
Holland 1944 – The final years of the
Second World War find the beautiful singer Rachel Stein (Carice
Van Houten) taking refuge with the Tsjempkema family in
rural Holland. Once a
popular and wealthy singer, Rachel has been waiting out the
war like many Jews in Europe, separated from her family and
a moment away from being caught by the Gestapo. Her
temporary safe-house is destroyed by an Allied bomber under
fire by a German fighter and Rachel is left in the arms of
Rob (Michel Huisman), a sympathetic young boy, who promises
to help her to safety. The next morning, Rob takes Rachel to
her contact in town, who she hopes will help her find her
family and escape across into liberated territory.
They arrive at the home of Mr. Smaal (Dolf de Vries) and
his wife (Diana Dobbleman), a compassionate lawyer who has
worked secretly to help Jews escape from Holland.
Reluctantly, Mr. Smaal arranges for Rachel to join her
family and cross enemy lines into Allied territory, marking
her name and rendez-vous point in a little black leather
notebook. But during the dangerous crossing, the boat is
ambushed by German troops. The Nazi’s ruthlessly kill the
boats’ passengers and Rachel only narrowly escapes by
jumping overboard into the river.
The next morning, Rachel is rescued by Gerben Kuipers, one
of the leaders of the Dutch resistance. A kind and generous
man, Kuipers offers Rachel a job and a safe place to stay.
But embittered by the memory of the ruthless murder of her
family, Rachel decides to become a resistance fighter to
seek revenge against the Germans.
During her first mission, Rachel escorts Hans Akkermans
(Thom Hoffman), another leader within the Dutch resistance,
to smuggle guns and correspondence aboard a train. Posing as
a couple, they hope to sneak past German troops patrolling
the station, but when the Germans announce a thorough bag
check, Rachel’s quick thinking leads her into the arms of
Ludwig Müntze (Sebastian Koch) the head of the Dutch SD.
Rachel charms capture Müntze’s attention, and as the
soldiers ask for her bags he instructs them to leave them
alone. Their brief encounter makes a lasting impression on
both Rachel and Müntze, but as they part, both believe this
to be their last encounter together.
That prediction, however, proves short lived after an
accident reveals the resistances’ attempt to transport
weapons and ends with the capture of several top resistance
fighters including Kuipers’ son. Blinded by his love for his
son, Kuipers solicits both Rachel and Akkermans to break
into the SD headquarters to free the captives. Remembering
her encounter with Müntze, Rachel volunteers herself to
seduce Müntze and obtain the release of the captives.
Her initial meeting with Müntze results in her being
hired as his assistant, assuring her close and intimate
contact with the leadership of the SD forces. Befriending
Ronnie (Halina Reijn), Rachel is confronted by the vicious
ruthlessness of the Nazi regime and is even forced to print
the execution orders for her captive compatriots. Rachel
soon learns the dire condition of the prisoners, and
realizes that the future of their survival lies in Müntze’s
hands. The merciless nature of the Nazi leadership would
normally never yield, but Rachel discovers Müntze’s resolve
wavering under the weight his conscience. Before Müntze is
able to finish secret negotiations with the resistance to
cease fighting in exchange for the prisoners, his second in
command Franken (Waldemar Kobus) reveals Müntze’s secret
negotiations to
General Käutner (Christian Berkel). Müntze is arrested and
summarily condemned to death for treason and aiding the
resistance.
Seizing this moment of turmoil in the Nazi leadership,
Akkermans mounts a rescue in an attempt to free the captured
resistance fighters. But the surprise arrival of their small
squad into the SD headquarters was anticipated by the
Germans. Unable to save any of the captured prisoners,
Akkermans is the only one to make it out alive. But unknown
to the resistance fighters, Rachel helps Müntze, whom she
has grown to love, to escape. The failed escape leads the
resistance to believe they were betrayed by a self-serving
traitor. Learning of Müntze’s escape, they begin to believe
that Rachel exchanged information for his release. Now on
the run from both the Nazi’s and the resistance, Rachel and
Müntze spend the next several weeks waiting out the war
together.
Several months later, following the Allied liberation of
Holland, Müntze and Rachel return to seek out Mr. Smaal’s
help to escape the harsh judgment of the victorious Dutch
resistance However, their return to the jubilant city is not
a welcome one. Together, Rachel and Müntze are confronted
with the harsh vengeance of the victor’s justice as Müntze
is recognized as the leader of the SD. Trying to flee the
throngs of civilians demanding his arrest, Müntze is
captured and executed on the orders of General Käutner,
claiming yet one more victim for his ruthless regime. Alone
once more, Rachel sets out to uncover the person who framed
her as the traitor and right her blighted wartime record.
But, as she delves deeper into the events of the past,
Rachel uncovers trails of deceit pointing to compatriots she
once counted as her
closest friends and embarks upon a retributive justice of
her own, to right the wrongs of this unforgiving period of
history.
©
2007 Sony Classics . All Rights
Reserved.
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