Lewat Djam Malam
| Lewat Djam Malam | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Usmar Ismail |
| Written by | Asrul Sani |
| Starring |
A.N. Alcaff Netty Herawaty |
| Cinematography | Max Tera |
| Distributed by |
Perfini Persari |
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Release date
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Running time
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101 minutes |
| Country | Indonesia |
| Language | Indonesian |
Lewat Djam Malam (shown internationally as After the Curfew) is a 1954 Indonesian film directed by Usmar Ismail and written by Asrul Sani. Widely regarded as a classic of Indonesian cinema, the film follows an ex-soldier in his vigilante actions against corruption.
Shortly after the Dutch recognise Indonesia's independence in 1949, the military in Bandung, West Java, establishes a curfew. Iskandar (A.N. Alcaff) has been released from the Indonesian Armed Forces and is almost shot when he arrives in Bandung. He stays at the home of his fiancée Norma (Netty Herawaty) and her family. The following day, Norma's father sets Iskandar up with a job at the governor's office while Norma and her brother go shopping for a welcome-home party. The job goes poorly, and Iskandar is quickly fired.
He goes to see his former squad member, Gafar, who is now a successful building contractor, and explains that he feels that nobody understands him as a revolutionary, and that he still hears the screams of a family that he had killed. Iskandar then asks Gafar where their leader, Gunawan, is. Gafar tells Iskandar, but says Iskandar should not go. The former lieutenant ignores this advice and goes to see Gunawan, who now works to nationalise the economy and is not afraid to use force against his competitors. Gunawan wants to use Iskandar as a hired hand to threaten another businessman, but Iskandar refuses, storming out of the office.
Iskandar soon comes across another squadmate, Puja, who has left the army and become a pimp. He sees that Puja is addicted to gambling and mistreats his only prostitute, Laila (Dhalia). Iskandar stays and talks with Laila while Puja gambles, then goes back to talk to Gafar. Gafar reveals that the family Iskandar killed under Gunawan's orders were not Dutch spies, but refugees, and that the jewellery stolen from the family had been used to establish Gunawan's business. Iskandar swears revenge, then returns to Norma's for the party.
After Iskandar accidentally spills water on a girl's dress at the party, for which he is scolded, he goes to his room and takes his revolver. He then goes out, looking for a way to escape the guilt he is feeling. After he reaches Puja's house, the pimp says that they should kill Gunawan. They go together to their former leader's house, where Iskandar accuses the latter of corruption and pulls the revolver on him. Gunawan stutters that it was for the good of the country, and is shot. Meanwhile, Norma, worried about Iskandar, has gone out searching.
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Wikipedia