The 4th Man
"A death-obsessed, dreamlike thriller and a wickedly funny comedy." -Newsweek
Gerard Reve (Jeroen Krabbe) is a controversial alcoholic novelist who claims his stories "lie the truth". But when he is seduced by sexy widow Christine (Renee Soutendijk), Gerard finds himself trapped in a nightmare of blasphemy, bloodshed, and bisexual desire. Has Christine brutally murdered her previous three husbands or is Gerard only hallucinating his horrific fate as The Fourth Man?
Part savage thriller, part outrageous black comedy, this acclaimed erotic shocker was the final Dutch-language film directed by Paul Verhoeven (Basic Instinct, Robocop, Total Recall) and features stunning cinematography by Jan de Bont (director of Speed and Twister).
Member Reviews
Was hoping for more... - OlBaldy
I found the acting in this one distracting. A good actor uses a subtle approach. The lead actor was using the over-reaction of a slap-stick comedian but trying to apply the technique to a dramatic role. It didn't do it for me and I found I couldn't "escape into the movie" to become a part of it.
It's unfortunate. I expected more from Verhoeven. Not nearly as good as his other pictures.Verhoeven-Before the Fall - Number5
How could the director of this made films as underwhelming as Hollow Man,Basic Instinct and Total Recall? None of those films suggest anything but a capable hack. While this films shows an actual artistic vision. Verhoeven might not be Hitchcock but he's the next best thing (outside of France).A little bit of everything - Coconut_Willy
No one will ever say that this is a 'typical' movie but to me, it is typical of a movie that does not want to be classified or does not know where it wants to go. Part crime thriller, part psychological thriller, part drama interspersed with sex scenes; it is overall interesting and will surely keep your attention for the duration. Not speaking Dutch, I was a bit distracted by having to read the subtitles but not enough to find it annoying. The storyline is very good and becomes apparent quite late in the movie which certainly helps maintaining a level of suspense. The cast is good enough doing a fine acting job with an odd dialogue and even stranger characters. The sets and locations are good, the soundtrack is appropriate and the camera work is good. Even for Verhoeven who made quite a few over the top films, this has to be considered somewhat bizarre. As long as you're not looking for too much action, this should be entertaining enough.
Member Reviews
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Was hoping for more... - OlBaldy
I found the acting in this one distracting. A good actor uses a subtle approach. The lead actor was using the over-reaction of a slap-stick comedian but trying to apply the technique to a dramatic role. It didn't do it for me and I found I couldn't "escape ...Verhoeven-Before the Fall - Number5
How could the director of this made films as underwhelming as Hollow Man,Basic Instinct and Total Recall? None of those films suggest anything but a capable hack. While this films shows an actual artistic vision. Verhoeven might not be Hitchcock but he's ...A little bit of everything - Coconut_Willy
No one will ever say that this is a 'typical' movie but to me, it is typical of a movie that does not want to be classified or does not know where it wants to go. Part crime thriller, part psychological thriller, part drama interspersed with sex scenes; it ...