Holland, 2016, 131 minutes, Colour.

Jeroen van Koningsbrugge, Kay Greidanus, Anna Raadsveld, Britte Lagcher, Michel Sluysmans.

Directed by Pieter Kuipers.

For those who enjoy World War II stories, not so much on the war front but behind the scenes.

This is a Dutch story – and can be linked with Paul Verhoeven’s Black Book as Well Is the story of the art dealer, and his swindling of Herman Goering, The Last Vermeer.

Audience response to the film will differ as to whether they knew the story of Dries Riphagen or not. For those who in the know, he had a criminal background, some years in the United States, linking up with the Nazi authorities in Amsterdam, pretending to be a saviour for the Jews while swindling them of their money and possessions and sending them to the camps. For those not in the know, the screenplay has some suspense because we are introduced to Riphagen and his encounters with the Jews, seeming severe, but then being lenient, seeming to help them, photos with them, documents to guarantee the return of their possessions after the war.

However, he is unmasked. Jeroen van Koningsbjrgge (who resembles the photos of Ricphagen himself) is a sinisterly persuasive performance. We see him in action with the Nazi authorities, with the Jews, especially an old woman who relies on him and whom he betrays, a waitress with whom he has an affair and then marries.

But, this is also the story of a young police officer, part of the Resistance, but a member of the police force. He becomes entangled with a young woman who becomes a witness against the Jews to protect herself and her family.

With the unmasking of Riphagen, there is the character of Sanders, who built up a large archive documenting activities during the war, was asked to handed over to the authorities after the war, but is ambitious and possessive of his archive. He is played by Riphagen who escapes, is pursued by the young policeman – with unexpected consequences.

Worth consulting Google to find out more about Riphagen, his escape, going to South America, his subsequent activities.

1. Holland, Amsterdam, a World War II story, German occupation, collaboration, resistance, persecution of the Jews?
2. The Amsterdam setting, 1943 – 1945, the German presence, occupying the main buildings, the police squads, hunting the Jews and confiscating wealth, sending Jews to concentration camps? The Dutch resistance groups, hiding and saving use? Traitors and collaboration? The musical score?
3. The title, Dries Riphagen? The introduction to him, working with the occupation government, the raids on homes and locals hiding Jews? The discovery of the woman, his offer to save her, her giving him the information, her wealth, the people coming for interviews, taking their jewels and money, the written contracts, his being photographed with the different people? His promise to save them? To return their wealth after the war? The ironies of the being sent to concentration camps? Esther, her work with him, her asking to be saved, to Antwerp, to England? The police arriving, his betrayal of her, her stabbing herself to death, the photos? The irony of the St Christopher medal, and his giving it to his wife, and it’s finally being his exposure?
4. Riphagen, his lifestyle, going to the restaurant, the waitress, her sister, his approach to her, the house, the bullying man and his violence towards him? The relationship with the waitress, marriage, her pregnancy, happy life and style, the visit to Luxembourg and his depositing the jewels in the photos?
5. Jan, in the police, his story, relationship with Albert, his commander? Yet his connection with the Resistance? The various personalities in the group, their work, their plans? His getting information?
6. Betty, arrested, giving the information, Lages and his command, hold over her, her being involved in episodes, ingratiating herself with the Resistance, Jan and his attraction towards her, the plan for the escape of the resistance members, Jan on the information, Betty and her betrayal, the photos, used against her? Interrogations? Return to Amsterdam, the threat to her parents?
7. Sanders, his character, intensity, his collecting documents, his archive? Connections with the Resistance? Information about Riphagen, about Jan? The end of the war, the government officials wanting his archive, his resistance, self-protection, vanity and pride? His not believing Jan? Apprehending Riphagen, interning him, the interrogations? Finding Betty, her testimony, being neutral? His associate, keeping with Hagen and his wife at his house? His secret support of Riphagen? His disgrace, loss of his archive?
8. Jan, his being blamed, in the police, the officials? Getting information about Riphagen, tracking him down, shooting him, thinking he was dead? His survival? Return to Amsterdam, to his wife?
9. Jan, young, police, conscientious, the resistance, his relationship with his wife, tensions, the attraction to Betty, his return home, stronger bonds with his wife?
10. Rihagen, his way with words, shrewd, able to argue and persuade? Quick thinking? His influence on Sanders? On his assistant? His escaping from the room, listening in to discussions, making the phone calls? His friends who had escaped? Then turning on him? His later giving information about them to the authorities?
11. The broadcast, the Allies coming into Holland, the Germans leaving, the full information, the return?
12. Persuasive about his escape, Sanders’ assistant and the visit to Luxembourg, getting the jewels and money, but the assistant keeping the photos, their role in unmasking him?
13. His escape, the plan, to ring his wife, Jan and the assistant trying to persuade her of his guilt, her belief in him, not wanting lies, the St Christopher medal, the photo of Esther dead, her medal? His wife keeping her calm, and string the phone, leading him on?
14. Jan, with information, going to the friary, the confrontation with Riohagen, his smooth talking, reversing the roles, the gun, killing Jan?
15. The information for the aftermath, where Riphagen escaped to, in Europe, to South America, returning to Europe, the warrant for his arrest but his being dead in Switzerland 15 years earlier?