Op hoop van zegen (1934) User Reviews

Where once were four, now there be two

[Chip_douglas · 8/10 · 11 November 2008]

Herman Heijerman's 1900 play has been adapted to film four times up till now, three times between the first and second world war and once in the mid eighties. The third version was the first with sound and is also the first too survive intact. Of the two silent versions, only bits and pieces remain. This includes, interestingly enough, an alternate (happy) end to the 1918 version meant for international markets. Alex Benno, who directed the 1934 version, worked as a gopher on the 1918 version and also appeared as an extra. It was his dream to make a sound version of the film and to use the same lead actress, Esther de Boer van Rijk, who had become synonymous with the part of Kniertje on stage. Willem van der Veer, who played youngest son Barendje in the 1918 version, was cast as the unscrupulous Reder Bos this time around.

Of course the story remains the same. Fishersman's wife Kniertje, who has already lost her husband and two eldest sons to the sea, nevertheless persuades her two youngest boys to set sail on the 'Op Hoop Van Zegen'. Neither of the boys wants to go, especially young Barend who is afraid of water. The elder one, Geert, is an ex-con who joined the marines but ended up in jail for defending his girlfriends honor. Unknown to them, the ship in question is falling apart at the seams and rotting to boot, so the greedy owner Bos has gotten it heavily insured.

Though the theatrical roots are clearly evident during the indoor scenes, these are complimented by some beautiful location photography and, especially for the time, quite exiting special effect shots of the ship during a storm. Surprisingly, there is actually more singing in this version than in the 1984 version, in which teen idol Danny de Munk sang a rather ill placed pop song in the middle of the movie. People familiar with that version will be surprised to see a substantially older version of Barendje in the 1934 'Hoop', which is just as well considering Kniertje is pushing 81 in this particular version. Nonetheless, Esther de Boer van Rijk carries the picture as Kniertje and gives a moving performance. It's a good thing she got the chance to be seen and heard on film so her iconic portrayal has been preserved (and luckily, it has).

Most of the trivia in this comment I got from the informative liner notes provided by Het Filmmuseum on their recent DVD release. Of course it would have been even better had they included what's left of the two earlier versions as bonus material, but this was not to be. Maybe one day we'll see one of those Blade Runner style boxed sets featuring all remaining footage of each version shaped as the good ship 'Op Hoop Van Zegen' itself. Well, a fisherman can dream...

8 out of 10

a heartbreaking story

[eabakkum · 10/10 · 12 August 2010]

This film tells the story of Dutch fishermen at the start of the twentieth century. It is based on a play, that was written by the well-known author Herman Heijermans, and which had an immense success, that lasts up to the present days. The film belonged to the most popular ones in the pre-war Netherlands. In all of his plays Heijermans targeted the social injustice in the unbridled capitalist society (of the robber barons). Op Hoop van Zegen has the same theme as "La Terra trema" of Visconti, and is in my humble opinion more convincing. The cause might be, that the Dutch economy had already developed to a higher stage, where personal relations had been replaced by profit-seeking behavior. A ship-owner provided for the fishers barges, and paid the wages of the fishermen. Designed as a play, the formulation of the texts in the script is careful and dramatical. The shots of the wild sea and the village give an additional taste of the living conditions. The main character is the old woman Kniertje (played by the national celebrity Esther de Boer-van Rijk), and her family. She has already lost her husband and two sons during a shipwreck on the violent North Sea (more or less between Holland and England). The adversities have put her in a lethargic state. Although she still has two mariner sons, the living conditions are poor. Her son Barend, unwilling to share the fate of his brothers, refuses to embark. The other son, Geert, is rebellious and reminds us of Antonio in "La terra trema". However, lacking any capital he has no choice but to enlist. It is Kniertje herself, who convinces the owner to hire her sons. They will embark on a barge named Op hoop van Zegen (hoping for a blessing). In the village rumors go, that the barge is a hardly floating coffin. The planks are rotten, and below deck the water seeps in. On departure Barend tries to desert, and is forced on board by the police (contract is contract). A few days later a storm breaks out. At home Kniertje, sensing a forthcoming disaster, says: "De vis wordt duur betaald" (the fish is paid dearly, namely with the lives of the fishermen). Soon the wreckage of the Op Hoop van Zegen is found on the beach. The furious villagers confront the owner with his misconduct. His daughter, apparently unaware of business methods, is shocked by her fathers irresponsible greediness. Eventually Kniertje, torn by remorse and in a state of apathy, visits the owner. She is sent home with a pan of soup. A heartbreaking story, and a highly recommendable film.