company, the rate of interest? The significance of his dream, confronting the people, naked, their defying them, their turning on him and destroying him? His life, bitterness, no light in it, no humour? Sending the money to Joba, asking her to be his wife? Her refusal? Seeing his son, refusing to communicate with him?
7. Jacob Willem’s story, his attitude towards his mother, her unwillingness to experience the contractions, give birth to him, not talking, living with him, her demands, home life, meals? Jacob Willem and his wondering about his life, discovering his father? The serious young boy, the serious young man, the variety of jobs, losing them, as a labourer? The boarder, his friendship with Jacob Willem, the interaction with Joba? His wanting to buy the cigar shop, the issue of the loan, his not being persuaded to give up, the discovery of the fraud, his bankruptcy? Going to the law firm, his encounter with De Gankelaar? His debt, the lawyer buying his books – and this later being used against him? The request, the visitor speaking in English, Jacob Willem and his speech in English, the reaction of the bosses?
8. De Gankelaar and his being impressed by Jacob Willem, becoming his mentor, the rest of the staff and their support, Jacob Willem and his interest in Lorna, her work, the attraction and their meetings, discussions? Her showing him the inner library? The years passing, the study? Moving away from his mother? The interlude at the beach, Lorna and her friend? Her leaving the office? Their later meeting, discussion, his reticence, her marrying? His asking for the new loan from Dreverhaven? The conditions, his accepting them?
9. Dreverhaven calling the loan, taking him to court, the issue of De Gankelaar buying the books, the judge, the prosecutor? Jacob Willem and his satisfaction?
10. Dreverhaven and the money sent to Joba, his continued requests, rejections, the final proposal years later, her refusal, Joba’s death? The modifying change before her death?
11. Jacob Willem graduating, meeting Lorna, the office party, his speech about success and goals, its becoming a sermon?
12. Dreverhaven and his speech about helping his son? The defiance of Jacob Willem? The death, the arrest? The discovery of the truth by the police? The autopsy? The will, the bequests? His future?
