French filmmaker George Sluizer’s character-based thriller is compelling on so many levels. The film opens up with an introduction to the young couple Rex Hofman (Gene Bervoets) and Saskia Wagter (Johanna ter Steege, IMMORTAL BELOVED). A common argument sets up a tension that drives the narrative and displays a fine eye for human nature. It's a petty fight that Rex will come to regret for the rest of his life.
Rex and Saskia come to a rest stop on their way to the country. Then we are quietly introduced to Raymond Lemorne (Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu), a shady character that we know is up to no good. Then Saskia vanishes and Rex becomes distraught. From here we flashback to Lemorne meticulously planning his crime, which is fascinating in its detail. Then we move ahead three years from the crime and witness Rex’s obsession with finding out what happened to Saskia. Lemorne taunts Rex with letters to meet with him. Rex is driven more by the nagging desire to know what happened than revenge.
It’s this kind of human detail that makes the film so unusual and compelling. Lemorne is a one of a kind killer. The character is the most accurate portrayal of an organized killer that I’ve ever seen on the screen. It’s morbidly fascinating to watch as he plans out his crime and adjusts his plan after each mistake or failure.
Sluizer adapted the script from a novel called THE GOLDEN EGG. Again I must mention the detail in its use of key repeating images and motifs to create an emotional cue that brings the audience even deeper into the tragic tale. A killer learns that you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. The visual moment that spurs Saskia to get into Lemorne’s car is heartbreaking.
The performances are wonderful, especially from Donnadieu, who plays his killer as a weak, clumsy and ineffectual fellow who hides behind a front of superiority and high intelligence. When Hollywood came calling for a remake, Sluizer directed it from an adapted screenplay by actor/writer Todd Graff, whose other writing efforts include THE BEAUTICIAN AND THE BEAST. Looking forward to seeing how the remake turned out. Hitchcock successfully remade one of his films, but others have failed. But I digress — the original is stellar and hard to beat. This is a superior tragic thriller that has a lot to say about how people react and how obsessions can be deadly.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
