MAX HAVELAAR

Holland/Indonesia, 1976, 163 minutes, Colour.
Peter Faber, Rutger Hauer.
Directed by Fons Rademakers.

This film is based on a 19th century novel and explores the colonial period in Indonesia.

The film has excellent location photography, the re- creation of the period and absorbing character studies. While the film is long, it is strong in its creating a world and inviting the audience into it. It also invites the audience to reflect on the colonial period, the exploitation of indigenous peoples of the islands, the role of the Dutch, their religious stances - and colonial hypocrisy. The film is very well acted, has a stately sense of pace - as befitting an epic of this style.

1. Interesting? Absorbing? A film epic? Dutch- Indonesian co- production? The East Indies of the 19th century? the 19th century? Based on a contemporary novel?

2. Production values: Panavision location photography, re-creation of the period, atmosphere? Music?

3. The opening with the comment of the Dutch on the colonies? The Dutch background, Holland? Civic and religious values? The discovery of the East Indies? The hold of the Dutch? Their business ethos? Their officials? The background of the colonists? The colonial style, affluence, values? The administration and its strictness? The people of the Indies and their lifestyle, oppression, exploitation? Their own chiefs and their wealth and duplicity, cruelty? A perception of the East Indies in the 1950s?

4. The film's comment on Dutch and East Indies values? The reaction about the avant-garde titles of the essays? Formality and proper styles? The comment by the ending of the film - the Dutch piously in church, the lyrics of the hymns that they sang, God being on their side, praying for liberation? The irony of the emptiness of the songs sung and the minds of the singer? An attack on colonialism? The group of people in the church, their dress and manner, faith in God, the majesty and grandeur of the church? Religion justifying the Dutch colonial behaviour?

5. The death of the official, its painfulness, the people in attendance, his wife and children, the doctors? The Regent and his attitude, sympathy? The later discovery that he was poisoned? Cover-ups?

6. The decision to appoint Max Havelaar to the post? The reasons? The family influence? His unorthodox attitudes for the time? An exuberant young man, full of hope? Love for his wife?, The voyage, the recklessness of his going into the shark-infested waters to rescue the dog? His arrival, the pomp and circumstance, his striking the soldier publicly? Enmity towards him? The Regent and the display of wealth and decorum? His settling in, his hopes? His relationship with his wife, his son and the incident with the snake? The information coming in, his uncovering the truth, the deaths, clashing with the Regent? The death of his friend? His being recalled, the discussions about his reports, his being dismissed, the door shut in his face? The charter that he was given for concern for the natives? His inability to put it into practice? His disillusionment? His career, hopes and beliefs?

7. The presentation of the administration, the western ways, European values, politics? The soldiers and their administration of the law?

8. The Regent and his sinister style, his subordinate officials, their killing of the buffalo, their wealth, poisoning the resident? The clash with Havelaar?

9. The natives and their fears, exploitation, hard work? The killing of the buffalo? The Regent and the arrests, the burning of the clothes of the prisoners, executions? The killing of all the people in the village? The use of the soldiers? The local exploiters and their relationship with the Dutch and their own people?

10. The film as an interesting story, also visualising of history, as an exploration of integrity and the themes of the colonial period?