The Fourth Man (1983 film)
| The Fourth Man | |
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Original film poster
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| Directed by | Paul Verhoeven |
| Produced by | Rob Houwer |
| Written by |
Gerard Reve (novel) Gerard Soeteman |
| Starring |
Jeroen Krabbé Renée Soutendijk Thom Hoffman Dolf de Vries |
| Music by | Loek Dikker |
| Cinematography | Jan de Bont |
| Edited by | Ine Schenkkan |
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Release date
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Running time
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102 minutes |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Language | Dutch |
The Fourth Man (Dutch: De vierde man) is a 1983 Dutch suspense film directed by Paul Verhoeven, based on the novel De vierde man by Gerard Reve. The film stars Jeroen Krabbé and Renée Soutendijk in the lead roles. It was Verhoeven's last film made in the Netherlands before he established himself in Hollywood; he would later return to make 2006's Black Book. The film was selected as the Dutch entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 56th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.
The title refers to Krabbé's position as the fourth man whom Soutendijk seduces, after she presumably has dispatched her first three husbands. The film is sexually explicit and, like many of Verhoeven's other films, shows graphic violence and gore.
Gerard Reve (Jeroen Krabbé), an alcoholic, bisexual novelist, leaves Amsterdam to deliver a lecture at the Vlissingen Literary Society. There, he becomes sexually involved with its attractive treasurer, Christine Halslag (Renée Soutendijk), who is alternately described as a witch, black widow, Delilah and the Devil. The Virgin Mary appears to him in visions to show that he is targeted as her fourth victim. Mary says, "Anyone given a warning must listen to it." Gerard listens and his life is spared. He passes on the warning to Herman, Christine's other lover, who ignores it, thinking that Gerard is trying to scare him off so that he can have Christine for himself. The movie ends with Herman's death, Christine's selection of a fifth victim and Gerard's future uncertain.
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