THE GIRL WITH THE RED HAIR

Holland, 1981, 113 minutes, Colour.
Rene Soutendijk, Peter Tuinman.
Directed by Ben Verbong.

The Girl With the Red Hair is the first cinema feature of Dutch director Ben Verbong. It is a story of the Dutch Resistance during World War Two, focusing, not on the warfare and large bloodshed of the war, but rather on individual killings by members of the Resistance. The heroine is a university student who joins the Resistance, is not immediately successful with her work but who, through an attachment to one of the leaders, becomes more expert, even
though she is the occasion for his death. This intensifies her attitude as the war is ending and there are attempts for scaling down Resistance operations.

The film is a memento of the Resistance fighters, their reaction against violence by violence. The film shows the growing obsession of some of the Resistance people. There is an excellent and striking performance by Renee Soutendijk in the central role. The film is moody, its colour techniques are adapted for a bleached impact of the war, the colourlessness and drabness of the time.

1. The Dutch picture of World War Two? The war in Europe? Violence, battles? The Resistance? National feeling and patriotism? The moral issues of violence and violent means used by the Resistance?

2. The film as an example of the Dutch film industry of the '80s? The debut of the director? Serious tones and attitudes? Dramatic presentation of the war and characters? A reflection on the meaning of war and its effects on people's lives and values? A memento of and tribute to the Resistance fighters? The use of locations, re-creation of period? The occupation, the fighting of the Resistance? Colour photography and its bleached tones and atmosphere? The movement and yet the frequent use of tableau to give a solemn effect to the film , Musical score and orchestrations? The technical impact of the film?

3. The framework of the film and audience knowing of Hannie's disappearance? The suspense about how she was to be arrested, sympathy for her? Changing attitudes throughout the film? The still at the opening and the final information given before the credits? Hannie wondering how she would be remembered?

4. The introduction to Hannie: an attractive Dutch girl, her study background, family? Discussions with the professor and her giving up her studies? Her wanting to join the Resistance - motivations? How clear were they? Had she thought out her position? Her feeling her position? Patriotism? Her joining the group, being tested, the test with shooting Hugo and her failing it?

5. Her values - belief in the Resistance, the political Left, rebelling against her family and background? Her friendship with Anne and her work in the Resistance? The impersonal nature of relationships? The antagonism with Hugo - and its being the beginning of attraction?

6. Hugo and his position, training Hannie? His detachment and then emotional attachment to Hannie? Their working as a team? Training on bicycles, the guns? Stalking the man on the train who was arousing propaganda against the Nazis and then betraying passengers? Following him under the bridge and killing him? The informer and her home, her child, the shooting at the steps? The officer in the restaurant and his being shot in the street? Hannie’s initial revulsion and amazement at her lack of emotion? Her putting on makeup after the killings, crying - and then crying less? Hesitations? Her not killing the woman informer? Her being responsible for Hugo's death? Her waiting for him in the restaurant? Her anguish at his death?

7. Hugo and the risks, his dedication to Resistance killings? His not being influenced by hostages killed in reprisal? His following Hannie on the bicycle and killing the German officer? His being wounded, moving through the streets, the operation, the information about the photo - and audiences discovering the Gestapo officer? Hannie's being responsible for his death? His responsibility for hers?

8. The change in Hannie after Hugo's death? The softer attitude previously in her visit to her parents, the newspaper with the information about the reprisals? Her wanting to give herself up - but then having her hair dyed, the glasses, going to meetings and taking stronger positions? Her not co-operating with the Dutch authorities at the end of the war?

9. Her being transformed, getting the information about the Gestapo officer, shadowing him at his house and his playing with the dog, her killing the dog, waiting for him to return, shooting him? The irony of her arrest did she want to be arrested? The woman in-former not identifying her? The interrogation and the discovery of the false glasses? The washing of her hair? The list of her crimes? The imprisonment and her screaming?

10. The loneliness of her execution on the sand hills? The final information talking about her being murdered? The impersonal burial in the sand?

11. The characters of the Resistance fighters: Hugo and his intensity, Floor and his being a messenger, trying to warn Hannie? Anne and her strength, her helpers, her memory of Hannie?

12. The picture of Dutch collaborators and their methods?

13. The Nazis and the Occupation, the soldiers, officers, interrogations, the Gestapo doctor? The picture of war and audience response to World War Two?

14. Themes of patriotism and nationalism? occupation and resistance? Terrorism? Violent means - are they ever justified for goals of peace?