Film Review: Black Book

My son in Chicago called to tell me he had seen the most magnificent film. Black Book had not yet opened here so I have been waiting for it. I didn’t ask what it was about and had no idea what I was going to see. Two and a half hours later I walked out with a heavy beating heart and tight stomach muscles. This is a war film inspired by a true story. I’m glad we were told this at the beginning because it made it easier to bear the horrible atrocities. I might have thought the story was overdone and not believable. The movie opens and closes in a kibbutz in Israel. It isn’t until the last minute that we see the connection. There is so much emotion. There is suspense throughout. The very beautiful Caprice van Houten is outstanding in the film. She plays the part of Rachel Stein. We first meet her as a school teacher in a kibbutz. She walks to the water, sits and contemplates the past. We then learn the story of Rachel during the war in Holland. A group of Jewish people pay a lawyer to help them escape the Germans. They are to be transported by boat to safety. The boat is discovered by the Germans and everybody is shot. That is everybody but Rachel. She jumps overboard and makes her way with great difficulty to safety. At first she stays with a Dutch family that tries very hard to convert her. When their farmhouse is blown up in an air raid she has to move on. Rachel dies her hair blond and changes her name to Ellis. She joins the resistance. Throughout the film we ask ourselves what we would be prepared to do to fight the enemy and to preserve our own lives. . Ellis is asked to seduce the German Commandant Muntze. She begins to work for him and enjoys the luxury he can provide. You have to ask yourself if you would be prepared to do the same thing. As we see more of the relationship we begin to see some positive qualities in Muntze. He is extremely handsome and treats her very well. He becomes the token German who is ‘not bad’ and actually risks his life to help out the resistance. Is Ellis good for getting secrets from the Germans or is she a traitor for living so well in luxury. We are constantly being morally tested. We see the resistance fighters being tortured. We are not always sure who is giving out information. Someone is setting traps for the resistance fighters. Someone is luring the Jews into thoughts of safe passage and then taking all their possessions and money. Even some of the British soldiers at the end of the film show a nasty side. We see the women collaborators having their heads shaved and being shown in disgrace to the public. There are so many moral issues that captivate your attention during the film. Director Paul Verhoeven is known for making provocative films. It is most unusual to see a woman’s crotch in full view... At one point Ellis is coloring her pubic hair and the camera doesn’t miss out. One of the uglier Germans is show in full nudity when he comes looking for his ‘lady’. Ellis tempts Muntze sexually. She is so attractive and he is so handsome that it is totally believable. We also know her motives are strong enough that she is prepared to seduce Muntze in order to get information to help the resistance.
What a powerful film. It wasn’t until the last minute that I was able to take a breath and say ‘Thank goodness. The ending was more positive I expected.”