Soldier of Orange

Paul Verhoeven's Soldier of Orange (1977) is a prime example of everything that's right about Hollywood filmmaking. So why didn't Hollywood make it? This is a film which examines the degradation and fight for survival during World War II in Holland, alternatively seen from the Jewish, Dutch, German and British angles. While this multiplicity would make for an uneven film in the hands of a lesser director, Verhoeven crafts an balanced and engaging film that is full of solid psychological depth throughout.

Erik Lanshof (Rutger Hauer) is a middleclass Dutch compatriot welcoming the second World War, thinking that it will be a plesant diversion from the customary blaise existence that he and his friends live. However, as he and his college classmates soon realize, this diversion is not going to go quietly into the night. After spending one last contemplative night together, a picture is all that will serve as a reminder of their lives before the separation and trials of warfare. Ergo, they begin fighting the Germans, with Erik and Guus LeJeune (Jeroen Krabbé) spearheading an assault on the enemy within their borders. Their friend Bobby, however, has been blackmailed into carrying out Nazi subterfuge, with his Jewish fiance Esther's life held over his head. As such, he values one life over that of the many, sacrificing his ethics for another. Verhoeven spends much of the film assessing how and why Bobby makes this decision by contrasting this move with Erik's movements, especially since Erik has a sustained affair with Esther behind (presumedly) Bobby's back.

These conflicts problematize simple notions of good and evil, for no character in this film can lay claim to moral superiority. There are several doubles throughout the film, such as Bobby and Erik, Erik and Alex (see below), Esther and Susan (an English military assistant), and Erik and Luus. Verhoeven constantly and poetically underscores the struggles of these men, but never loses sight of the larger context of the film, as seen in the final sustained image from the film.

Alex is the friend who becomes the venomous German soldier due to his mother's treatment in Holland, eventually dances the tango with Erik, and is blown to bits by a rebel youth who he chastised with bread . That last bit seems a bit unnecessary, since the last image before that with Alex has him crawling along the mansion's floor trying to recover the medal that he's been rewarded with, suggesting that petty ornaments matter to him more so than human life. Verhoeven's last scene with Alex thus seems unnecessary, since he's already resigned to his life.

However, the scenes with Esther contrast with Verhoeven's unnecessariness with Alex. Her knowing passivity about her fiance and later husband's nefarious actions seem all the more traumatic and real given her refusal to acquiesce her life for any practicing morality, preferring instead to maintain life at any cost, though she always remains passive rather than directly responsible for any loss of life. As such, her psychology becomes to me the most interesting after Hauer's Eric, with Gus close behind her, since he's obviously willing to sacrifice his freedom for revenge at the end.

This film, along with Turkish Delight, is probably the best case for director Verhoeven and his strengths balancing art and commercialism, in that it has strong personal ties and remains aesthetically and emotionally vital at every moment.

Soldier of Orange: 9/10