Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
IMDbPro

Het bittere kruid

  • 19851985
  • 1h 29m
IMDb RATING
5.9/10
261
YOUR RATING
Het bittere kruid (1985)
  • Biography
  • Drama
  • War
15 year old Sara, a Jewish girl living in the Netherlands during the German occupation slowly begins to realize the danger she and her family are in. When her parents are forced to move to a... Read all15 year old Sara, a Jewish girl living in the Netherlands during the German occupation slowly begins to realize the danger she and her family are in. When her parents are forced to move to a ghetto in Amsterdam, she decides to follow them rather than live with her brother and his... Read all15 year old Sara, a Jewish girl living in the Netherlands during the German occupation slowly begins to realize the danger she and her family are in. When her parents are forced to move to a ghetto in Amsterdam, she decides to follow them rather than live with her brother and his girlfriend. She also keeps in touch with Greet, a girlfriend she met while in hospital, d... Read all
IMDb RATING
5.9/10
261
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Kees Van Oostrum
  • Writers
    • Maurice Noel
    • Marga Minco(novel)
  • Stars
    • Ester Spitz
    • Gerard Thoolen
    • Kitty Courbois
Top credits
  • Director
    • Kees Van Oostrum
  • Writers
    • Maurice Noel
    • Marga Minco(novel)
  • Stars
    • Ester Spitz
    • Gerard Thoolen
    • Kitty Courbois
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1User review
    • 1Critic review
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Kitty Courbois, Ester Spitz, and Gerard Thoolen in Het bittere kruid (1985)
    Ester Spitz in Het bittere kruid (1985)
    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ester Spitz
    • Sara Meijer
    Gerard Thoolen
    Gerard Thoolen
    • Vader Meijer
    Kitty Courbois
    • Moeder Meijer
    Frank Rigter
    • David Meijer
    Marion Van Wijk
    • Lottie
    Mirjam de Rooij
    • Greet
    Marcel Roijaards
    • Jan
    • (as Marcel Royaards)
    Jules Royaards
    • Vader de Vos
    Rene Frank
    • Man buiten synagoge
    • (as René Frank)
    Alfons Haider
    Alfons Haider
    • Duitser in tram
    Ulrich von Dobschütz
    • Duitse officier
    Tom Jansen
    • Man in leren jas
    Dolf de Vries
    • Dijter van Gelder
    Cor van Rijn
    • Heer Koppel
    Ron Strijaards
    • Harrie
    Ab Van der Linden
    • Fotograaf
    Celia Nufaar
    • Verpleegster
    Carola Gijsbers van Wijk
    Carola Gijsbers van Wijk
    • Verpleegster
    • Director
      • Kees Van Oostrum
    • Writers
      • Maurice Noel
      • Marga Minco(novel)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Een vlucht regenwulpen
    6.3
    Een vlucht regenwulpen
    Saturday Night Fever
    6.8
    Saturday Night Fever
    A Perfect Man
    5.2
    A Perfect Man
    Hot Shots!
    6.7
    Hot Shots!
    Basic Instinct
    7.0
    Basic Instinct

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Soundtracks
      A Tisket, A Tasket
      Performed by Ella Fitzgerald

      Courtesy of MCA Records, Inc.

    User reviews1

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    The title on every Dutch student's to do list
    Kees van Oostrum, best known as a cinematographer, had wanted to film Marga Minco's semi autobiographical novel 'Het Bittere Kruid' ever since discovering it as part of his reading list at school. Indeed, I dare say most Dutch students have read or at least heard of the title during their education. Van Oostrum finally got the change in 1985, but managed to be sued by the author herself when he and writer Maurice Noel decided to add a subplot in which Sara, the lead character (and also Marga Minco's true first name) stays in touch with a girlfriend who's father is an NSB'er (Dutch collaborator with the Germans). Minco pleaded to have the film banned from theaters, or at the very least change the title. But when producer Rob Houwer explained this would mean a financial disaster, the judge ruled against the author. The filmmakers were however obliged to put a statement at the start of the film pronouncing Minco's rejection of the adaption.

    At the start of the film, Sara (Ester Spitz) is being treated for tuberculosis in a sanatorium where she has become fast friends with Greet (Mirjam de Rooij). When Greet's father, a prominent sympathizer with the Nazi's notices Sara is a Jew, he makes sure she is sent home immediately. Despite having been occupied by the Germans for two years now, 15 year old Sara is only just beginning to realize how many restrictions are being put on her people. When her father (Gerard Thoolen) brings home a package of yellow stars to be sewn on the family member's coats, they all see it as a bit of a lark and joke around showing off their new accessories. While her brother and his girlfriend are making plans to escape to Palestina, Sara decides she would rather stay with her parents who have been forced into a Jewish ghetto in Amsterdam. She also begins visiting Greet, who is still very ill and who's house is usually filled with youthful collaborators thanks to her father.

    During the eighties Dutch people often reasoned that Dutch films always either were about the war or about sex. 'Het Bittere Kruid' is definitely about the former, though there is a surprising lack of the latter. This is probably because the lead character is a minor and manages to remain quite innocent despite the circumstances. The film quite unusual in it's genre as it is completely shot from the perspective of a Jewish family and becomes a very personal and intimate story. There are no big set pieces or heroic actions. The film is also very short and ends rather abruptly, giving it some kind of TV movie feeling. In fact, the story is so thin, the plot synopsis on the back of the DVD cover tells the entire story. Still, Ester Spitz is very good in her film debut as Sara. It's a shame the actress didn't go on to greater fame.

    7 out of 10

    PS released as part of the Rob Houwer collection, the only extra on the DVD is the theatrical trailer, which as usual in Dutch cinema is very sloppily edited. It looks like they just took some footage and randomly cut it in no particular order. With Marga Minco wanting to stop people from seeing this at the cinema, she couldn't have done better if she had cut that trailer herself.
    helpful•4
    0
    • Chip_douglas
    • May 18, 2008

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 25, 1985 (Netherlands)
    • Country of origin
      • Netherlands
    • Language
      • Dutch
    • Also known as
      • Bitter Sweet
    • Production company
      • Verenigde Nederlandsche Filmcompagnie (VNF)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 29 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Het bittere kruid (1985)
    Top Gap
    What is the English language plot outline for Het bittere kruid (1985)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in July
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    The Best Movies Coming This Summer
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.