John Johnson The film starts on the waterways of the Netherlands. Jacob Katadreuffe is a young man born to a single mother. His mother had a brief stay as a housekeeper at the home of a disreputable local official. She became pregnant with his child and left him, whether rape or not is unclear. She raises her child, Jacob, alone. He has a hard time growing up as a bastard child, even being swindled at one point when trying to buy a cigar shop. This endeavor gets him into serious debt, that and his attempts to get himself a law degree, bring him into contact with his estranged father, Dreverhaven. Despite his father's conniving attempts to prevent the young Jacob from doing well, Jacob is able to get his degree. His success and previous altercations lead him into physical conflict with Dreverhaven. He's under suspicion for the murder of Dreverhaven, but it's never clear if he actually did it to me. In any event he's found not guilty and ultimately inherits his father's fortune.It's amazing to get a fresh view of Europe. So much of modern cinema focuses on WW2 or the Cold War, that we're led to forget that there are other stories to tell. I like this take on capitalism and ethics without going so far as to bring in the Soviet influence. There was a lot of controversy all through Europe at the time that focused as much on urban life as ideology.The interaction of the youth in school is also very good. The clothing, the muddy streets, and the fighting amongst the kids paints a vivid, if not realistic image, of life at the time. I particularly liked the school yard fight.I wasn't crazy about the narrative; it seemed like his interrogator would have had less patience otherwise it would be 10/10.I'd recommend this to anyone, but especially if you liked "Angela's Ashes".

Ben Larson This is the second Jan Decleir film I have watched today. It was the Best Foreign Film winner at the 1998 Oscars.The age old story of the hatred between father (Declrir) and son (Fedja van Huêt), a man easy to hate as he was totally without compassion.Katadreuffe, the product of a one-nighter between his father and mother, grows up and makes good, but it is only to spite his father.If watching this film reminds you of a classic novel, it is it's Dickensonion mood, where we are focused on the poverty of the city, and the cruelty by government officials.Beautiful cinematography by Rogier Stoffers and Mike van Diem's direction and screenplay are almost perfect.

samkan There is Shylock, Iago and the Wicked Witch of the West but they're all sissies compared to Dreverhaven. You've just never seen a more evil vile character exist on film. If he were coming to my house to collect I think I'd soil my pants and offer him my first born.From a learning point of view the depiction of urban life in Holland between the wars was truly enlightening. While being told the Dutch were stern bean counters, we're usually shown life in the Netherlands as tulip frolicking with windmills in the background. CHARACTER can function as an enjoyable study of a culture fixed on hard economics with passion smoldering underneath (same with GIRL WITH A PEARL EARING, which you shouldn't miss).But Baliff/Dad Dreverhaven should've been allowed to repo a personal Oscar. The scenes were he evicts the "dying" and suffers a nightmare were worth an admission price. Not to mention the most miserable mother you've seen on screen this side of Grendel's nanny. I enjoyed the Dickens-like life of our young protagonist but his parents steal the show.

Andres Salama A generally well made movie with a very dubious message: the best way to raise your children is to treat them like garbage. This movie is based on a 1920s book, and that message might seem resonant with the values of that era. But it's strange to listen to this kind of litany in a contemporary movie. To summarize the plot a bit, the film is about a young man, son of an unwed and stern woman, whose career is made almost impossible by his natural father, a thoroughly repellent individual, whose job seems to be to evict the poor from their homes when they can't pay their debts. The father tries every tactic to harass his son and to bring him into bankruptcy. What is most shocking is that the movie seems to imply that the father really loves his son, and all the wretched things he does to him are in order to build his character (hence the title) and become a successful person in society. Summing up, a well made movie with a message that seems a relic from a previous era.