Riphagen

War makes beasts of men. Not that Dries Riphagen was much of a human being to start with.

This is a wartime film that tells the story of Nazi collaborator Dries Riphagen. An underworld figure, who saw his opportunity for personal gain when the German's invade and occupy the Netherlands during WWII.

Whats especially horrid about Riphagens activities, aside from his betrayal of Jews hiding from the Nazi's and resistance groups, is how he compels innocent people to become complicit in his barbarity.

This is an excellent film.Its well acted and directed, with a matter of fact style. It does not moralize nor does it indulge in sentiment. As a result, for me at least, its emotional impact is heightened. Its a hard, hard watch at times and whats especially galling, is this indecent man, evades post wartime punishment, escaping to Argentina.

Riphagen has subtitles but really, this is no obstacle. This is a compelling, if horrifying watch, that offers an insight into how war corrupts the human spirit. Eight out of ten from me.

Another well done movie on Netflix about the the Nazi occupation in the Netherlands at the end of the Second World War. The story is based on true events and for this reason worth seeing. It was never boring and I saw again outstanding performances from all the actors. Especially Jeroen van Koningsbrugge in Riphagens role impressed me a lot and makes me hungry watching him in other films. If you like drama war genre check out the other dutch top production Bankier van het Verzet. 7/10.

I had never heard of Dries Riphagen beforehand, and we came across this film accidentally on Netflix. It turned out to be a fantastic watch and one that gives a good lowdown on a wartime conman. The acting is very good indeed and the film settings are authentic.

World War II remains a rich source of inspiration for movies, even seventy years after its end. The clear moral lines between good and evil that the Nazi era puts into relief allow for little wiggle room for postmodern movie makers to blur them. The masterful script and ace directing nevertheless manage to stretch these lines to the uttermost, resulting in a great deal of suspense where the viewer is at times unsure of who is who and who is good or evil.

Based on a good deal of historical truth, Riphagen is presented as a combination suspense and mystery. Andries Riphagen, sometimes called the Dutch Al Capone, was an influential member of the Dutch underworld who collaborated with the German occupiers for his own personal gain. Only the most gullible of viewers will be fooled by the smooth stories he tells desperate Jews as he tries to "help" them park their assets until after the war. Nevertheless, exactly how Riphagen is scamming people and how particular situations turn out remain unclear until the last moment, as he often has to improvise and adjust his plans based on changing circumstances. This keeps the movie suspenseful till the very last minute. Don't be fooled by what seems to be a slowing down of the story in the last third.

Not without minor pacing problems, this movie is nevertheless a major achievement. Despite a ridiculously small budget, it is masterfully executed. The entire movie breathes the 1940s. The acting by Jeroen van Koningsbrugge as Riphagen as well as by the actors in the many indispensable supporting roles are superb. Camera work, lighting and editing haven't succumbed to modern artsy fads but are crisp and effective. Too bad they couldn't get more real German actors to play German soldiers - Richard Gonlag's German (as Willy Lages, head of the regional division of the German secret police SD) in the original Dutch version is very good, but his native Dutch accent is nevertheless unmistakable. Highly recommended.

Definitely better than I had expected going in. A tense period piece with the war as a distant background and the cat and mouse game of the Wehrmacht security forces and their collaborators against Dutch resistance fighters in the foreground.

The way Riphagen, a criminal who makes the best of the situation, plays his victims and his enemies is like watching a snake curling its way through a buffalo stampede of self-righteous characters and thoroughly enjoyable.

Especially interesting is the fast pace that allows for a second half that shows how the approaching end of the war unleashed a whirlwind of internally divided Dutch nationalism that started lashing out against anyone deemed a collaborator and was already preparing for the fight against the communists.