Black Book (2007)
Strong violence, Strong coarse language, Strong nudity
The final years of World War II find beautiful Jewish singer Rachel Stein and her family's attempts to escape occupied Holland thwarted by a Nazi ambush. Rachel alone survives the attack and joins the Dutch Resistance. Sent to infiltrate German headquarters, Rachel soon discovers a trail of deceit pointing to compatriots she once considered friends. Embarking upon a course of retributive justice, she soon becomes an enemy to both sides. English subtitled.
| Status: | QuickPick |
|---|---|
| Run time: | 140mins |
| Origin: | NETHERLANDS |
| Aspect Ratio: | 2.35:1 |
If you like this, try these:
Member Reviews (66)
66 Member
Reviews
Deb
says
Brilliant...really liked this movie. Acting, Direction were superb, the story being based on a true story adds to the drama of this WW2 epic .The Lead actress Von Houten was just brilliant .Oscar worthy!
William C
says
Fantastic story, its a shame these things do happen in war etc. Well acted and directed.
The movie had you guessing all the time.
MARILYN WELLINGTON
says
AN EXCELLENT MOVIE ABOUT THOSE TERRIBLE WARTIME EVENTS.
WELL DONE MOVIE BY THE ACTORS
tim
says
An interesting move but not a great one. The first half was very good but then it became Schindler's List crossed Indiana Jones. It also didn't capure the bleakness of the final days of the War in Holland. This was also unmistakably a Paul Verhoeven film with it nudity and in parts almost comic violance .
Stimpy
says
Even Nazi murderers where still people under the uniform. A lovely film about love, survival, and human nature.
Lynne W
says
Really great and historically educational
peter
says
Brilliant, guessing right to the end
hanndam
says
very good story line which at times becomes a little hazy. The switching backwards and forwards between the spoken English and Dutch does not subtract from the film one little bit. Great film.
shazinoz1
says
What a fantastic movie! You are that involved in it you dont even notice it is subtitled.More twists and turns than a game of snakes and ladders.Very highly recommended for anyone who likes thrillers
eileen w
says
A MUST SEE...probably more than once or twice!
Antony D
says
I am Dutch and have heard many stories about the resistance....
What I have heard is the same as this movie... nobody could be trusted...
Excellent storyline-thriller, excellent acting! And the Germans speak Germans and the Dutch speak Dutch, which makes it even more realistic!
A movie that shows what humans can do to other humans.... The hysteria of the war, and the hysteria of the 'vrijheid' (freedom) after the war....
Philip smith
says
Very interesting to see the other side of the war thatwe no little about.
Deirdre R.
says
An extraordinary film - one of the best war movies I've ever seen.. The storyline was gripping and the pace never let up. A top quality production.
Arthur S.
says
It's the Dutch Resistance Vs. the Nazis in Paul Verhoeven's faux Hollywood (i.e., non-English language) blockbuster. Keeping the characters (and their allegiances) straight is all part of the fun; expect some moments of bad taste.
Belinda
says
One of the best movies I have seen in the past 12 months. Really enjoyabe (be aware its subtitled).
zags
says
a good reminder of the complexities of humanity... harrowing subject matter but a beautifully filmed and acted suspenseful movie-- i didn't work out who the traitor was until the end.
Lucy C.
says
Excellent story and acting to match.
Edward P.
says
brilliant film.
John
says
Great movie set in Holland towards the end of the war. Some disturbing scenes but these events really did happen. Recommended.
Carmel
says
Set in the latter years of WWII, the story is set in Holland and follows the life of a beautiful young jewish woman who was a singer prior to the war. She places her trust in a man whom she believes is part of the resistance and witness the execution of her family and other jews as they try to escape occupied Holland. She befriends a group of resistance fighters who take her under their protection and goes undercover in Nazi Headquarters and falls in love with a German Nazi commander. The lies and deceit that she uncovers could cost her her life. Great movie, highly recommended.
NICK
says
Excellent movie. Nice directing really takes you back to those sad times. And finally some good actors you dont seen very often, (Im tired of seeing the same faces all the time)
Renata
says
subtitled but not a problem as the movie was so engrossing. excellent. FINALLY a good movie pick.
Joanne H.
says
Different slant on the WWII films with the blurred lines between right and wrong, loyalty and betrayal... I enjoyed it very much - definitely recommend for lovers of war films...
Robert G.
says
This may be a good movie but being foreign and with subtitles the eject button was used!!
Kylie S.
says
highly entertaining, thrilling, suspenseful, thought-provoking tale of happenings of WW2.
was sitting up, glued to the screen to see what would become of this one woman's fight in extrodinary times.
Adrian
says
Wow
Maria C.
says
The movie has elements of being a great thriller.
Leo
says
Well worth watching. Great cast, excellent viewing.
MC.
says
beautiful movie, great story line, brilliant acting. an absolute must for anyone with a Dutch background, or for those interested in European history
Judy H.
says
This is a great movie. I watched it with friends and we spent a lot of time discussing the content afterwards. Worth watching.
Laine G.
says
This movie was OK. Just Ok. It was well made but long and kind of boring in parts and it just took too long to establish a point. There were some good characters and good acting - some suspensful scenes. Worth watching but only as a second choice if you can't get the one you really want. Hope this review helps.
John S.
says
Excellant storyline and good viewing
Jillian
says
This was a top movie. The characters were realistic and some that seemed good at first turned bad and some that appeared bad turned good. The plot is something of an exploration of human nature and how the forces of society bring out the best and worst in humans.
Brian H.
says
Very watchable film, given the harrowing time it portrays. My old "pop" and I watched it together and both generations thoroughly enjoyed it. It is what film making is all about, you could follow the storyline, it was exiting, suspenseful, moving and uplifting. Hollywood directors should revisit all of the above.
Sarah W.
says
Very moving. Unfortunately a little explicit. I don't actually remember ever adding this movie to my queue, but I was pleasantly surprised. Food for thought.
Judy M.
says
Thoroughly enjoyed this movie...exellent viewing.
Deborah H.
says
One of the finest portrayals of the price of everyday life under occupation that I have seen. Truly an excellent movie.
Kevin M.
says
Great movie.Put it on a MUST WATCH list .It keeps you guessing ALL THE WAY
Maria D.
says
Excellent movie, great story.
Melissa D.
says
Jennifer C.
says
this movie was okay, it was quite suspensful trying to work out who was the traitor and I did not work it out till the end.
Frank R.
says
Tab H.
says
Tremendous film. Don't miss it.
Gordon M.
says
It is a good movie, but you have to like war stories of underground resistance. It is full of treachery , torture, violence, graphic sex scenes, and occupied territory unpleasantness.
Brian M.
says
Preposterous WW11 story. The leading actress had great breasts but the worst wigs in the history of cinema. Totally unbelievable but, somehow, entertaining in a "this is so stupid I can't turn it off" way. Margaret Pomeranz was correct-this is not very good.
Nigel W.
says
A movie addressing a serious subject (the German occupation of Holland) which manages to turn the whole thing into a Perils of Pauline type melodrama. The heroine, a Jew, goes from one disaster to another but seems to come through each time relatively unscathed. Director Verhoeven, as usual, can't resist several nude scenes. Strangely 'enjoyable'.
Lisa S.
says
"Will this never end?" one character asked another. One could say the same about this execrable movie which comes close to being the worst that I've ever seen! The story was unbelievable and confusing and the acting was awful as well.
I don't understand why so many people have given this good reviews!
Debra W.
says
ROBERT
says
I had read the professional critic reviews and eagerly awaited it to be free so I could watch it. I was not disappointed.
It's a film of love, loss and betrayal in the last days of the German occupation of Holland in WW2. The story twists and turns and characters are not always what they appear to be. The heroine is attractive and she goes through a lot, just to try and survive.
There are moments of genuine suspense and sadness, with all the hallmarks of a well made film. You have to concentrate as it's all spoken in Dutch and German with subtitles. However, it's not hard to follow and the dialogue gives it that extra edge of authenticity. This is one of the best films I have seen for ages.
Kevin D.
says
Paul Verhoeven back in familar territory and right on key. Gone - hopefully - are his American exploits. Beautifully crafted war film, well told and acted.
Paulene R.
says
Tracy Y.
says
Far fetched and implausible story line. This is however a compelling film to watch.
Peter F.
says
I thought this movie, set in the resistance movement of WWII, was just sensational. Great script, tight storyline, excellent acting, and lots of pathos all come together to make this a really enjoyable - not to mention moving - film. Well worth watching
Siobhan W.
says
Whilst at times very graphic, this film portrays a believable story of a young woman trapped behind "enemy lines" in WWII who finds herself cavorting with the enemy and spying on them for the resistance.
Cliiford G.
says
agood movie well worth watching
Mahendra D.
says
Great Movie to watch. Even though in two languages had me watching to end.My wife being Dutch, had bought back a lot of memories. Watch this movie and will learn how lucky we are.
Miriam B.
says
This was a great flick. Really interesting, sad and uplifting all at the same time. Not your typical war movie.
Allan S.
says
good movie but would be even better in english
Alexander L.
says
excellent - especially since it is well researched.
Kirsten K.
says
Black Book was brilliant. It kept us on the ede of our seats the whole time and although was sad and tragic, it was very entertaining. Any movie that can keep my husband awake the whole way through gets my vote.
Peter S.
says
Rochelle D.
says
Aaron F.
says
Excellent movie. Suprisingly not that violent for a Verohoven movie!
Anita G.
says
Margaret S.
says
Hal K.
says
Set in Holland in the last year of WWII, this film shows the intricate realities of loyalty and betrayal involving both side - 'us' and 'them'.
Beautifully filmed, tight script, and unusual setting. We enjoyed this immensely.