Bride Flight

In the present day, successful winemaker Frank de Rooy dies and three women are requested at his funeral. In 1953, a KLM flight breaks a record traveling from London to Christchurch. Frank meets Ada van Holland, Esther Cahn, and Marjorie Mullin who are three of the brides on their way to New Zealand. Frank lost his family in colonial Indonesia during the war. He falls for country girl Ada but she's already married by proxy to Calvinist Derk Visser. She goes on to live a loveless marriage in a bunker having several children. The only passion is the exchange of letters with Frank until he discovers them. Esther is an independent Jewish woman after losing everyone in the Holocaust. She refuses to live with ghosts from the past and charges forward making a career as a successful fashion designer. Marjorie marries Hans Doorman. After Esther gives birth, Marjorie adopts the baby as her own.

It's an old-fashion romantic melodrama. Ada's quiet suffering is devastating and her life is worthy of any pulp romance. This is all very pulpy with Marjorie and Esther. The movie should stop flashing forward to the modern era so much. It should have stopped after Rutger Hauer died. Every time it goes modern, the movie grinds to a halt. The modern era should be tiny bookends. Otherwise, this is a good old fashion melodrama if one is inclined towards such things.

Although it took me two nights to view this film, I must say I was very satisfied with it at the end. The arc of the story, spanning over 50 years or so really was truly grand. The film touches on the many personal issues and emotions of its central characters, yet maintains a certain distance, careful not to have us rooting for or against certain characters, while showing sweeping historical changes take place in the background.

The cast is top-notch, especially Karina Smulders, who plays Ada Van Holland, a young, unwordly bride-to-be traveling, for the first time, from Holland to New Zealand. There is a natural, non self-consciousness about her performance that is very appealing. The other members of the cast are also very wonderful. Many flawed characters occupy the screen, but no one beyond redemption and forgiveness. The cumulative affect of the storytelling, between flashback and modern day, was, in the end, deeply personal, and awe-inspiring.

On paper the story of Bride Flight might be told in 5 sentences but it's all executed in a convincing fashion with a keen and convincing eye for locale and historic atmosphere. The movie is about three women that fly to find their future in New Zealand in the fifties. On the plane is a man that will influence and tie their lives together in an unforeseen manner. The strength of the movie lies in the characters and the convincing way they are portrayed. Waldemar Torenstra is very convincing as the charismatic and Deanesque Frank that makes the other male characters (but not their performers) pale in comparison. Karina Smulders is delicious with her big naive gazing eyes. In fact the whole cast turns in solid performances and the young and old versions of the characters are very much in line with each other. All in all it's not an epic movie like "de Tweeling", director Ben Sombogaard previous movie, but it increasingly takes you by the throat as the story unwinds and relationships become clearer. A pity we did not see more of Rutger Hauer though.

Normally I'm not a big fan of Dutch films, but when a friend of mine convinced me to see it and I actually saw the film, I was just blown away! Nothing like the usual Dutch films I was used too, it was way better! to start with the cast, in one word fantastic!! It was so refreshing to see other actors and actresses than we see in so many Dutch films. Waldemar Torenstra, Anna Drijver, Karina Smulders (and of course the other actors/actresses) were really at their best!

When I read the plot outline I was expecting some sort of chick-flick, but it turned out to be a story with much more depth than I was expecting. the way the story unfolds itself is very clever and Ben Sombogaart deserves a big compliment for this. Then the setting, New Zealand, is perfect for this story. The laid-back people in contrast to the strict catholic dutchies was very interesting to witness. and of course, New Zealand is a beautiful country which leads to great shots!

This all makes me very happy that I came over my prejudices and went to see the film! I wouldn't have wanted to miss it and I can recommend it to everyone!

I saw the trailer of this movie several times and I just hated it. Bombastic overpowering music that overloaded my senses and gave the impression of an average movie. The complete movie is totally different and I loved every minute of it (all 130). The acting is subtle and strong and New Zealand provides a beautiful background for some amazing shots. The story has real power and all twists and turns feel very natural. You get a real good feel about all the characters involved and their motivations. They all evolve together to the end of the movie. Special mention for me are two of the main characters, Frank and Ada. The (erotic) tension between these actors is one of the most intense I've ever seen in cinema. If you like well told drama with great acting this is the movie for you. Forget the trailer, go to see the real thing!