(1982) The Cool Lakes of Death/ Van de koele meren des doods
(In Dutch with English subtitles)
PSYCHOLOGICAL COSTUME DRAMA
Adapted from the novel by Frederik van Eeden, co-written and directed by Nouchka van Brakel that has Hedwig mistreated by relatives and her father after catching Typhlitis and it killing her own mother. He does this by making sure Hedwig would have a strict religious upbringing. From the time her mother died when she was a young child to the time she becomes an adult as she is played by Renée Soutendijk. Her full name believe it or not is "Hedwig Marga de Fontayne" after she was passed on to be raised from her father to relatives. And after she meets an lowly inspired artist, Johan Tereijde (Erik van 't Wout) who used to be an orphan who would often profess his love for her, she then chooses to wed a much more wealthier soldier aristocrat, Gerald Johannes Hendrikus Wijbrands (Adriaan Olree) we soon find out he is only married to her in principle and is also impotent. And during their loveless marriage, it is not long before she catches the attention of a pianist, Ritsaart (Derek de Lint) who often stays with Joop (Peter Faber) the artist Hedwig's first love interest was, Johan was a protege. And while Hedwig and Ritsaart were acting as husband and wife, she then made the mistake by opeing her big mouth about the forbidden affair to the worse gossiper even though she was still married to her first husband. And as a result cost him many piano concert gigs, for as a result of some unfortunate circumstance, lead her to be addicted to morphine. Can she pull herself out of it.
Released one year before the highly critically acclaimed "the Fourth Man" directed by Paul Verhoeven, the movie is okay except that we've seen this all before. The difference is that the time periods are different, and women in general were more repressed during 1870's. The ending of this movie is reminiscent to 1979 "My Brilliant Career" starring Judy Christie and Sam Neil which i felt is way more superior and inspiring.
