MARLEEN GORRIS

Bil’s rating (out of 5):  BBBB.5

Original title:  De Stilte Rond Christine M.

The Netherlands, 1982.  Sigma Film Productions.  Screenplay by Marleen Gorris.  Cinematography by Frans Bromet.  Produced by Matthijs van Heijningen.  Music by Lodewijk de Boer,Martijn Hasebos.  Production Design by Harry Ammerlaan.  Costume Design by Jany Temime.  Film Editing by Hans van Dongen.  

Stunning political thriller with a feminist bent, this is one of the first films to make Marleen Gorris (Antonia’s Line) internationally known. A female lawyer is given the case of a lifetime when she defends three women who, all together in a fit of frustration, murdered a snooty department store clerk who patronized them in a way they did not appreciate.

It might sound humorous in the description, but the film makes ample use of the opportunity to explore gender-related social issues and bring these women’s innermost fears and conflicts to light. It’s also a fascinating courtroom drama that will keep you glued to your seat until its slyly rhetorical ending. The performances are all unforgettable, the direction superb.

Toronto International Film Festival:  1982